Home at Last

Across the Bowling Green

It’s nice to be home again!  Especially as we have completed the worst of our renovations and can (almost) start to live in our entire house.  For some years now it’s been 1/3 living, 1/3 storage and 1/3 renovation.  A moving feast over 5 or 6 years and we are both just about over it!  One of this year’s tasks for me is soft covers, cushions and curtains so I’m looking forward to a bit of sewing time.  The garden shed, with its new timber floor, timber blinds and paint job is ready for action since its makeover (and cleanout) before we left earlier this year.

Kookie knows we're home

This time of year is so wonderful and the island is resplendent with its fresh lavender coat.  The jacarandas are flowering madly.  We’ve had a few bush visitors already and were especially pleased to welcome a large blue tongue lizard and a scratching bush turkey into our yard.  Even the possum is still bumbling and crashing his way across our rooftop in the early evenings.  The Cap’n is now driving a mulcher instead of a boat and the kookaburras couldn’t be happier.  Easy snacks reveal themselves in the leaf compost.  All in a day’s work!  Add to this the squawk of the channel billed cuckoo in the tree tops and we’ve quite a menagerie to host.

Our Bush Turkey's cousin who has a cushie job at Australia Zoo 

This month the Café is hosting an exhibition of aprons.  I did manage to get one finished in time but made it into a quilt.  Of course!  Some years ago friend Yvonne had given us a challenge “stash buster” and since then I’d added a few similar pieces to the collection. Its “I’d rather be quilting” theme seemed just right for an apron-shaped wall hanging. When it came time to quilt the apron, I remembered back to the days of feeding hungry boys.  Bottomless pits.  “What’s for dinner, Mum”, a regular refrain, is now stitched in with lots of menu ideas too.  A reminder of fun times & their favourite meals!....

Go Really Wild for Textiles

Maison Tiskiwin Collection

Embroidery: Traditionally women embroidered their own clothes and household linens.  They preferred to work in silk threads and could incorporate fine metal threads, tassels, fringing and sequins.  Gold thread embroidery (a speciality of Meknes) and leather work was left to men. Distinctive embroidery motifs and techniques varied from town to town.  Some of the better known work comes from Fes, Rabat, Tetouan, Chefchaouen, Meknes and Sale.

Weaver at work in his small studio Chefchaouen

Carpets:  Weaving and knotting techniques, designs and symbols vary from region to region.  On the whole, carpets are referred to by their place of origin (city carpets) or tribal area (Berber carpets), such as the Zenmour, Haouz and Beni M’Guild.  Learning about carpets, particularly antique carpets is a demanding study so it would be wise to seek advice before sealing a deal. 

Ingredients & Implements for Dyeing, Berber Museum Ksar El Khorbat 

Natural Dyes:  Vegetables and minerals provide the basis of the process; indigo for blue, madder for red; pomegranate or walnut for black, saffron for yellow.  Synthetic dyes have largely replaced natural dyes despite a growing call for them.  Check with an expert if it’s important to you.

Maison Tiskiwin Collection

Costumes:  Clothing is not usually sumptuously decorated. (So they say in the texts until you see the wild colours & decoration in Maison Tiskiwin!) Thus accessories such as belts, silk buttons, tassels and braiding feature fine embroidery.  Further ornamentation is added with head-dress and jewellery. The Oudaias Museum in Rabat has a very fine and comprehensive display of jewellery by region.

Kasbar Museum, Chefchaouen

Go Wild for Textiles

Embroidery in Chefchaouen Kasbah Museum

Somehow we managed to catch only glimpses of traditional textiles on our recent trip to Morocco.  More than anything we saw though, textiles highlighted the Arab-Berber cultural mix and strongly showcased folk traditions.  It is too easy to underestimate the importance placed on textiles in the lives of Moroccan people and it is inspiring to have resources such as Jardin Marjorelle and Bert Flint’s collection available.

Wool ready for dyeing in the souk Fes

Wool appears to be the most used fibre, particularly in the home-crafted carpet industry, still competing strongly against charmless machine woven rugs.  Carpets, blankets, cushions and clothing are all still woven on domestic looms.  Hearing the clack of looms as you walk through the old medina streets is quite a moving experience.

Weaver at work Kasbar Myriem, Midelt

Traditionally, women produced domestic items whilst those offered for sale were worked by men. That is not to say that women don’t sell but I imagine it must be emotionally difficult to sell family heirlooms in tough times. Aside from usual woollen items, men wove exotic silk fabrics such as the fine brocades produced in Fes.

Try to stop at one!  Moutwatering carpets at Kashar Myriem, Midlet

Information: A quick search revealed a couple of interesting resources.

