The experience of walking across the Djemma El Fnaa at full speed is a strange one - and not one that we undertake lightly as there is just so much to see everywhere you look. But tonight is different - we are on our way to a small store known as KIS Boutique where a BBC broadcaster, Richard Hamilton, will be reading from his book 'The Last Storytellers: Tales from the heart of Morocco'. I bought a copy of this book in the UK around Christmas time and brought it with me to Morocco, being unaware of the author's anticipated visit. And tonight is the night where some of these tales will unfold before my eyes.
'What's it all about?' I can hear you ask. Well, this is a topic that I've found really interesting for some time now - the demise of the storytellers in the Djemma El Fnaa. When tourists come to Marrakech and visit this main 'Square' they will notice the snake charmers, the water sellers, the monkey men, the henna tattooists, the orange juice stalls, the various musicians, the food stalls - all the life that inhabits this place and makes it so wonderful - but hidden amongst all this activity was once upon a time another type of entertainment, the Storyteller - men who would do simply that, tell stories.
Before the arrival of the Arabs in North Africa in the 7th century, storytelling was already deeply-ingrained in the Berber way of life. The Berbers were the indigenous people of Morocco and the language used was mainly oral rather than using script as we do today. Storytelling was at the heart of their way of life and these men would travel from village to village sharing stories about the different way of life in different regions. Passing on information in this manner was the main way of communicating at that time. Throughout the centuries this tradition of storytelling has continued, and from this stock has come the Storytellers of Marrakech, who for maybe a thousand years have continued this unbroken tradition, sharing stories of wisdom and ancient knowledge in the Djemma El Fnaa to all who would listen. Only now, over the past few years, these storytellers have all died out...and the ancient tradition is no more.
The Storytellers may now be no longer here in person, but Richard Hamilton has spent the last few years tracking down the last remaining storytellers (all of whom have since either passed away or retired), and interviewing them. With the use of a translator he has captured many of the stories and written down their words of wisdom for future generations to enjoy. Tonight he will be reading some of the tales from his book and signing copies. It is important to us to be here, to bear witness to all that has gone before.
So that's why we are making our way through the throngs of people in the Djemma El Fnaa and heading for KIS Boutique where Richard is waiting to regale us with some of the tales of a bygone age.
We are welcomed and led to the roof terrace of the small boutique where a very welcome glass of wine awaits us, and it is not long before we are then invited downstairs to lounge on cushions around a rose petal-filled fountain to hear from the Storyteller. We hear from Richard about his painstaking efforts to track down the last few existing storytellers in order to capture their 'treasures' (as he refers to the stories), then he loses us in a world of fantasy where the poor Moroccan becomes 'rich' in spirit, the wealthy are brought low, and everything is achievable for those who are honest and good. We all sit silently, hanging onto his every word, like a bunch of nursery kids who daren't move as it will break the spell. All too soon 'storytime' is over and the socialising begins, accompanied by fabulous food and wine kindly provided by the staff at KIS Boutique. By midnight the last stragglers (us included) make our way back through the now much quieter streets of Marrakech and continue homeward...after all, we don't want to suffer the same fate as the stepsister in the Storyteller's Moroccan version of Cinderella....
http://www.richard-hamilton.com/the-last-storytellers/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/KIS-Boutique-Keep-It-Secret-Marrakech/319500001433497
'What's it all about?' I can hear you ask. Well, this is a topic that I've found really interesting for some time now - the demise of the storytellers in the Djemma El Fnaa. When tourists come to Marrakech and visit this main 'Square' they will notice the snake charmers, the water sellers, the monkey men, the henna tattooists, the orange juice stalls, the various musicians, the food stalls - all the life that inhabits this place and makes it so wonderful - but hidden amongst all this activity was once upon a time another type of entertainment, the Storyteller - men who would do simply that, tell stories.
Before the arrival of the Arabs in North Africa in the 7th century, storytelling was already deeply-ingrained in the Berber way of life. The Berbers were the indigenous people of Morocco and the language used was mainly oral rather than using script as we do today. Storytelling was at the heart of their way of life and these men would travel from village to village sharing stories about the different way of life in different regions. Passing on information in this manner was the main way of communicating at that time. Throughout the centuries this tradition of storytelling has continued, and from this stock has come the Storytellers of Marrakech, who for maybe a thousand years have continued this unbroken tradition, sharing stories of wisdom and ancient knowledge in the Djemma El Fnaa to all who would listen. Only now, over the past few years, these storytellers have all died out...and the ancient tradition is no more.
The Storytellers may now be no longer here in person, but Richard Hamilton has spent the last few years tracking down the last remaining storytellers (all of whom have since either passed away or retired), and interviewing them. With the use of a translator he has captured many of the stories and written down their words of wisdom for future generations to enjoy. Tonight he will be reading some of the tales from his book and signing copies. It is important to us to be here, to bear witness to all that has gone before.
So that's why we are making our way through the throngs of people in the Djemma El Fnaa and heading for KIS Boutique where Richard is waiting to regale us with some of the tales of a bygone age.
We are welcomed and led to the roof terrace of the small boutique where a very welcome glass of wine awaits us, and it is not long before we are then invited downstairs to lounge on cushions around a rose petal-filled fountain to hear from the Storyteller. We hear from Richard about his painstaking efforts to track down the last few existing storytellers in order to capture their 'treasures' (as he refers to the stories), then he loses us in a world of fantasy where the poor Moroccan becomes 'rich' in spirit, the wealthy are brought low, and everything is achievable for those who are honest and good. We all sit silently, hanging onto his every word, like a bunch of nursery kids who daren't move as it will break the spell. All too soon 'storytime' is over and the socialising begins, accompanied by fabulous food and wine kindly provided by the staff at KIS Boutique. By midnight the last stragglers (us included) make our way back through the now much quieter streets of Marrakech and continue homeward...after all, we don't want to suffer the same fate as the stepsister in the Storyteller's Moroccan version of Cinderella....
http://www.richard-hamilton.com/the-last-storytellers/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/KIS-Boutique-Keep-It-Secret-Marrakech/319500001433497
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| The Storyteller at work |
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| The audience |
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| Socialising in the newly-opened café |
Great post on a lovely evening! It was so nice to meet you!
ReplyDelete-Stephanie
Thanks, Stephanie. Yes, I really enjoyed the evening. Great to meet you too.
ReplyDelete