Friends of Morocco Winter 2005 www.friendsofmorocco.org Festival “Magical Morocco: Sahara to the Sea” in Washington, DC Suburb Draws Thousands of Visitors By Elizabeth Kelleher and Tim Resch, FOM President Casablanca and had recently immigrated to the United States of America before her death during this year, following a long A small patch of land outside disease. Inside the Center was a children’s crafts area where Washington at the McLean (Virginia) they could make a Fez hat, weave a small carpet, make a Community Center was turned for a day necklace and color Moroccan scenes and the Community into a Moroccan souk, or Stage for demonstrations and films. Most of the action, marketplace, as vendors hawked however, was on the Community Center grounds. brightly colored Moroccan clothing, Kader Rhanime, who planned the entertainment for the rugs, pottery, brass, jewelry, tile and event, said, "A souk is not a marketplace literally, but a trading ceramics and a host of musicians grounds -- a cluttery place, full of yelling and shouting." He performed. said, in Morocco, it might be a place where even stories or The October 2 day-long cultural poems are traded. festival was a collaboration of the Washington Moroccan The scene near Washington was lively. More than 3,000 Club, Friends of Morocco, the Community Center and the visitors came throughout the day to hear lively singing and Moroccan community in the Washington, DC area. The thumping music, enjoy savory kabobs and couscous, buy festival had 20 exhibitors, 6 food vendors, two stages with vendors' goods and even see a camel up close. continuous presentations and roaming performers. "In Morocco, there is music at the souk, but not this loud!" At the entrance was the traditional offering of milk and laughed Amina Elaissami, FOM member and a former dates which symbolize the legendary hospitality of the employee of the Moroccan Embassy in Washington who was Moroccans. In a posthumous homage, the lobby and there to sell imported wares -- tagines, vessels to cook a dish hallway of the Community Center were decorated with of the same name over an open fire; pottery; colored-glass sculptures and painting by Nadia Haddou. Haddou was a lanterns; and intricately decorated wooden chests. Other prize winner of the National School of Beaux Arts of vendors sold bright tunics and jackets, gold coin belts favored by belly dancers, rugs and painted furniture. At the Community Stage, Fatma Mbarek, the mother of FOM members Martha Dye and Driss Benmhend, Table of Contents demonstrated rug making, and FOM member Russ Pickering, an expert in Moroccan textiles, described the long tradition Ash Khabarna? ............................................................................. 2 and diversity of weaving in Morocco. The FOM film by Dan In Memoriam................................................................................. 3 Cahill, Bridges between Cultures and the FOM film Letter from The Music of Morocco .................................................................. 4 Morocco by Bev Seckinger, were each shown three times Morocco and Disneyland ............................................................. 6 Friends of Morocco Souk ............................................................. 9 during the festival. Bridges between Cultures quotes Morocco at the Movies #8 .........................................................10 Morocco's King Mohammed VI as saying his country is "a Our Man in Morocco...................................................................12 buffer zone, a melting pot." He said, "To the people of the Book Review: Casablanca Notebook .......................................15 West, Morocco is the Orient. To the people of the Orient, The Re-Readjustment.................................................................17 Morocco is the West." High Atlas Foundation News......................................................18 Food vendors included the Casablanca restaurant (Rafi News from Morocco....................................................................21 Labriny, Chef/Owner and a FOM member); Taste of Morocco How Atlas Men Marry .................................................................25 (Abdel Moumen, Chef/Owner and a FOM member); Creme de Truth Commission Begins Hearings..........................................27 la Creme; the Florence Cafe and a Friends of Morocco booth Visit Morocco Next Spring..........................................................27 selling Casablanca beer and Moroccan wines sold by the glass and bottle. The FOM booth was staffed by George McFadden, (Continued on page 20) Page 2 Friends of Morocco Ash Khabarna? Editor’s note: I sincerely apologize for <[email protected]>. understanding and