• Amazigh Textiles in Morocco (which in turn points to a number of interesting references)
• Harris, Jennifer (Ed).  5000 years of Textiles British. London: Museum Press, 1993
• Kasbar Myriem is a woman's cooperative for local Berber women supported by Franciscan Nuns.  The quality of their work is amazing. Some basic info here

Tanneries in Fes

Go Really Wild for Flavours

Ingredients & Couscous Steamer, Ait Benhaddou

Learn to cook with Mr Action. Fresh seasonal vegetables are his secret. Layer them “just so” in the base of a *cooking tagine then cover with chunks of meat. Flavour variety is added with preserved lemons, olives, mint or eggs. Add your blend of 7** secret herbs and spices (better yet the prepared mix of 35 available in the souk) then put over a slow fire until done. Serve with lashings of fresh bread to soak up the flavoursome gravy. Mr Action also serves homemade couscous (semolina), a time consuming process that had us all making “notes to self” that the “instant” supermarket variety would be ok – unless you were preparing dinner for a Moroccan!

*Don’t confuse a cooking tagine with a decorative one. The decorative ones, whilst most attractive, can contain lead (in the glaze).   

** Garlic, saffron, turmeric, coriander, cumin, pepper and salt

Care for a date or two?

Pigeon b’stilla in Fes as guests of Dar Hatim's gourmet chefs.  Pigeon meat, eggs, almonds and raisons mixed then flavoured with lemon, saffron, sugar and cinnamon. All wrapped in a light pastry (warkba) and baked. Rich, crispy and very delicious!

Really fresh sardines, Essaouira

Seafood feast in Essaouira. Grilled lobster, sweet sole, prawns and fresh sea bass.

Mint Tea in an Azib (seasonal shelter)

Mint tea is the beverage of choice, a sweet concoction of green tea, mint and sugar. Alcohol is rarely served but can be found in tourist areas. Bars line streets and in the evening customers, mostly men, face out to“people watch” and gossip. I’d prefer a pomegranate champers to a beer but sometimes that’s all there was on offer. Wine is produced locally and we made the effort to sample a few bottles.

Local camel butcher, Fes

Salads were plentiful, many with a citrus or tomato base were garnished with olives, fresh chillies, green or red capsicum, red onion and coriander just for added oomph! Served with lashings of olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice. Sadly we often looked at, rather than ate, salads due to poor water quality. We always, always drank bottled water....

Bread - always fresh and so, so tempting. Available every day in many varieties.

Baker's shop in Essaouira

Go Wild for Flavours

Grains and other household necessities for sale in Fes

One thing about travelling in Morocco is that you are readily served fresh local foods - not watered down "westernised" versions but real, healthy, hearty foods. Some of our favourite flavoursome experiences were:

No Harira? Then try snail broth at a local street stall perhaps...

Harira is a flavoursome and fragrant soup. We were never served the same twice as it is considered a household speciality. Traditionally, harira is made from a concoction of lamb or goat, fragrant spices (home secrets) and lentils. Chickpeas, tomato, onion, coriander and parsley add further flavour to the base. Served with chunks of bread and eaten with relish.

Camel burgers on the grill in the Meknes souk

Camel Burger. Try this souk snack made with camel meat grilled over open coals, garnished with smoked, roasted tomatoes and onions served on a locally made (and very fresh) bread roll. Add a little harissa (red chillies, capsicum & pepper sauce) if you dare!

Delicious Tagines and Couscous
served in our desert camp, Merzouga

Tagines under Saharan stars. Slow cooked stews of meat and veg looked superb and tasted even better.

Seafood selection for the outdoor grill, Essaouira

Go Wild for Museums

Casablanca: Villa des Arts is a converted art deco (1930's) building and well worth the trip to see for the building alone.  Currently used as an exhibition space.

Villa des Arts Casablanca

Rabat: Oudaias Museum is a little gem, situated in the larger complex of Mouley Ishmail's 17^th lodge and gardens.  The most interesting exhibit was the jewellery collection arranged in styles typical to various areas in Morocco.  (Sadly, no photos allowed). 

Oudaias Museum Rabat

Marrakesh: Private museum, Maison Tiskiwin (Bert Flint collection). A textile lover's heaven with some stunning examples.

Maison Tiskiwin Marrakesh

Marrakesh: Jardin Marjorelle, the former studio of French artist Jacques Marjorelle is a combination of sensory gardens, vividly painted buildings and a museum of textiles and clothing. 

Jardin Marjorelle Marrakesh

Chefchaouen: Small but interesting collection housed inside the Kasbah.  We found some rather nice samples of embroidery and costume.

Kasbah Chefchaouen

El Khorbat: Located in the Todra Valley, this amazing ksah (fortress) at Tinejdad houses an extensive Berber Museum.  It is well worth investigating if only to get lost in the maze of rooms inside the complex.  (We had lunch here and agreed that it would be a wonderful place to have stayed  - maybe next time! Info link for gite and museum.)

El Khorbat

A short but reasonable summary of Moroccan Museums that I found useful when planning our visit can be found here. 

Go Wild for Souks

Chefchaouen - of course! Selling dyes and things you didn't know you needed!

