The Sheltering Sky
For those traveling in Morocco it won't be a surprise to discover the warm welcome of the Moroccan people. This hospitality is linked to sense of holiness which the visitor represents in the local culture in all its forms.
The same attention and loving care is reserved to the guest, be it a distant relative from Europe, a traveler, a tourist who came from afar, a wanderer in search of a break from a long journey.
The hospitality of Morocco naturally goes with the traditional tea ceremony, also known as "Atay Naa Naa".
It is considered a refreshing beverage, especially in the Sahara, where the caravans of nomads refresh and rest their tired limbs with a glass of tea, to be enjoyed not alone but with others.
To quote the famous song of Tinariwen - a music group from Tessalit in the North East of Mali, that combines in its music blues, rock, and traditional Touareg music - "Atay Iswegh", the tea in the desert follows a ritual used to suspend daily actions, to rest the mind and body, to share with others one of the greatest pleasures of life.
Usually the head of household or the most representative person of the group is charged with this important ritual. The tea is served sweetened and flavored with a lot of mint leaves (called €Naa Naa€ in Moroccan dialect). In the very desert they use the embers of coal to heat the teapot where water is heated together with mint leaves and tea. The most sacred moment is when the tea is poured and served. The infusion is taken for a few minutes, then it is passed from one glass to another, and again in the pot until it has reached that strong flavor that distinguishes it. Finally, it is served in glasses.
It is often offered as a sign of welcome and it is drunk hot even during the hottest hours, which in these latitudes, especially in Summer, reach the 50 degrees.
The refreshing power of this hot drink will surprise you during your trip to Morocco. And, once back home, its flavor will remain on the lips taking with it that sense of nostalgia and awe that accompanies every trip to this magical land.
It is this old ritual that inspired the novel "the Sheltering Sky", written in 1949 by Paul Bowles, lucky title which reminds of a famous films shot in Morocco by an Italian director (Bernardo Bertolucci) and finally consecrated the writer's reputation in the world.
Enjoying a glass of tea in the sand of the desert, between the reddish dunes at sunset will make you feel at home, and it will give you the odd realization that being tourists, and travelers - to use a quote from Bowles - are essentially two different ways of experiencing the journey. If you travel without thinking to return, finding a bit of your home among the enchanting dunes of Morocco, then you'll be a traveler.
And your tea mate, which will have poured and prepared the drink for you with love and attention, will contribute to this transformation.
The same attention and loving care is reserved to the guest, be it a distant relative from Europe, a traveler, a tourist who came from afar, a wanderer in search of a break from a long journey.
The hospitality of Morocco naturally goes with the traditional tea ceremony, also known as "Atay Naa Naa".
It is considered a refreshing beverage, especially in the Sahara, where the caravans of nomads refresh and rest their tired limbs with a glass of tea, to be enjoyed not alone but with others.
To quote the famous song of Tinariwen - a music group from Tessalit in the North East of Mali, that combines in its music blues, rock, and traditional Touareg music - "Atay Iswegh", the tea in the desert follows a ritual used to suspend daily actions, to rest the mind and body, to share with others one of the greatest pleasures of life.
Usually the head of household or the most representative person of the group is charged with this important ritual. The tea is served sweetened and flavored with a lot of mint leaves (called €Naa Naa€ in Moroccan dialect). In the very desert they use the embers of coal to heat the teapot where water is heated together with mint leaves and tea. The most sacred moment is when the tea is poured and served. The infusion is taken for a few minutes, then it is passed from one glass to another, and again in the pot until it has reached that strong flavor that distinguishes it. Finally, it is served in glasses.
It is often offered as a sign of welcome and it is drunk hot even during the hottest hours, which in these latitudes, especially in Summer, reach the 50 degrees.
The refreshing power of this hot drink will surprise you during your trip to Morocco. And, once back home, its flavor will remain on the lips taking with it that sense of nostalgia and awe that accompanies every trip to this magical land.
It is this old ritual that inspired the novel "the Sheltering Sky", written in 1949 by Paul Bowles, lucky title which reminds of a famous films shot in Morocco by an Italian director (Bernardo Bertolucci) and finally consecrated the writer's reputation in the world.
Enjoying a glass of tea in the sand of the desert, between the reddish dunes at sunset will make you feel at home, and it will give you the odd realization that being tourists, and travelers - to use a quote from Bowles - are essentially two different ways of experiencing the journey. If you travel without thinking to return, finding a bit of your home among the enchanting dunes of Morocco, then you'll be a traveler.
And your tea mate, which will have poured and prepared the drink for you with love and attention, will contribute to this transformation.