LIFE IN MOROCCO | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 8, 1904

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 30, No. 23.

LIFE IN MOROCCO.

TWO KINDS of life, quite distinct in principle, are found respectively among the city and country classes. Though originally all were identified with their proper tribes, those who have become civilized—or “citified”—have departed from many of their tribal characteristics. The cities are generally walled for defense, and are firmly under the hand of the general government, upon whose protection, trade and the safety of property depend.

Outside the fenced cities, the warp that binds the whole fabric together is entirely patriarchal. The government has authority and control only to the extent of its military force. Regions inaccessible to its army do not obey its orders. As there is no spiritual or moral principle to protect a man from his fellow, the family becomes the real unit. Immediate relatives make up a large circle, which, with other related circles, might for convenience be called a clan. This is enlarged by other similar clans more distinctly related to it, until a sub-tribe is formed. These sub-tribes combined constitute what receives the general tribal name. It is possible for even the great tribes to be related in a general way, which would have an influence, in proportion to the nearness of the relationship, in determining their friendliness toward each other in time of need. These tribes, sub-tribes, clans, and even families, constantly quarrel among themselves, “Pay old scores and make new ones,” and shed blood, but in case of need, they all unite against a common foe. This helps us to understand why the patriarchs, from Abraham down, desired to have many sons, and throws a side-light upon Oriental polygamy, and the esteem in which different wives were held.

The traveler among unsubdued tribes, having been accepted as a guest, is for the time being regarded as a member of the family, and so ultimately finds the whole tribe morally bound to fight for him, protect him, and avenge his death. When Mr. Reed and I visited our Berber friends among the Yusis a year ago, one of them said, “Should you be killed, we would not bury you or remove your body until we had called our brethren, and they had called theirs, and we had fought and shed blood over your body.”

Under such conditions, the unsubdued tribes are often more prosperous than those which are obedient. The government only hopes to keep the former stirred up one against another, so that they may not become too strong and independent; while the latter are ground between the upper and nether millstone, as it were, and often become distressingly poor.—Gospel Message.