Les Berberes et Moi: A Story of Poverty and Suffering, Elation and Hope

By: Magdelena Wasiura

Narrated by: Deanna Delaney

Magdalena Wasiura returns to Morocco after a holiday to live and work with the Berber community, sharing their experiences, customs, and way of living.

Contents:

Part One of Les Berbères et moi describes the author's first step into the life of her Moroccan family hosts, takes you to the souk and hammam, explains the importance of Fridays for Muslim society, sulks itself in whisky and the problems caused by it. In this part we are introduced to countless opportunists and amiable characters, and we visit a rather lavish circumcision party.

Part Two: The second part of Magdalena's journal records her life with the Berber community in Khénifra, in the Middle Atlas of Morocco - their homes, social gatherings, and her work with their children in the Association Hannan. Get a good wash in hammam, eat boucheyar, drink shiba, meet her friends Mohamed and Ali, and go with them to Arougou, wakha?

Part Three of Magdalena's journal describes broadly the "forbidden" subjects: intimacy and drinking in the context of Islam as supported by numerous tales from the Quran, and how young people will turn the prohibited into pleasure. She depicts the growing tension between herself and her Muslim family, and the cultural clash - something that one will not get in packaged holidays. "Lasciate ogne speranca, voi ch'intrate," it's Dante's invitation to Hell; here however, it invites one to hammam.

Part Four: What about the fatalism? Should women wear tight jeans? What about swimming? Our God or My God; whose then? Some of those issues are discussed in Part Four of Magdalena Wasiura's account of her stay in Morocco. She also describes a rather stressful Christmastime spent there, the overprotective nature of her Muslim family, and her trip to Meknès where she was arrested.

Part Five: Love and marriage.... Does it really go together like a horse and carriage? In Part Five of Magdalena Wasiura's journal, one will hear about marriage.

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