Morocco - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

Culture Smart / Cultuur Bewust

by Jillian York

Don't just see the sights—get to know the people. Morocco is a joy to the senses. Graced with spectacular scenery, the country's rich history is carved into its architecture and baked into its cuisine. Its marketplaces are filled with tantalizing scents and colorful sights, and the call of the muezzin seems to draw people from every corner of the globe. In 1956 Morocco gained independence from French colonial rule and was jolted into the 20th century. Today it is a country in transition—a unique blend of Arab, African, and European ways of life. The teeming cities have an air of sophistication and joie de vivre, but life in rural areas has stayed much the same. And while the cities are highly Westernized, tradition and religion still play a vital role in the everyday life of most people.Culture Smart! Morocco describes the life of Moroccans today, as well as the key customs and traditions that punctuate daily life. It examines the impact of religious beliefs and history on their lives, and provides insight into the values that people hold dear, as well as recent social and political developments. Tips on communicating, socializing, and on navigating the unfamiliar situations that visitors are likely to encounter ensure that they get the very best out of their time in this welcoming yet complex land.Have a richer and more meaningful experience abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on history, values, attitudes, and traditions will help you to better understand your hosts, while tips on etiquette and communicating will help you to navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

Genres: Travel, Morocco, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Africa, Cultural

201 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2006

About the author

Jillian C. York is a writer whose work has been published in a number of publications, including The New York Times, Motherboard, The Washington Post, Die Zeit, The Conversationalist, and Buzzfeed.

Reviews

[ann z. branchini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good overview. Helpful for first trip to Morocco. Very readable but amount of detail a bit shallow. Left me wanting more. Would be helpful to have a reference for commonly used phrases.

[Mandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was like reading the "culture" part of a travel guide, if it was expanded by 100 pages. I learned a good overview of Moroccan life from this book, and picked up a couple of tidbits that were useful on our travels. But it wasn't the profound cultural exploration that I was looking for.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

The information is up to date, but it is fairly uninteresting, compared with other books about Morocco. It assumes all puerile are here for business.

[Alistair · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really excellent little book. This helped us avoid most of the typical tourist blunders and understand a lot more of the daily routine we were seeing as we travelled. Highly recommend this to anyone heading out on the Moroccan roads.

[John Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short book provides an overview of a relatively small country of 37 million people in a size of a country of Sweden with only three cities of one million people, including Casablanca and Fes, cities we are visiting in August. 60% of the population is under 30. The country is a Muslim country but has a rich history of respecting Jews. The official language is Arabic and Tamazight, although French is known by most and English is known increasingly by people, especially in tourist areas. The country straddles two continents, only eight miles from Spain. Perhaps that is a major reason why Morocco is more progressive.

The book gave a short, historical history that was helpful. It’s important to know that they only gained their independence in 1956 after forty-four years of French colonial rule. It was interesting to read that while Europe was going through the miserable Dark Ages, Morocco and their Arab nations were living the life. It was also thought-provoking that the French did not try to levy their Christian religion on the Muslim nation. Morocco tried to stay clear of the war, marginally siding with the Vichy government until the Allied army freed them in 1942. They got Charles DE Gaulle’s attention when they tried to split apart at the conclusion of the war, but won their independence through the educated class, thanks to the French educational system. They won their freedom in 1956 after riots, bombing and persistence against the French and Spanish.

King Hassan II took control in 1961 from his dad and opened the government to some democratic measures, although he was willing to use an iron hammer when necessary. Upon his death, his son assumed the leadership in 1999. He continued to move the country with modest reforms and, with his progressive wife, provided meaningful freedoms to women including the right to divorce, maintain child custody, and secure employment. Due to their religious power, LGBTQ community is hidden without even nonprofits advocating for fair rights.

The author highlights that the citizens put families first, including sharing dinner with their family during their multi-hour break in the middle of the day. Single people rarely live alone. Women are gaining rights, especially in the cities. Literacy is catching up between the sexes with 75% of women under 24 being literate, versus 2/3rds of all women being illiterate.

Reading the book increased the excitement of visiting our first country in Africa. Fes especially seems exciting as the largest living medieval city in the world. We look forward to seeing their medina area, a World Heritage Site.

[Jeff Everett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really helped me be prepared for my first trip to Morocco!

[Sheri Fresonke Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful knowledge for travellers visiting Morocco including what to wear, holidays, food types etc.

[Kamma Wenthin · Rating 4 out of 5]

good overview guide for first time visitors

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Planning to vacation in Morocco I wanted to learn about the culture. This book fit the bill. It would be a good reference for anyone planning an extended stay in Morocco.

[Marjorie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good guide before a trip to Morocco.

[William T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reasonably thorough, but more importantly, very readable.

[LaShana Claude]

Jillian C. York is a Berlin-based writer specializing in the intersection of technology and politics. After graduating from Binghamton University with a B.A. in Sociology, she studied and taught in Morocco. Her writing has been published by the New York Times, the Atlantic, Die Zeit, Al Jazeera English, and the Washington Post, among others, and she is the author of Silicon Values: The Future of Free Speech Under Surveillance Capitalism, published in 20221. She is currently a project director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Al-Mamlakah
Rabat
Casablanca
37 Million
267,930 sq. miles
446,550 sq. km
Mountain Ranges, including the Atlas Mountains, run NE-SW
Desert-Mediterranean-Middle Atlas-High Mountain
Arabic and Tamazight
90% of Moroccans- Sunni Muslim
Constitutional Monarchy
Moroccan dirham
French and Arabic Newspapers
Electricity- power plugs and sockets are type C and E. The standard voltage is 220V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz
DVD/Video Morocco uses the SECAM system for TV/video, which is also used by France

[Rory Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this was a good introduction into Moroccan culture. With that said, it covered the basics, and I wished it went a bit more in-depth into things. Some things in the book didn’t seem to be completely accurate, at least from my experience, but as the author describes Morocco, it’s ever-changing, so I suppose so are our experiences as travelers.

I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to gain an understanding of the country’s past and how Morocco’s history has affected different generations’ behaviors and norms.

[Steven De Landtsheer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read this book preparing for our holliday stay in Marrakech and it has served it's purpose well. It's a small book but it is well structured in chapters and clearly witten. If you are looking for a first introduction to Marocco I can recommend this book.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad as a basic guide to Moroccan culture. Not as detailed as Culture Shock Morocco, but easier to read.

[iTZKooPA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick and easy reference.

[Elease · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful introduction to Morocco prior to our vacation. It made me even more excited for our trip!

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great guide to customs and culture in Morocco!

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overall guide book.

[Mer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic starter book if you're wanting to know about Morocco and especially if you're traveling there for pleasure, retirement, business.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a helpful and informative book on Morocco - it was a good primer for me, having recently moved to Morocco for the time being. Not super in depth but covers a wide variety of topics.

[Linda Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good basic background: history, customs, etiquette--all the basics!