Environmental paradox

Tuesday, July 14th
For the past weeks, as we traveled across Morocco, I have looked through a critical lens at environmental issues. Is this country progressive? Are Moroccans aware of their actions and the consequences of increased consumerism? What lies ahead for the children of Morocco?

My first impression was one of surprising road-side cleanliness, very little littering .....until, I discovered the plumes of smoke. Increasingly, they rose into the sky, like old-fashioned smoke signals..... a landscape filled with pungent smells of burning trash! I noticed that parts of the rural areas were virgin, untouched by any sign of consumerism....no plastic bags....no soda cans or plastic bottles, not even little bits of used paper in the landscape.

The road to the desert was different, however. When coming closer to Boulmane du Dades and Ouarzazate, there was more trash littering the arid land. "The wind" - I thought - "it must be the desert wind" that carries trash merciless into the desert landscape! Then, suddenly at the side of the road a picture of some rodent and a lot of Arabic writing. My frustration level rose, as I wanted to be able to read the sign, but could not! Did we just pass a sign that was announcing the protection of some endangered creature? I honestly do not know. But, I asked myself how far environmental stewardship has progressed in this beautiful country. The answer came to me in dual fashion:

First, I remembered our visit to the small elementary school near Essaouria. There, the principal had shown to us with great pride, the environmental program of his students. I was impressed, and even our guide had a tear in his eye, when he noticed the tremendous dedication at the local educational level;

Second, my visit to the Cedar forest near Azrou, evoked a feeling of catastrophic alarm. The Barbary Macaque, an indigenous monkey of the cedar forest, was being "protected". When I asked a local inhabitant about the location of the refuge for the monkeys, she said that she was unaware of their "endangered species status" in Morocco.

The floor of the cedar forest was littered with plastic bags, and merchants were readily selling peanuts to attract the monkeys.....I admit, I was guilty too, - purchasing the peanuts, so that I could take a few photo shots for my science class. What bothered me the most were that the horses for tourist rides, were galloping through the cedar forest amongst the endangered species. Their constant movement through the forest were destroying the fragile forest floor, - the very ground for future cedar growth - and the survival of the Barbary Macaque. The sign at the edge of the forest attested to the efforts being made by the Moroccan ministry and some benevolent French organizations. But is it enough?

Finally, my young "friend", and driver, Hicham, drove me back to campus in a gas-guzzling, antiquated Mercedes Benz. To think, that I actually paid a few dirhams, polluting the fragile habitat! He explained the difficulty of deforestation for the local inhabitants, the increasingly cold winters due to climate changes, and the high prices for heating fuels/gas. His suggestion was a simple one......subsidize the price of liquid gas or propane for the local population during the winter months, thereby encouraging the reduction of use of firewood!

Wow, I thought for a minute, - my driver has an environmental approach that warrants exploring!
And who am I ? - ....looking through this critical lens at Moroccan environmental issues,.....when we ourselves, have a lot of educating to do in the U.S. After all, my eighth grade students were the ones educating their parents about e-waste recycling and its environmental impact.

Maybe therein lies the answer, and the future for both, Morocco and the US: ....it's our students, our young people, the very ones whose future and lives will be most affected by pollution and consumerism. They are the ones who are taking the lead, - here, in an elementary school near Essaouria, and far away in a small city near Los Angeles!

Week 3??? Already?

We need to get David his own blog or personal youtube account... or better yet, both.  

I just wanted to share my personal blog because there are too many to post on here.  

www.caseyqrt.blogspot.com 

But, here is an interesting one that I posted today, just for fun.

Mousharabia

Mousharabia is the Arabic word for the screens that adorn middle and upper class houses and other historic buildings in the old medinas and kasbahs.  They refer mostly to the intricately carved screens that women sit behind in order to see what is going on below them without actually being seen.  This architectural innovation comes from the Arab customs of gender segregation and the custom that women should not be seen unveiled by men outside their immediate family.  Even then, they were required to express some modesty, covering their hair and most of their bodies.  (This was especially common for upper class women.)  

Although today women are more integrated into society, they are still expected to exercise modesty, piety, humility and correct sexual behavior- which requires them to stay out of spaces reserved for men in order to maintain their family's reputation.  Many women opt for more conservative dress because they wish to ward off unwanted male attention, others choose to because they want to show their modesty, which holds significant value in Morocco when it comes to a woman's role in society.  

Mousharabia are not widely used today to conceal women from the outside world, thus relegating to them to private spaces.  Instead, they are artistic and architectural masterpieces of a time where women were forbidden from having active participation in public spaces.  While they are beautiful in their individual designs, they serve as important reminders of the position of women in the classical Arab world.  Here are some photos that depict some beautiful Mousharabia that I have had the opportunity to photograph during my stay here.

