Women Artisans of Morocco

Women Artisans of Morocco PDF

Author: Susan Schaefer Davis

Publisher: Schiffer Craft

Published: 2018

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780999051719

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Tells the stories of 25 women who practice textile traditions with an inspiring energy, pride, fortitude while contributing substantially to their family's income!

Arts and Crafts of Morocco

Arts and Crafts of Morocco PDF

Author: James F Jereb

Publisher: National Geographic Books

Published: 2015-06-30

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 050027830X

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Reveals the dazzling fusion of cultural influences in Moroccan arts and crafts Its unique geographical location established Morocco as a center of cultural exchange, and its remarkable arts and crafts are the product of a centuries-long intermingling of influences from other parts of Africa and the traditions of Islam and from the singular cultural alliance of the Moors and the Spaniards. Superbly illustrated with more than 150 specially commissioned color photographs, Arts and Crafts of Morocco illuminates the wonders of this thriving tradition. Dr. James F. Jereb’s pioneering account, based on his own first hand research, examines an extensive range of media: vibrantly colored textiles; jewelry in a range of exquisite configurations; original leather, wood, and metalwork; and an enormous variety of pottery and ceramics. These marvelous objects derive either from a rural lifestyle, with symbols and patterns that reflect the powerful animistic beliefs of the Berber country artisans, or from the cities, where Islamic tenets compose the cultural foundation. All of these works are thus endowed with a spiritually charged significance that determines their functions and ensures their remarkable beauty. This in-depth study is made complete with guidance on Moroccan arts and crafts from expert collectors and a revealing analysis of the belief systems, festivals, and ceremonies that inform the predominant techniques and visual motifs of Moroccan art.

Amazigh Arts in Morocco

Amazigh Arts in Morocco PDF

Author: Cynthia Becker

Publisher: University of Texas Press

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 0292712952

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In southeastern Morocco, around the oasis of Tafilalet, the Ait Khabbash people weave brightly colored carpets, embroider indigo head coverings, paint their faces with saffron, and wear ornate jewelry. Their extraordinarily detailed arts are rich in cultural symbolism; they are always breathtakingly beautiful—and they are typically made by women. Like other Amazigh (Berber) groups (but in contrast to the Arab societies of North Africa), the Ait Khabbash have entrusted their artistic responsibilities to women. Cynthia Becker spent years in Morocco living among these women and, through family connections and female fellowship, achieved unprecedented access to the artistic rituals of the Ait Khabbash. The result is more than a stunning examination of the arts themselves, it is also an illumination of women's roles in Islamic North Africa and the many ways in which women negotiate complex social and religious issues. One of the reasons Amazigh women are artists is that the arts are expressions of ethnic identity, and it follows that the guardians of Amazigh identity ought to be those who literally ensure its continuation from generation to generation, the Amazigh women. Not surprisingly, the arts are visual expressions of womanhood, and fertility symbols are prevalent. Controlling the visual symbols of Amazigh identity has given these women power and prestige. Their clothing, tattoos, and jewelry are public identity statements; such public artistic expressions contrast with the stereotype that women in the Islamic world are secluded and veiled. But their role as public identity symbols can also be restrictive, and history (French colonialism, the subsequent rise of an Arab-dominated government in Morocco, and the recent emergence of a transnational Berber movement) has forced Ait Khabbash women to adapt their arts as their people adapt to the contemporary world. By framing Amazigh arts with historical and cultural context, Cynthia Becker allows the reader to see the full measure of these fascinating artworks.

Patience and Power

Patience and Power PDF

Author: Susan Schaefer Davis

Publisher: Schenkman Books

Published: 1983

Total Pages: 214

ISBN-13:

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This sociocultural anthropological study of Moroccan village women helps us to understand another way of life. "Patience and Power" blows away the cobwebs of myth surrounding women in an Islamic society. It shows them in their true light -- not subordinate to men, but revealing both patience and power. | Older literature about Muslim women (written mostly by men) has been superficial in approach and often inaccurate. More recent studies offer details with few explanations or conclusions. "Patience and Power", on the other hand, is written by an anthropologist who uses a new, more systematic approach. Additionally, Dr. Susan S. Davis not only speaks Moroccan Arabic fluently but is at home in the culture.

