Documentary Photography by Jerome Lorieau

Moroccan Medinas: Between Tradition & Modernity

January 8th, 2012

Surrounded by ramparts, Moroccan medinas are the guardians of historical traditions for both the Moroccan and Muslim cultures.

They have a unique character, where a dense and secret life takes place. Their infinite number of tiny lanes, the effects of light and shade, the complexity of their layout and the maze-like lack of visibility are altogether quite intimidating and will awaken your senses.

The « Grande » mosque, usually situated in the historical area is the foundation of the Medina‘s culture and social life. The medina‘s lively souks (markets) and craft workshops make up the heart of its trading activity. All around are some quieter areas where everyday life takes place. Ladies carrying bread to the local bakery, schoolboys coming back from school, beggars asking for money, men sitting outside coffee shops chatting and observing life, porters and their donkeys going to the tannery, rag and bone men collecting items, bin men calling out to inhabitants for rubbish collection, boys and girls playing in the street. All these moments of life are surrounded by shops, stalls, markets, bars and restaurants and create the Medina‘s everyday life.

You could live your whole life without leaving the Medina, a Moroccan man told me. A captivating world, cultivating its traditions in a country looking for change and on its way to modernisation.

For a few decades, the ancient cities have slowly witnessed some changes impacting their traditions and culture. The construction of the new cities have encouraged some families, particularly the wealthiest, to move to new modern areas outside the Medinas. This migration was followed by a significant rural depopulation, especially during the severe drought of the 80′s. Medinas like Marrakesh and Fez have seen their populations growing considerably as a result. Over the years, both migrations have socially and culturally weakened their population as well as dramatically impacting on the conservation of their architectural heritage.

The increase of tourism has allowed Morocco‘s economy to prosper and to look towards a brighter future. However, tourism also has some repercussions. The architectural heritage is not always respected. Traditional buildings are turned into luxury hotels or holiday accommodation. Foreigners invest in properties inside the Medinas, bringing a new population with a different culture. Resorts constructed outside the Medinas increase mass tourism. Historical areas have seen most of their traditional stalls turned into tourist shops, changing the traditional culture of the places.

Like Mohamed VI, the new generation looks for liberalism and modernism. Although their definition of a Medina is the same as that of their parents’, their wish is to leave the traditional family house for a modern flat in the New Town.

Modernisation also has an impact on traditional Moroccan crafts. In order to control and improve environmental pollution, some corporations, which have been a vehicle for craft traditions for many generations have been pushed outside the medinas into industrial areas, again changing the culture of some areas.

Despite these cultural changes, Medinas still keep their unique character through their architecture, important cultural life and the lively traditional markets. Their power and strength comes from the social organisation of its street and Muslim traditions. Some traditions are as old as one thousand years, making everyday life seem timeless.

For this photo series, I travelled in Morocco in 2008, 2010 and 2011. This is an on going project.

Filed under - Morocco, Photo Projects and tagged with charming world, light and shade, maghreb, medina, medina in morocco, moroccan city, moroccan medina, morocco, street sellers. RSS 2.0 feed.