Who could forget Beautiful Blue Chefchaouen - the buzz, freshness, aromas, haggling, laughter, music, pursuit and finally "balak!".

And then there were the olives & lemons in Meknes

Yes, in the medina's we met snake oil salesmen and wondered about the prices we really paid.  But we also met some wonderful people who are involved in their crafts, sell the most amazing things, willing to give us advice or help us along the way.

Keep an eye out for donkeys, carts, busy workers and elaborate stalls. Get lost in narrow streets and listen to passing musicians.  Try not to find pick-pockets.  Look out for traditional crafts too and watch dyers working vats of rainbow colours next to metal workers and potters making extraordinary magic with simple implements.  A souk is guaranteed to assault your senses and is such a wonderful experience.  

Henna Hands & Black Soap in Essaouira

Give yourself a real workout.  Shop in an old medina souk... 

Nose to Nose with a donkey - balak!! (lookout) in Fes

Invest in Tradition

Traditional motifs – bright geometric patterns, natural dyes, symbols with meaning

Essaouira

Traditional crafts – pottery, woodcarving (thuya wood), lanterns, carpets, tents, rugs & slippers, medicinal herbs & treatments

Cracking nuts for argan oil

Traditional architecture - Walls, arches, towers, windows, doors, door knobs, signs, mud bricks (pise), shutters

Marrakesh

Casablanca

Go Wild for Decorative Detail

What best says "Morocco"? 

Hotel Caspien, Marrakesh

An intricate woven carpet, a pile of patterned floor cushions or a leather ottoman or two, wooden side tables, intricately carved in dark timber or lavishly painted, and a feature, like the stairs above, of tiles.  

Hotel Al Mamoun, Casablanca

I’d like a fountain, a steaming silver teapot (with mint tea of course) and a huge lantern set with colourful glass.  Add a tagine or two or a patterned bowl, slip on a pair of babouches (slippers) and you will instantly be transported back to the old Medina in Fes.

Meknes

Dar Ech-Chaouen, Chefchaouen

And finally, the ultimate in "can I bring one home with me?" hot-to-have items... a cute little donkey, like this little guy we met at Ait Benhhadou

Go Wild for Pattern

Colour not necessary.  Hussan II Mosque, Casablanca

Islamic religion is fundamental to Islamic art.  To a large extent, art and craft making centred around the mosque and supported its embellishment.  Religious principles forbade image-making in religious (but not necessarily secular*) art.  Artists therefore developed designs based on Arabic script, geometry and plant forms.  Designs were elaborate, heavily ornate and flowing.   Strong colours and use of inlaid metals, which added jewel-like highlights, further enriched these designs.   The Arabic mastery of pattern was, and still is, unrivalled.  

* Hence human figures and animals are seen in, for example, Mughal (Indian) miniatures.

Carpet in Chefchaouen Kasbah Museum

Aside from the distinct architecture of the mosque, artists and craftsmen applied themselves to ornamentation, and along the way mastered technical skills. Carpets, glazed tiles, ceramics, textiles, metalwork, woodwork, glass, plaster, bookbinding and illustration became typical platforms for non-representational pattern.  Of particular note is Islamic calligraphy, used in inventive ways to transcribe a verse from the Qu'ran or perhaps poetry.  Like Sufi music, the artist or those viewing the art, are inpired and led closer to their faith.

Tiles & Mosaics.  Who could stop at just one in Fes?

Islamic pattern is influenced by many countries so it is worth noting the specific Berber influence on designs produced in Morocco. Tiles, carpets and ceramics are noteworthy for being bold and colourful.

Ceramics.  On the wall in Meknes

Slightly sidetracked but I think it is always worth knowing the history and tradition behind the present day offering of fabulous Moroccon pattern and design... 

Eye Candy.  Bahia Palace of Brilliance

Go Wild for Colour

Chefchaouen

Much has been written on colour and there are some great books & web sites designed to help quilters make their choices. However, Morocco encourages you to be bold.  It’s like spring cleaning your favourites (and your mindset), then rethinking what you know and are game to try.

Fes

To begin, it's worth deciding on the look you are trying to achieve.  Research helps with this.  We have art history books full of “movements” or schools of thought and the various colour schemes they supported.  What colour personality are you?  Do you prefer pastels, jewels, intense, vivid or contrasting palettes? 

Traditional Berber Blue in Merzouga

Morocco encourages us to try a palette of deep saturated hues of blue, purples, dark reds, oranges and gold.  Add highlights of pale blues, earthy browns, dusky yellows, leafy greens and dusky pinks.  Perhpas you could limit your choices to two dominant colours and mix in three as accents to add sparkle.   White can add freshness or black moodiness to your scheme.

Sahara Sunrise

It is also worth mentioning that colour has meaning in Morocco.  Simplistically, green is the colour of Islam and blue wards off evil spirits, including mosquitos... 

Ait Benhaddou