cooperation any errors in the last installment of between the U.S. and the Arab World.” Ash Khabarna. Most of these entries Helen and Alan Marston—Outat El Haj Contact Rajae at are typed and not cut and pasted, so it 89-90 write, “We’re engaged in forming <[email protected]>. was just simple human error. I also an RPCV group in the midcoast area of Main . Anyone interested in being on our Elizabeth McClintock—Khemisset/ rely on the information sent to us by e list is welcome. Since Alan is retired, Rabat 88-92 writes, “I offer training the National Peace Corps Association. we’ve not been to any AVMA meetings and consulting to governments and Please check with them and make where we used to see some of the organizations in negotiation, sure your contact information is “gang”, including Stu, the Barkers, Mary communication, leadership and accurate. Clear handwriting also helps. and the Lloyds. We’re going to Spain conflict resolution skill. For the past If you don’t want your personal and Portugal in October with a side day two years I've been the lead information to appear in Ash trip to Tangier. I went to Middlebury facilitator for the Burundi Leadership Khabarna, please indicate this request College for Portuguese this past summer Training program - working at on your membership renewal. to get ready. Alan studied Spanish all several levels (i.e. political leaders, winter. I’ll be going to Cape Verde in military, UN observers & local January. Maybe the Portuguese will help leaders) to assist in creating an Tristán del Canto—Bouarfa 98-00 with the creole! Also, I’ll look for the P.C. environment conducive to the writes, “I worked for Delta Airlines and officer there.” Helen and Alan can be implementation of the Arusha Peace traveled extensively for six months, contacted at <[email protected]>. Accords. MALD from the Fletcher began working for CARE as a donor School at Tufts University.’ Contact relations specialist, then got a job as Mary Cava Riley—Meknes 94-96 writes, Elizabeth at the Program Assistant for the HIV/AIDS “I’ve renovated an historic home; worked <[email protected]>. unit, and finally was promoted to learning architectural art glass (i.e. Program Officer of the HIV/AIDS unit. I stained glass). I moved to Savannah, GA Peter Laugharn—Sefrou 82-84 writes, am currently still at CARE in Atlanta.” and started my own glass studio. I “I received a Masters in Arab Contact Tristá n at recently married Billy Compton.” Contact studies Georgetown 1987. Worked <[email protected]>. Mary at <[email protected]>. for Save the Children 1989-99 (1991- 99 in Mali) as Field Office Director, S. Louise Hoare—Rabat 90-91 is Darryn “Dutch” Martin and Btisam “Ibi” Regional Director and Education retired and lives in Santa Monica, CA. Martin—US Embassy Rabat 02—04 is a Advisor for Africa; PhD University of Foreign Service Officer. Contact Darryn London, Institute of Education Valerie Piotrowski Broadwell—Khenifra at <[email protected]>. 2001. Thesis on Community schools 81-83 is an air quality specialist with in Mali. Since 1999 with Bernard the U.S. EPA. Valerie lives in Chapel Evelyn Nolan—Casablanca 88-90 writes, Van Leer Foundaton (Netherlands) Hill, NC and can be contacted at “I worked as an analyst at the FAA for 3 which works to promote the well- <[email protected]>. years, then went to graduate school for being and development of young my MBA. I was in Phoenix working for children growing up in John Leister—Rabat 76-78 is the Intel Corp for a couple of years before disadvantage. BVLF is active in 40 carpentry foreman at W.M. Moyer Co. moving to the Washington, DC area to countries, including John lives in Quakertown, PA and can work as a marketing analyst and system Morocco. Married to Marie Kaguju be contacted at engineer for a government contractor”. (from Rwanda) three kids Marc <[email protected]>. Contact Evelyn at (1996) and Lily and Kate (2001).” <[email protected]>. Contact Peter at Stephen Feinberg—Sebt-Gzoula/Oujda <[email protected]>. 68-70 is Director, National Outreach at Rajae Nami—Meknes 76 to present the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. writes, “Since leaving Peace Corps/ Paul Odegard—Errachidia 82-84 has Stephen can be contacted at Gabon, I have attended graduate school done the following since returning from <[email protected]>. and obtained my Master’s in Arab Morocco: “US Navy 85-90 Surface Studies at Georgetown University in Warfare Officer USS Roark (FF- Kristy Larson—Essaouira 82 to present 2002. Since then, I have been working 1053); Teacher: English, math, social is a tour director in Morocco for as a consultant, and have recently studies 7th and 8th grade Egling Mountain Travel & Sobek Equitours. founded AMENA Consulting Group with 3 Contact Kristy at other