The people of Safi, of all origins and faiths, often pride themselves, and always enjoy reminding their interlocutors, urbi et orbi, of the maritime nickname attributed to their city by the author of the "Prolegomena", Ibn Khaldoun, as being the "City of the Ocean Sea", a medieval Medina endowed, according to the layout of the time, with solid ramparts, a mosque where the Friday sermon is celebrated, a "Maristane" (hospital), and a "Qissaria" (mall of yesteryear).
Its anchorage received, from Europe, the caravels that traded with the capital of the Abda cereal plains, so fertile that the first settlers found a strong resemblance to the French Beauce).
And, for these people, this historical reference is neither fortuitous nor incongruous, because Safi, intra and extra muros, is a civilisational concentrate of a large part of our plural Morocco: it is what I call a "Little Morocco".
Safi, little Morocco
Safi, little Morocco, is a reference to those immigrant neighbourhoods in America where all the cultural sensibilities of a single nation are sometimes concentrated, like Little Italy, Chinatown, or Little Odessa...
Unfortunately, some believe that the Ocean City is not among the cultural metropolises of our country. Admittedly, the media rarely mentions it in positive terms: the constraints of an imprecise present often hide a fascinating history of a melting pot of our own that is not only underestimated but also greatly degraded, instead of serving to pull the territory out of its current gloom and, alas, also in the making.
Safi and its hinterland constitute, in my opinion and for the initiated, a result of several cultural tributaries hic and nunc, which are:
The Amazigh substrate
Just from a linguistic angle, the Amazigh component remains strong. Admittedly, the Safi dialectal Arabic is, in general, that of the Arabophone Moroccan Atlantic coast. However, it is in the linguistic matrix that the Amazigh presence is the most "audible". Thus, according to a study by the Safi academic M. A. Lataoui (the most Russian-speaking of the Safi people), titled "Ichthyonymy", it appears that the names of several fish in Safi are of Amazigh origin, such as "Taznagt", a type of sea bream, a fish with a glimmer of redness whose dialectal (Tzeneg), to blush...
However, about 30 km further north, a linguistic green line stands and the fish names become Arabic: "el haddad, el farkh, bouchouk"...
The Sephardic component
A Jewish community, quite small today, was once very numerous. The importance of the Jewish presence, prior to the advent of Islam, according to some historians, remains palpable in the Ouled ben Zmirou mausoleum with its annual moussem and with the succulent recipes of a highly appreciated cuisine. This presence is beginning to be revisited: works by the historian Brahim Kredya, or the fictional work of the Safi novelist Hassan Riad, titled "Parchemins Hébraïques" (UEM Prize). (see "les Gens d’ici" followed by "Parchemins hébraïques", l’Harmattan - Paris 2006).
Tailors, butchers, artisans, jewellers, musicians... pastry chefs... the Jews of Safi were an integral part of the socio-economic and cultural landscape of the Medina, and even beyond, in the hinterland where Jewish merchants with their mules roamed the countryside, in complete safety, with their wares, their powders, their walnut barks (souak) for the beauties of the Douar... the famous "El Attar".
Furthermore, Safi is, to my knowledge, the only city with an Israelite population not to have erected a ghetto, alias "mellah". Moreover, the late E. A. El Maleh, son of Mogador and a great critic of Zionism, was born in the Medina of Safi in March 1917, after certainly an itinerant journey of his parents.
The Andalusian element
Several families originally from Andalusia came to settle, most often via Fez, in Safi. Today, in addition to a renowned gastronomy and pastry (for example, marzipan), we owe these families the legacy of refined music. Rare are the Moroccans who have not been captivated by the "Mawal" of one of the best vocalists, namely Haj M. Bajeddoub. In addition, Andalusian families have largely contributed to the development of Safi pottery and ceramics.
The sub-Saharan African influence
The links of Safi with the countries of the "SUDAN" (Territory of the Blacks, current Mali) have been proven since the city was the port of Marrakech, capital of several ruling dynasties in Morocco. Also, the presence of a Gnawa culture with its "lilas" and its rites of exorcism is an integral part of Safi culture, and, a cultural aspect long snubbed, compared to a past linked to slavery, is beginning to be reinvented, thanks to the Essaouira Festival, and also through documentary or fictional works. (See our novel "Gnaoua", l’Harmattan - Paris 2016).
This African component of Moroccan culture offers a breathtaking syncretism of colours, incense (benzoin ranges), sounds, but above all references that navigate cheerfully between the Zeus of local Jinn, Chamharouch, towards an Arab knight, passing through the territories of the "Bambaras" and the Mlouks (kings / spirits / elves) of the jungle.
The European imprint
At the port of Safi, which can, by itself, tell the history of the city, the visitor will be surprised to note, by hearing them, the terminology and the pidgin in force among the fishermen (bechkadri = pescador): a series of Spanish and Portuguese words, set with cosmopolitan expressions. The old Safi speech is still rich in terms of Iberian, or even Italian origin, like "genoui": a knife originating from the factories of the Italian city of Genoa. The same visitor will not fail to marvel at the sight of the majestic Sea Castle, a masterpiece of 15th-century Lusitanian military architecture. A monument, alas, very poorly highlighted at present.
