Humbled by Berber hospitality

Chris & I hadn't really known what to expect with this optional extra on our tour...but it ranks as a highlight!
Morocco has three ethnic groups;
1. the indigenous Berbers (60% population) named by the Romans ("barbarous" -outside of Rome). Very early on either Jew or Christian...until the coming of the Muslims.
2. the Arabs who invaded from the Arabian Peninsula, and began the "Muslim conversion"
3. the Black Africans (Sub Sahara areas - Senegal, Niger, Mauritania...)



A natural!!!

 We headed off up into the Atlas Mountains for an afternoon visit to the home of Omar & Zah-far-ah (Sarah) and their family. Passed through several Berber villages along the way....roadside stalls selling goods, excited kids running after our bus, mud brick homes perched on side of road & large river flat below the road (at times flash floods come rolling down this river as heavy rains can fall in the High Atlas- ocassional drownings!) Stopped for a quick camel ride on the way...

Then we arrived...greeted at the roadside by the youngest (about 20 yo & unmarried) son of Omar. He spoke several languages, but not English. He communicated with our guide, Yusaf.  Short walk up into the myriad of rough lanes between mud/daub buildings & homes of the Berber families of this small settlement. Young kids started to gather asking for money, along with older men trying to sell us jewellery, beautiful Moroccan daggers, pieces of beautiful stone etc....Although persistent, they were much more gentle & quiet than down in the souks of the main cities.

We soon arrived at a simple wooden door in one of the high walls of the village laneways. Omar's house...Stooping through the door we entered a small interior courtyard about 6 metres sq. with open "rooms" off to the sides housing animals ....two gentle sheep tethered up - one awaiting slaughter the following week for the "Abraham's Sacrifice" feast (huge in the Muslim world here- celebrating Abraham's offering of his son -the Muslim teach "Ishmael" not Isaac! & God providing the sheep instead), also a room with many black & white rabbits (food source), a donkey etc...

In the corner of the courtyard, steps leading up to the second story & living quarters for the family, and where Omar was waiting to greet us (about 25 international travellers!).

Omar has one wife & seven adult children. We met his youngest son, and two of his daughters & some of his grandchildren. None spoke English but Omar & Zah-far-ah opened their home to us with Berber hospitality....green mint tea, freshly baked warm bread & oliver oil & honey.

Chris & I felt truly privileged & humbled by this experience of the wonderful beauty of humankind....in the simplist of circumstances. The pictures tell the story.....

Sacrifical sheep under shelter - Omar's "balcony"
is above.



This is the sheep that at writing will have been eaten with "joy"
by Omar and his extended family. Left overs shared with the poor.
Sob!!!!!!!!!! (Chris)



Chris and one of Omar's daughters and her 8 mth son and 2 yo
nephew in the living room.



Omar pouring the precious "mint tea" for his
grateful guests.



Zah-far-ah with seconds of the marvellous tea!

Chris enjoying home made bread warm from the
oven with oil and honey, and of course the mint
tea.

D & C enjoying true berber hospitality. What a privilege!

Omar thought David was very tall...wonder why?

Saying our farewells to a wonderful family.
Zah-far-ah bids us "bissalama".

Saying good bye to a happy family...with their simple
circumstances.  Makes you think about being content with
what you have!

That's a happy baby. What joy these people exude.