Medineando

In the streets of Marrakech

"Medineando" is an invented term that would translate to something like "wandering around the Medina," as used by Juan Goytisolo, a Spanish writer who left Spain to escape General Franco's dictatorship, which ruled the country for over 40 years. The author traveled around the world looking for his place, which he finally found in Marrakech, where he lived until his death.

“Not to find one's way around a city does not mean much. But to lose one's way in a city, as one loses one's way in a forest, requires some schooling.”

-Wallter Benjamin.

Marrakech is a bustling city in the heart of Morocco, has a rich and fascinating history that stretches back more than a thousand years. From its origins as a small market town in the eleventh century, Marrakech has grown into one of the most vibrant and colorful cities in the world.

The story of Marrakech begins in the year 1062, when the Almoravids, a Berber dynasty from the Sahara, founded the city as a center for trade and commerce. Under their rule, Marrakech grew rapidly, with new buildings, mosques, and markets springing up all over the city.

Perhaps the most famous of Marrakech's rulers was the Almohad Sultan Yacoub al-Mansour, who reigned in the twelfth century. He commissioned the construction of one of the city's most iconic landmark, the Koutoubia Mosque, which still dominates the skyline to this day.

“When people come here, they think that this is some kind of movie. They don’t see us as people with normal lives, normal jobs, people goin to the office… They see camels and Djellabas”

I have been lucky to visit Morocco many times, and in every trip, I have a sense that I discover something new - about the place, the people, and myself.

Thinking about it retrospectively, it's not really strange because Moroccan culture and Spanish culture are interlinked. One can see themselves in others' faces and, somehow, unconsciously feel the footprint of the shared history.

But even with the familiarity of the exotic atmosphere, the beauty, dynamism, and organized chaos of Marrakech hit you hard.

“I was fascinated by the beauty of that region, but this posed a moral problem for me because there was a mismatch between my critical attitude towards the reality experienced by these people and a kind of aesthetic pleasure in the face of a totally African and impoverished landscape.”

- Juan Goytisolo. About Campos de Nijar in Spain.

I saw myself reflected in the words of the Spanish author, even though he was speaking from another time and place.

Life doesn't lack a little bit of irony, and it was a friend that I made in the Medina who recommended me Goytisolo. That wasn't going to be the last thing that Abdel, Amine, and the rest were going to teach me, of course.

The literary recommendation made me realize that sometimes you have to go back in time if you are going to try to understand something in the present, and definitely that learning stuff it’s always the way.

Moroccans are happy and joyful people, incredibly welcoming. To have a cup of tea and a good conversation at any time is almost the norm, but they are also very expressive. Even though most of the time laughs and jokes are at the tip of everyone's tongue, from time to time, you can see, for a fleeting moment, an expression of melancholy on their faces.

“We have the right to dream but not the right to make our dreams come true”

People call them the golden generation. Young Moroccans today are the most prepared and ready for the future in the history of the country. One has to spend very little time with them to realize that it's almost an understatement.

Some of them speak four or five languages. They have great knowledge of the latest technologies. They are great business owners, and the amount of talent in music and arts, in general, is incredible.

“The golden boys we say, it’s ironic of course, there is no gold”

“Medineando” one can argue that there is a clash between the old and the new. Of course, this is a guess, and even if it’s true, it is definitely not the only thing that is testing the resilience of "the golden boys".

12/05/2021 Field notes.

I have noticed that when we walk together with our friends to go for coffee or something, they walk a few meters in front of us. 'You guys walk fast,' I told them. So they explained to us that it's not that. 'You see, it's illegal for us to walk with you. If the police catch us, we can face a fine and even a night in jail.'

On paper, this law is to protect tourists against scams and similar things, so the only legal way is to have a permit as an official tourist guide.

On paper, with a little bit of mental gymnastics, a law like that could make sense, but that means that it's somehow illegal to make friends with foreigners.

“The modern world was not built by kings, but by travelers.”

There are some injustices that are easy to see, while others are less obvious.

In my opinion, the freedom of movement, being able to travel and discover new things, to meet amazing people, the freedom to make friends with someone, and maybe even meet yourself in the process is of great value. Often we take it for granted, but it's not the case for everyone.

Summer is coming, and you might be thinking about vacations, maybe a trip. Maybe you are thinking about visiting Marrakech. I would say do it, find yourself "medinando," and make friends. That means more than you might think.

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P.S.

You might have watched The Raw Society online course on our YouTube channel.

That beautiful project wouldn't have been possible without the help, kindness, and insights of my friends: Amine, Abdel, Ayoub, and the rest of "The Golden Boys" of Marrakech. Once again, thank you guys!

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