The Arab-Muslim soil
An essential element, since Ouqba Ibnou Nafie who, according to a consecrated legend, trod the beaches of this sea, regretting that it was an obstacle preventing him from carrying the message of Islam further. The second character is undoubtedly Sheikh Abou Mohamed Saleh who organised a hostel system from Safi to the holy places of Islam, under the aegis of his Pilgrims' Brotherhood. The exodus, premeditated by the Fatimids of Ifriqia (Tunisia), of the Arab tribes (Taghriba of the Beni H’lal... which remains synonymous, in Arabic, with distance) definitively sealed the Arabisation of the region and its capital Safi.
The plains of Abda, which were part of the Doukkala confederation (the gates of Marrakech and Essaouira going towards Safi have the same name "bab Doukkala") offer the speech of its inhabitants, material for various linguistic studies: for example, the building where someone from the plain lives will be in adobe or reinforced concrete, and will bear the term khaĂŻma (tent) and will be integrated into a Douar (circle) around a symbolic protective fire: could these be the traces of an atavistic nomadism?
Finally, the musical side of this element remains lively with this music described as extra-muros, the AĂŻta (call) that the saga of CaĂŻd AĂŻssa Ben Omar made famous with the character of Chikha Kharboucha, an ugly woman with a powerful word harangued the Ouled Zid against the despotism of the famous CaĂŻd until their extermination, Zapata-style, at the beginning of the 20s of the previous century: "Aam Errafasa" (the Year of the Stampede) under the city walls. For the AĂŻta, it is necessary to pay tribute here to a man who devoted his life to research in this field and for everything concerning this popular culture, the late Med Bouhmid. (See "Il Ă©tait une fois ... Safi" Diwane Edition - Safi 2008).
With such potential, Safi should have shone with a thousand and one lights on the national, or even international level. Alas, to the great displeasure of all, these treasures remain buried under thick layers of dust that we will call ignorance, ineptitude, or quite simply the mediocrity of the various hypostases of Authority, elected colleges...
Thus, the indictment is sealed, the litany of charges and even of underlings to be thrown to a crowd hungry for scapegoats would be obvious, suffering no dispute, or even claiming no demonstration.
Personally, I believe that part of the morbidity of the city of Safi lies in a part of its population. Indeed, this gloom manifests itself by a cascade of closures in the tertiary sector (hotels, restaurants, small brand franchises...). This happens after the shutdown of several fish canning units. But this can be due to more rational explanations.
This phenomenon accelerated after the choice of host cities for the 2030 World Cup, where Safi does not appear at all! This contributed to dampening the little morale that remained among local investors already facing an unfavourable, unattractive environment without real prospects for the future, despite announcements of projects concerning the OCP and a future industrial zone...
However, small and very small businesses, the true engines of the local economy, are dropping out in view of a deleterious climate fuelled by a part of the population: a tiny minority but truly very active via social networks, with, as cardinal points, the desire to denigrate, sabotage, push back, and lament, in the end.
According to my modest analysis, it is a spiteful, falsely unionist spirit that was born in Safi during the late 20s and early 30s of the last century, with the construction of the modern port and the start of the sardine processing factories.
Indeed, the first native Safi unionists were trained in a good contestatory school by the envoys of the French CGT!
We learned everything, except how to negotiate. Thus, we argue to confront each other, to fight it out, and not to argue, in good faith, to convince.
An anecdote summarises this spirit: on the port docks, a hyper-influential "unionist" named "El Baraka" held sway. It is reported: when "El Baraka orders, the port stops", "Ila dwa el Barak tew9ef el 7araka".
It is unfortunately this clumsily petrified spirit, vengeful as one could wish and whiny, by episodes, playing or therefore acting the victim when it cannot be otherwise than loud and anti-innovation.
This minority was able to use and abuse all communication channels and mainly to kick up a fuss, on social networks, given many advantages, to create a leaden shroud enveloping the entire territory and making suspicious, what am I saying, almost immoral any progress, and any investment, especially in the tertiary sector.
This 5th column embodies a false elite that has made this sophist motto its own: "it is not because we have nothing to say that we will be silent". It would rather be a pack. And, obviously, they propose nothing reasonable for territorial marketing, resilience, positive visibility...
Thus, the joy of living of yesteryear, like a shagreen skin, is reduced until it disappears, in a city that, however, has several strings to its bow.
What to do?
In my opinion, there should be some technical recipes for developing a territory: more or less serious consulting firms (especially with AI) are capable of presenting flamboyant action plans with breathtaking graphs and visuals... but this rarely goes beyond the stage of amusement, for a gallery that is often "hypocritical".
To initiate a happy dynamic in a territory, it seems to me that the sine qua non condition is to get the indigenous population to adhere, or at least its silent majority often on stand-by.
This cannot take place without appealing to the psychological component, to the motivation of the inner self (excuse the oxymoron) so that each member of such and such a community feels invested with a true priesthood and not cornered into the accomplishment of a job "against our will".
It is true that there is no miracle cure, but there are, all the same, quite serious proposals and paths, probably practicable.
Thus, regarding the territory of Safi, it seems desirable to me to highlight and honour all its intangible heritage, which I have tried to synthesise in "Safi: little Morocco". Because, a population feeling confident, having roots, a glorious history, knowledge, know-how, and interpersonal skills, to offer to the Other, in sharing.
In short, Safi must not be devastated, but it suffers from a rather clumsy caste, at least verbally. Investing in the morale of men could be the panacea.
* FPD Safi Cadi AYAD University
The post Safi, ocean city: between gloom and clumsiness! appeared first on Hespress French - News from Morocco.
