The daily income of the Bouregreg ferrymen is between 20 and 40 dirhams. A paltry sum to support their families. The social situation of the "barcassiers" (ferrymen) leaves much to be desired, due to the decline in their activities in recent years and the absence of any support to help them overcome life's hardships. "Things have changed a lot. Before the valley development project, we had a good income. We could provide for our families' needs. Now, that is no longer the case. What can we do with 20 or 30 DH a day?" expresses a young ferryman, looking as disappointed as can be. "Eight cases of divorce have occurred among us. We are unable to support our families," another ferryman, a father of two and divorced, confides to us.



Most of the "barcassiers," if not all, are married and have children (2 to 3). Since their early childhood, these boatmen have always been attracted to the Bouregreg river. It is their favourite place and their source of youth. Today, everything has changed. "I interrupted my primary studies. I threw my schoolbag into this wadi to row in these waters. I have been here for 20 years and I could not do anything other than this," insists a "barcassier" barely 36 years old.

According to these ferrymen, the decline in their activities is mainly due to the metamorphosis the valley has undergone. Before, many passengers preferred to cross the river aboard the boats. These included people going to the old El Massira ground, soldiers working in the Salé barracks, and visitors to the old Marsa. Today, that is no longer the case. The real estate projects launched on-site hinder their activities. "If the pace of construction work were more sustained, the situation would have been different," says Rachid, a "barcassier." Concretely, only the Rabat bank, which has two piers, is operational. On the Salé side, a quay has needed repairs for several months. "No official has taken the trouble to visit us to resolve this situation, which is detrimental to our activity," declared a ferryman with bitterness.

In general, the "barcassiers" complain about the absence of an interlocutor who could lend an attentive ear to their grievances and even honour the commitments made at the start of the project, namely the granting of new boats and the repair of those affected by the vagaries of the climate during the freezing of activity at the beginning of the work carried out in the river. It is the INDH and the Bouregreg Valley Development Agency that will be in charge of this mission. The makeover of the boats and bringing the famous costumes of yesteryear out of oblivion have also been put forward by the AAVB.

The season is also a factor that moderates daily income. In winter, ferrymen rarely work. They help each other and share the earnings. In summer, the only season when business can thrive, the festivals held in the square somewhat disrupt their activities. Something that does not delight the ferrymen.

As for the rates, they have undergone changes. But the price remains accessible to everyone: 1.50 dirhams/person. And for those who want to take a tour, the price varies between 30 and 100 dirhams.

To take a brief look back at history, a sexagenarian remembered the cost of the crossing: two centimes at one time. According to him, the wadi, commonly called by the population of the two neighbouring cities, has always been a place of economic activity for many people. An activity linked to the peculiarities of the river. It is obviously the activity of the ferrymen and artisanal fishing. Ferrymen and fishermen have always shared the waters of this river.

The incessant coming and going of the boats throughout the day, the crowds of passengers, were a daily backdrop of the valley. Today, this backdrop has changed well and the good old days are over.

Makeover of the valley

The Bouregreg valley has always occupied an important place in the memory of the inhabitants of the two cities, Rabat and Salé. In addition to its historical and natural vocation, it was, since the dawn of time, the cradle of certain ancestral activities exercised by the R'batis and Slaouis. Two trades that marked the identity of the local heritage. Today, the valley has been given a makeover: corniche, marina quays, and pleasure port. On the other hand, this makeover has affected the activity of the ferrymen somewhere. Enjoying a glorious past, now, it is on the verge of extinction.