Jamal Funk

The Jamal (Camel) has been for centuries the number one source of transportation throughout the Sahara. Today, many nomads still ride the Jamal through the Sahara and wander to distant lands to discover the beauty of life and freedom.As a matter of fact, some Berber families still move around the Sahara, however, now with the militarization of the borders between Algeria and Morocco it has become very difficult to travel.

A Cultural Musical Exchange

It was a full moon night, as we listened and shared our musical cultures. It was a soulful night in Africa. This video was filmed by Zaid and Mohamed.Many thanks to the Gnawa Group: Zaid, Said, Aziz, Abdellah, Bilole, and Mohamed. Also. too the Queen of Micheal Jackson Miss Shondale.

Endangered

Today we visited the Cedar Forest in Ifrane. We were told it was the home to the last of the indigenous monkeys of Morocco and the oldest tree in Africa, a cedar. It only took 20 senic minutes to get there. Much to our surprise, the "oldest tree in Africa" was dead. A bleached, leafless shell, covered in spray paint. We were instructed to buy some peanuts and headed for the monkeys. Many had said they only came out in the morning but we came across 10 or 12 right away. They seemed sweet and docile at first, but then they started chasing each other off and following us around for food. One even grabbed Beate by the pants to get more food. There environment, this Cedar Forest, was strewn with garbage and very poorly cared for. I have grave concerns about the future of the trees and the monkeys if steps are not taken to preserve this site. This brings me to a thought I have had many times on this trip...why don't the people of this beautiful place do more to try and save it for their children? As a historian and nature lover it causes me to raise another question...what can I do?

The Camel Ride

One of the highlights we all had prior to arriving in Morocco was to visit the Sahara and ride a camel. We knew we were going to have a great time but yesterday as we rode the camels through the dunes, I could not articulate what I felt. It was such a surreal experience. Before we actually got on our camels, we were greeted at the Ciel Bleu Lodge by some Ghanoan musicians playing and singing an awesome song. It was an amazing feeling to walk into this place through the greeting party listening to the fantastic music while receiving a hot glass of mint tea. (The tea was got, the outside temperature was even hotter.) There were incents burning which gave the lobby a spiritual atmosphere.

By the time we arrived, we were exhausted. We had been travelling for about 8 hours. The desert heat reminded us that we were not in control here. I felt as if I was in Bakersfield. It was easily over 110 degrees. When the music stopped, we were honorably welcomed then we were escorted to our tents. Tents in the middle of the desert! I have camped before but this was new to me. I was trying to figure out how I was going to sleep since the heat did not let up. I quickly set my belonging aside and practically ran over to where the camels were. I was like a young boy eager to ride the marry-go-round. I was gestured to approach a camel. I had a smile on my face that could not be wiped off. I had seen camels on this trip before but now I was on one.

One by one my peers were assisted onto their camels. There was laughter and other interesting noises that came from both person and animal. But I think my colleagues would agree that we were in entralled. Thus began our trek to the top dune to await the sunset. All along the way there were countless flashes and videoing. We went up and down dunes trying to figure out our camels as they moaned, pooped, peed, and drooled. There was the occasional scream as the camels went downhill. When told to get off, my camel had better hydraulics than the low riders back home. It was a smooth descend.

We were led to the top of the dune to prepare for the sunset. It was very cool up there. Within minutes the spectacle was over and it was time to head back to the camp. But, not before I could absorb the ambiance. The ride back was full of laughter and people recounting what they felt. This experience was worth it. The rest of the evening was full of music, great food, dance, bonding, and a time to absorb our surrounding. There was a full moon which made the mood very romantic. I hope to share this experience in the future with my family. At long last, it was time to sleep in the tents. Although it was not as comfortable due the heat, I slept like a baby. And from the comments that I heard today, it sounds like I was out. Apparently my snores kept one or two people up. I am just grateful that I got to live a dream.

I kissed Obama!!!!!

Seriously, I did!!! It happened when we were in Marrakech.  Call all the tabloids, there will be a scandal I assure you! If only because I really, really wanted to take him home with me... Scroll down for the pictures.

Meet Obama:

Aborable, no? He is the unofficial mascot of SPANA. He is about 4 - 5 weeks old. He is named, of course after our president, and the fact that he is the symbol of the Democratic party. His mother died of pneumonia. :-( So, he will stay at SPANA to help educate the local kids.

SPANA is a wonderful, wonderful organization. They educate animal owners and local school children about how to properly take care of animals. Sad, but true that it needs to be taught... It has been the highlight of my trip so far. 

Not only do they take care of equids, but also dogs and cats. 

Their services are strictly for those who cannot afford care for their animals. They also take care of injured strays (dogs and cats), who are then available for adoption. They have a free spay/neuter program, of which all the potential adoptees take part (though I can imagine some take part not so willingly!)!  And there are a few storks running around the grounds who were injured and can no longer take care of themselves in the wild.

Here's Obama making sure I am filling out the donation form properly. He's so stinking cute!