Portrait & Documentary
Photographer
© Maurizio Milesi 2024
2024
First impressions of Morocco, traveling through:
Agadir – Ensamble Artisanal
One of the most interesting parts of Agadir is the Ensable Artisanal, a place newly constructed building commissioned by the Moroccan government in which various artisans gather with the aim of spreading knowledge of local crafts.
It is nice to meet some of the artisans and merchants working there, all being very kind and welcoming.
The Rocks of Tafraout
South of Tafraout, a massive pink granite plateau forms reliefs and slopes that contrast with the mountainous background. Rocks stand out in this Martian environment for their uniqueness and thickness.
One is located at the center of a centuries-old village, while the Painted Rocks and the Rock of Agadir N’Tfraout are unique pieces of art.
To and through the desert,
Erg Chigaga
Erg Chigaga is the largest and still untouched of the major ergs in Morocco.
This erg made of beautiful sand dunes is located in the Drâa-Tafilalet area about 45 km west of the small rural oasis town of M’Hamid El Ghizlane, itself located about 98 km south of the town of Zagora.
it is the largest and wildest erg of Morocco.
At west it is located the Iriki Lake, a dried lake now set Iriqui National Park since 1994. Rare torrential rains in the Sahara Desert in southeastern Morocco have revived it. It had been dry for 50 years.
The Berber people are also referred to as the Amazigh people, which means “free people” in their native Tamazight language. The term “Amazigh” may be used either in the singular or plural form (Amazighen) and is a self-designation that has gained
prominence as a way of reconnecting with
and affirming their distinct cultural identity and heritage. This designation helps to distinguish them from Arab identities, reflecting a unique historical and cultural lineage that traces back to prehistoric times in North Africa.
The movement to embrace the term “Amazigh” among these communities has grown, especially in Morocco and Algeria, where there has been a cultural revival and a push for recognising Tamazight as an official language, which has been successful in Morocco.
This linguistic and cultural affirmation is part of a broader effort to preserve their heritage and ensure the transmission of their language and traditions to future generations.
Zagora – The market
Close to Zagora there’s an artisans’ market.
We went there looking for carpets.
Dades Gorges
Dades Gorges, also referred to as Dades Valley, are a series of rugged wadi gorges carved out by the Dadèss river in Morocco. The river originates in the High Atlas range of the Atlas mountains,
flowing some 350 kilometres southwest before joining the Draa River at the edge of the Sahara. The walls of the gorges range anywhere from 200 to 500 meters.
The day we visited we encountered heavy precipitations, rain adn snow, and this caused many landslides which did not allow for us to continue on the road. We reached the top only the next morning.
Ait-Ben-Haddou
Aït Benhaddou (Arabic: آيت بن حدّو) is a historic ighrem or ksar (fortified village) along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh in Morocco.
It is considered a great example of Moroccan earthen clay architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
Today almost everything seems tourist related and some authenticity feels lost.
Marrakech
Between tradition and modernity, Marrakech is the promise of unequalled sensations. Strolling the Jemaa El-Fna square and the souks with their shimmering colours and oriental smells, the red city offers you a complete change of scenery.
It is one of the four imperial cities of Morocco and is the capital of the Marrakesh–Safi region. The city lies west of the foothills of the Atlas Mountains.
The city was founded circa 1070.
The red walls of the city, built by Ali ibn
Yusuf in 1122–1123, and various buildings constructed in red sandstone afterwards, have given the city the nickname of the “Red City” or “Ochre City”. Marrakesh grew rapidly and established itself as a cultural, religious, and trading center for the Maghreb.
Essaouira
Essaouira (/ˌɛsəˈwɪərə/ ESS-ə-WEER-ə; Arabic: الصويرة, romanized: aṣ-Ṣawīra), known until the 1960s as Mogador, is a port city in the western Moroccan region of Marrakesh-Safi, on the Atlantic coast.
It is a lively city with plenty of tourists and locals as well, many souks and market life.
El Jadida
El Jadida is a major port city on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, located 96 kilometres south of the city of Casablanca.
The fortified city, built by The Portuguese
at the beginning of the 16th century and named Mazagan, was given up by the Portuguese in 1769 and incorporated into Morocco.
El Jadida’s old city sea walls are one of the Seven Wonders of Portuguese Origin in the World.
Casablanca
Casablanca (Arabic: الدار البيضاء, romanized: al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, lit. ‘the White House’, IPA: [adˈdaːru ɫbajdˤaːʔ]) is the largest city in Morocco and the country’s economic and business centre. Located on the Atlantic coast of the Chaouia plain in
the central-western part of Morocco, the city has a population of about 3.71 million in the urban area, and over 4.27 million in Greater Casablanca, making it the most populous city in the Maghreb region, and the eighth-largest in the Arab world.
The Hassan II Mosque is the second largest functioning mosque in Africa and is the 14th largest in the world. It is one of the few in which non-mulsims can enter.
