Morocco celebrates its festivals -- and diversity

2006-12-27

A festive atmosphere can be seen on the Moroccan streets as the country's three monotheistic faiths celebrate their holidays -- Eid Al-Adha, Christmas, Hanukkah and the New Year -- side by side. Moroccans hope the rest of the world can learn from their example of tolerance.

By Binoual Imrane for Magharebia in Casablanca -- 27/12/06

[Getty Images] About five million sheep, half of the Moroccan breeding, will be sacrificed for the holidays.

Three major holidays of Morocco's three monotheistic religions occur around the same time at the end of 2006: Christmas, Eid Al-Adha and Hanukkah. "Eid Mubarak", "Merry Christmas", "Happy Hanukkah" and "Happy New Year" are phrases used by Moroccans lately, as one feast follows another.

In a single country, one can see each community preparing for its feast in an unequalled spirit of tolerance. A special atmosphere can be found in Morocco, particularly in the main tourist area, but also in the two capital cities: Rabat, the political capital, and Casablanca, the economic capital.

Activities associated with preparations for Eid-el-Kebir or Eid al-Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice) are going full steam ahead. Different feast-related jobs proliferate. Shepherds, farmers and traders take over the markets and hire garages to sell their sheep. The Jewish community is organising various activities, particularly in their museum and in Essaouira, Morocco's main Jewish city.

Hotels are adorned with decorations for all of the end-of-year festivities. "The fact that Eid-Al-Adha coincides this year with the Christmas and Hanukkah, whose festivities can be seen here in Essaouira, changes nothing. Just as in other years, we have a rise in bookings in late December because there are a lot of tourists from different cultures and religions who will spend the New Year in Essaouira," says Mostapha Al Azza, hotelier and chairman of the Essaouira provincial council for tourism.

Some cities in Morocco are even overbooked. "This year when three major festivals come together, the 94 classified hotels, as well as the 490 boarding houses in the Red City are full, from December 22nd to January 5th. The clientele varies. There are foreigners, nationals, and groups of Jewish, Moroccan and foreign pilgrims, who find themselves in Morocco at this time. While Marrakech saw 100,000 tourists at the end of 2005, this year, we are expecting 150,000 tourists," Abdelatif Abouricha, of the Marrakech regional council, said.

Abouricha said the choice of Marrakech is not just by chance. "This is the perfect example of a tolerant town. For example, there is a mosque opposite a church in the Guélise district and the synagogues built in the Medina of Mellah," he pointed out.

Tolerance in Morocco is unlikely to change simply because feasts from various religions coincide. "It’s a coincidence which bodes well for the three communities," stresses Simon Levy, general secretary of the Jewish community in Casablanca.

"I hope this will be an opportunity in other parts of the world for these three communities to stop hating each other. These feasts coming together will catch their attention, and they will realise they have one single God. And I hope they will then stop waging war against each other," Levy said.