Race, Ethnicity, Culture & Religion - Faith and Food in Morocco
I love food! Sharing meals or partaking in certain foods often plays a significant role in individuals' and communities' religious and cultural identities. I have found this to be the case as a visitor in Morocco. While dining in a restaurant in Morocco this week, I attempted to order couscous (a dish made of pasta granules served with various meats and vegetables). Surprisingly, my request was immediately shot down and redirected to another dish. Although this was unexpected, I happily and confusedly ordered something else recommended by the waiter, a dish called tajine. From this experience, I learned that these particular foods have religious and cultural significance in Morocco, which I was unaware of.
Upon discussion with my fellow travelers and through a little research, I found that couscous may only be eaten on Fridays - I had tried to order it on a Wednesday. In most Arab and Muslim countries like Morocco, Holy Friday is the last day of the week and is an official holiday of great religious significance to Muslims. Because Friday is a special day of gathering and prayer, Moroccans celebrate it in their own way by preparing couscous. In many parts of Morocco, it is eaten only on Fridays. To this day, the couscous meal retains its special place in the hearts of the Moroccan people (Chaachouay & Zidane, 2021).
So you may be wondering what I ended up having for lunch instead of couscous... I decided to try the tajine dish which was also something new to me. My fellow travelers informed me that this was another popular and traditional dish of Morocco. I learned that the word tajine can refer to both the food and the dish in which it is being served. A tajine is a distinctive earthenware dish with two parts consisting of a flat and circular base with low sides and a large cone-shaped cover that rests inside the base during cooking (Ettoualy, 2012). The food is cooked and served in this unique dish. My tajine was delicious, and I hope to taste more authentic Moroccan cuisine while I am visiting, but of course in the appropriate cultural and religious context.
Chaachouay, N., & Zidane, L. (2021). The Symbolic Efficacy of Plants in Rituals and Socio-Religious Ceremonies in Morocco, Northwest of Africa. Journal of Religious & Theological Information, 21(1–2), 34–53. https://doi.org/10.1080/10477845.2021.1942433
Hi Lauryn! I really enjoyed reading your post, as it was such a great example of cultural differences that you would never realize without experiencing it! I was sitting across from you at this meal, and I was also very surprised when they denied you from ordering a meal that was on the menu and not marked as unavailable on days other than Friday. Of course when you think about it, locals would know not to order it unless it's Friday, but as a visitor, it would be difficult to know and understand this! I'm glad that you shared this experience with everyone.
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