The Fabric of Moroccan Life

The Fabric of Moroccan Life PDF

Author: Niloo Imami Paydar

Publisher: University of Washington Press

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 314

ISBN-13:

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For centuries, the people of Morocco have been producing magnificent embroideries, pile rugs, and flatweaves. The Fabric of Moroccan Life showcases rare embroideries, hangings, and rugs that reflect the broad range of traditions and cultural influences active in Morocco during the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. The book explores the artistic importance of these superb weavings as well as their central role in Moroccan culture.Approximately 150 pieces - and numerous details - are illustrated in colour, and additional photographs (including many that were taken in the 1930s) show how they were once used in everyday life in Morocco. The book includes essays on Moroccan embroidery and its origins, traditional costumes of the cities and rural areas, the weavings of the Berbers and other ethnic groups, and the distinctive characteristics of items made by particular ethnic sub-groups. The contributing writers are eminent scholars and experts in a variety of fields, including Moroccan history and culture; Moroccan rugs, textiles, and clothing; and natural dyes. A wealth of information is included that has never before been available in one volume.Niloo Imami Paydar is curator of textiles and costumes at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Ivo Grammet is coordinator of a new museum in Nador, northern Morocco. The contributors include Gérard Boëly, Gebhard Blazek, Katherine Dolk-Ellis, Narjys El Alaoui, Mustapha Hansali, Annette Korolnik-Andersch, Marcel Korolnik, Zineb Lehmam, Russell Pickering, Ahmed Skounti, Frieda Sorber, Wilfried Stanzer, and Marie-France Vivier.

Culture and Customs of Morocco

Culture and Customs of Morocco PDF

Author: Raphael Chijioke Njoku

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published: 2005-12-30

Total Pages: 177

ISBN-13: 0313038430

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Moroccan culture today is a blend of Berber, African, Arab, Jewish, and European influences in an Islamic state. Morocco's strategic position at the tip of North Africa just below Spain has brought these cultures together through the centuries. The parallels with African and Middle Eastern countries and other Muslim cultures are drawn as the major topics are discussed, yet the uniqueness of Moroccan traditions, particularly those of the indigenous Berbers, stand out. The narrative emphasizes the evolving nature of the storied subcultures. With more exposure to Western-style education and pop culture, the younger generations are gradually turning away from the strict religious observances of their elders. General readers finally have a substantive resource for information on a country most known in the United States for the Humphrey Bogart classic Casablanca, images of the souks (markets), hashish, and Berber rugs. The strong introduction surveys the people, land, government, economy, educational system, and history. Most weight is given to modern history, with French colonial rule ending in 1956 and a succession of monarchs since then. The discussion of religion and worldview illuminates the Islamic base and Jewish communities but is also notable for the discussion of Berber beliefs in spirits. In the Literature and Media chapter, the oral culture of the Berbers and the new preference for Western-style education and use of French and even English are highlights. The Moroccans are renowned as skilled artisans, and their products are enumerated in the Art and Architecture/Housing chapter, along with the intriguing descriptions of casbahs and old quarters in the major cities. Moroccans are hospitable and family oriented, which is reflected in descriptions of their cuisine and social customs. Moroccan women seem to be somewhat freer than others in Muslim countries but the chapter on Gender Roles, Marriage, and Family shows that much progress is still needed. Ceremonies and celebrations are important cultural markers that bring communities together, and a wealth of religious, national, and family rites of passage, with accompanying music and dance, round out the cultural coverage.

Artistry of the Everyday

Artistry of the Everyday PDF

Author: Lisa Bernasek

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2008-12-15

Total Pages: 144

ISBN-13: 0873654056

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"In Artistry of the Everyday: Beauty and Craftsmanship in Berber Art, anthropologist Lisa Bernasek gives an insightful overview of Berber history and culture, focusing on the rich aesthetic traditions of Berber craftsmen and -women. She also tells the stories of the collectors whose generosity enhanced the holdings of the Peabody Museum. In a final chapter, she looks at Berber arts in the present day, examining how traditional arts are being used in new forms by Berber artists in North Africa and Europe."--BOOK JACKET.

Women and Social Change in North Africa

Women and Social Change in North Africa PDF

Author: Doris H. Gray

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2018-01-11

Total Pages: 417

ISBN-13: 110841950X

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A wide-ranging analysis of grass-roots activism, migration, legal, political and religious changes as basis for social transformation.

Art and the Jews of Morocco

Art and the Jews of Morocco PDF

Author: André Goldenberg

Publisher: Somogy Art Publishing

Published: 2014

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9782757208939

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For centuries, the artistry of the Jewish community in Morocco has flourished - as much in urban areas as in the countryside - in metalwork, manuscripts, silks, wool, leather, woodwork. Often, this creativity has given birth to exceptional works that showcase the talent and originality of artists and artisans who have nonetheless remained anonymous. Originally from Morocco, Andre Goldenberg is an ethnologist who has devoted a significant part of his life to collecting the art of the Jews of Morocco, artefacts that show a unique artistic perspective and an extremely fine artistic quality. The extraordinary collection of objects assembled in this volume reveals the multiple facets of the art of Moroccan Jews, while the meticulous research that accompanies the catalogue promises to preserve this culture for future generations. This richly illustrated book constitutes an imaginary museum, carefully detailing hundreds of masterpieces of Jewish Moroccan art gathered from public and private collections in Morocco and abroad."