May 2021 festival

Day 8: Morocco

Byoiff

Welcome Video

Welcome to the final day of the May 2021 Online International Fiber Festival! Thank you for coming this far with me! Be sure to watch the morning video to meet our vendors from Morocco!

Join the discussion in the Online International Fiber Festival group on Ravelry or Facebook. And be sure to follow the festival on Instagram.

Moroccan Vendors

All of these vendors can be found in the marketplace. (Click the link then scroll down to the marketplace section!)

Irene Waggener’s book, Keepers of the Sheep: Knitting in Morocco’s High Atlas and Beyond, was written in collaboration with three shepherds from Morocco’s High Atlas – Hussein Mardi, Muah Ahansali, and Muah n’Aït Tabatoot. She presents a Moroccan knitting tradition that is in danger of disappearing. Irene sells her work as well as handmade craft supplies produced by artisans of Morocco. A portion of each book sale goes to the community with which she’s worked. All hand made craft items were purchased at prices that are worthwhile and profitable for the artisans.

Moroccan Bling — Jessica Stephens is an artist who takes her inspiration from her beloved country of residence, Morocco. Abstract paintings, textile beads, and jewelry.

Traditional woven shawls and scarves
With much care and enthusiasm, Sefrou Sisters buys tiny hand-woven textile buttons and beads straight from the female makers at sustainable prices, supporting the individual maker and the heritage crafts.

Recommended Classes

Choose one (or more!) of the following classes for your morning learning. You will need a subscription to Craftsy to take the classes. Please note: if you have a subscription, you do not need to purchase the class unless you want to. Simply click play on the video!

Ply to Knit: Spin the Yarn You Really Want with Jill Moreno

Essential Skills for Circular Knitting with Pam Powers Knits

Simple Techniques for a Super Fit with Amy Herzog

Explore the Region

First, please enjoy this documentary, Mustapha the Weaver, about Mustapha ElGhorami, whose work you can find in the festival marketplace.

For an upgraded experience, subscribe to CuriosityStream! CuriosityStream is a streaming service like Netflix, but just for documentaries. Their videos are commercial free and available at a higher streaming quality than many of the options available through YouTube, and a portion of the cost of your membership will help defray the costs of running the festival. Once you have subscribed to CuriosityStream, click on the titles below to go directly to the recommended videos.

Bon Appetit: Gerard Depardieu’s Europe; Fez — Visit Morocco with famed foodie, Gerard Depardieu. Please note that this documentary shows the killing and processing of two pigeons and is very realistic about where meat comes from.
Boosting Antibiotics with Essential Oils — Moroccan scientist Adnane Remmal won the European Inventor of the Year Award with his blend of antibiotics and essential oils that improved the antibiotics’ efficacy.

The following videos are available for free on YouTube. Consider taking advantage of the free trial of a YouTube subscription, which will block the commercials YouTube usually adds to their videos. The trial lasts for one month and they will send you an email a week before you are charged, so be sure to cancel at the end of the festival or when you get the email, or stay subscribed if you find it worth your while.

The video quality of this is terrible, and for that I am sorry. But it was the only documentary I could find that gave a good general background of Moroccan history. Pick up your project and listen to it, then move on to the other documentaries which are a much better quality.
A beautiful film about weavers that shows the process from fleece to rug.
The sounds of craftsmanship in Morocco. From hide to slippers, with glimpses of other crafts at the start.
Observe the process of Moroccan wood painting with Master Hassan.
Visit modern day Casablanca by following a few of its residents through their daily lives.
A brief news story about women using Microfinance funds to build income security using sheep.
Ever wonder where Argan oil comes from? You’re about to find out!
The Imilchil marriage festival of the Amazigh has been going on for over 500 years, but the process has changed in modern times.
Meet the Sand Cat, a desert-dwelling feline!
Meet Douzi, a Moroccan singer who cut his first album at 9 and has gone on to take Moroccan music to the international scene.

Menu

Click the menu items for the recipes. The shopping lists are available to be downloaded by day and by the entire event. Print off your preference and head to the market!

Lamb or Beef Tagine with Peas and Artichokes
Khobz
Cinnamon Oranges

Evening Entertainment

Rather than having a prerecorded cultural event, we had a live afternoon event with Irene Waggener, author of Keepers of the Sheep: Knitting in Morocco’s High Atlas and Beyond.

Unfortunately, Zoom only recorded the first 17 seconds of the event. I am terribly sorry for those who missed it. Irene did a wonderful job telling us about her experiences in Morocco. I encourage you to pick up a copy of Keepers of the Sheep through her link in the marketplace, as much of the information is available in the book.

For those who were unable to take part, I offer the following alternative entertainment:

Every year, Fes is host to the Festival of World Sacred Music. Performers from all around the world come to perform different genres of sacred music. This set is of Sufi sacred music from the 2011 festival.

We hope you enjoyed your day in Morocco!
Thank you for joining us for this adventure! See you again in 2022!

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