The Kingdom of Morocco is regarded as an African state and a constitutional monarchy influenced by Islamic law, Spanish and French civil law systems. This means it has a monarchy and a parliament as well as an independent judiciary. The king is regarded as the leader in two fronts: he is the secular- political leader and the Commander of the Faithful since he is a direct descendant of the prophet Mohammed. The country is largely an Islamic state given the bulk of its population are if Arabic origin with approximately 99% of its population being Arab-Berber.
What aspects of your cultures beliefs relating to your topic did you find most surprising and why?
When it comes to culture, social stratification is still a major part of the ones identification even in this age. Symbols of social classification are language and the quality of attire. Fluency in French and Arabic indicate the refined nature of an individual while speaking only Berber dialects show a lack of education. Likewise, the quality of clothes symbolizes ones social class with hand-made detailed fabrics’ being worn by those in the high class.
What are the hypothesis/theories provided by Anthropologists that explain these cultural beliefs?
Anthropologists believe that the Berber were the indigenous people of the Kingdom of Morocco. The Phoenicians and other successive empires invaded and tried to colonize the kingdom but eventually the desire to be independent from France unified the Arab and Berbers giving birth to the Muslim population existing today.
Are there aspects of these beliefs that clash with your own cultural beliefs? How would you explain to someone who is not familiar with cultural anthropology why it is necessary to be culturally relativistic when discussing these topics?
Morocco is a multiethnic society with a rich culture and civilization. Its national culture is built from hosting a variety of religious (Islam and Paganism) and traditional peoples (the Arabs and Muslims among others) beliefs with each contributing to its social structure. There exists a duality about life in Moroccan culture, the warmth, and intimacy found in the home against a harsh life on the streets. While the beliefs and cultures may differ from the traditional Christian beliefs that are widely accepted in most parts of the world, being culturally relativistic will help one appreciate the diversity and cultural heritage Morocco has set out to protect and preserve.
