Football overshadows Independence Day for some Moroccans

2009-11-20

Independence celebrations took on a muted tone as football and approaching holidays pre-occupy many Moroccans.

By Anouar Hamama for Magharebia in Fez – 20/11/09

[Anouar Hamama] Women play in a public fountain on Moroccan Independence Day in Fez.

Independence Day fanfare arrived in Fez on Wednesday (November 18th), but many Moroccans stayed home. City streets were only slightly more crowded, and though newly-installed tiny white lights twinkled along Avenue Hassan II, nobody seemed to be attending the celebrations taking place throughout the city to mark Morocco's separation from France.

Many Fassis, as Fez residents are known, chose to spend the day with family, as Eid al-Adha is just around the corner and a major inter-Arab rivalry played out on the Sudanese pitch.

University student Hassan Mansouri has noticed a change from previous Independence Day celebrations.

"It's certainly not as important as it used to be," he told Magharebia in a café. "I don't think it means as much to the younger generations; we weren't here during the year of independence, and we don't know the struggle they had to deal with."

November 18th commemorates King Mohammed's 1956 return from exile and his consequent declaration of independence from colonial rule. The holiday co-exists with other commemoratory days, such as the Green March (November 6th) and the Proclamation of Independence (January 11th).

On these national holidays, Moroccans not only acknowledge the formal end of the colonial era, but also celebrate the rebirth of Morocco as a state based on liberty, democracy, human rights and social justice.

Fez shopkeeper Hatim ben Ali attributed the lack of celebrations to the close proximity of Eid al-Adha, just a week away.

"They're all thinking of the lamb," he said, to explain the lack of Moroccans on the streets to toast their country. "It's not always easy to get one, and people need the day off to prepare for the feast and make everything perfect," he explained.

In fact, it seemed the only locations full of life were those cafés that were broadcasting the Egypt-Algeria match on big screens. Scores of Moroccans tried to push in to the already-overcrowded bistros, especially when the crowd reacted to on-field play.

"These are our brothers," said Mansouri. "Even though we might not like the Algerian government, the Algerian people, more than anyone, understand the plight we went through with colonialism."

Morocco's interest in Algerian football would not have been as intense had the Atlas Lions not been knocked out of contention so early in the qualifying round. Morocco's hopes of hosting the competition has also fallen flat, as FIFA rejected their application five times due to lack of financing and spectatorship.

Mourad shrugged these disappointments off. "It doesn't matter…if [the Algerians] win, we win," he said. As if to illustrate his point, crowds in the streets roared when the Greens slipped a goal into the Egyptian net.

Mourad smiled. "See? We're winning. They're showing the world what North Africa can do. This is truly the best way to celebrate our independence."