Morocco

On the Road to Marrakesh: Travel/Study trip to Morocco

January 2007

Drs. Cowan and Boldon

Purpose:

The purpose of the course is for students to experience a country in the western Mediterranean that has been at the crossroads of religions and cultures through the ages, to heighten the students’ own awareness of and sensitivity to the people and cultures of the western Mediterranean, particularly Morocco, and to encourage them to develop an attitude of appreciation for the rich history of that part of the world, the inherent value of a culture different from their own, and a sensitivity to the religious devotion of people from various traditions.

Goals:

• To understand and appreciate the rich history of Morocco as a crossroads of various cultures – Phoenician, Roman, Arab, Portuguese, etc.
• To better understand Islam’s role in the history of north Africa
• To recognize the continuing intersection of different cultures and religious traditions within Morocco
• To appreciate the contributions of Islamic culture to the modern world
• To engage with people from a culture very different from their own
• To experience the village life of the Berber people
• To learn about the interests and concerns of peers from a different culture
• To appreciate the diversity of the geography of Morocco
• to develop an attitude sensitivity to the religious devotion of people from different traditions.

Highlights:

• visit to ancient cities with impressive mosques, palaces and Islamic schools from Morocco’s imperial age

• extensive walking tours to experience the architecture, public spaces, and feel of contemporary life including narrow streets lined with colorful crafts shops, food stalls, mosques, and schools
• Small group discovery assignments designed to encourage exploration and interaction with people
• Camel ride to experience dunes in the Sahara Desert
• Visits to schools, folk life centers, and other institutions
• Overnight stay with families in a Berber village

• Visit to a Moroccan university to meet and talk with Moroccan students

Course Description:

Students will experience a country that has been at the crossroads of cultures for millennia. At the small coastal village of Essauoira, students will see a fortified town where the Phoenicians settled, the Romans made purple die from shellfish, and the Portuguese built a fortified harbor in the 15^th century. In Marrakesh, they will visit the Jewish quarter and view a wide range of Berber crafts, as well as the Palais el Bahia that stands with its grand halls, gardens and the harem quarter as a monument to the Almoravid dynasty. Other cities such as Meknes and Fes offer opportunities to visit one of the largest historic medinas full of monuments reflecting the different periods of Morocco’s imperial past, an important Islamic medressa (theological school) dating to the 14^th century, several impressive mosques, and a medieval walled city that has served as the cultural and spiritual center of Morocco and sits on important trade routes connecting this nation with the rest of the Islamic world.

In addition to experiencing the remnants of the past, there will be opportunities to meet the people and see the life of this rich cultural setting as it exists today. Wandering the labyrinth of narrow streets lined by shops, schools, mosques, and houses or the medina with its craftsmen and colorful cloth from the dying works in Fes, visiting the food stalls in Marakesh, or walking through the spice market of Essauoira, students will experience features of contemporary Moroccan life that reflect little change from the past. The group will travel through small villages where they will meet Berber people, have meals and stay with Berber families, visit local crafts shops, and enjoy folk culture such as music and dance. Students will visit a university and have a chance to interact with Moroccan students to learn directly about their interests, concerns, and education. Riding camels through the desert and hiking in the Atlas Mountains will highlight the geographic as well as cultural diversity of the country.

Throughout the trip, students will be required to meet with the group to discuss and reflect on their experiences and to keep a daily journal that will encourage further reflection and integration of a variety of learning experiences.  While some background information will be shared through reading, listening to the instructors and/or a professional guide, and student reports, on numerous occasions the students will be asked to experience a place or community on their own first, to begin to draw conclusions and ask questions, and then to reflect with other students and leaders in the group to test and modify conclusions.  These experiences are designed to heighten the students’ own awareness of and sensitivity to the people and cultures of the western Mediterranean, particularly Morocco, and to encourage them to develop an attitude of appreciation for the rich history of that part of the world, the inherent value of a culture different from their own, and a sensitivity to the religious devotion of people from various traditions