Lifestyle: 8 Habits and Customs Every Moroccan Understands
Morocco’s rich and diverse culture and heritage continue to influence Moroccan customs today. The country’s unique traditions and habits make Moroccans some of the most intriguing people to meet and be friends with.
Traveling to Morocco for the first time might be difficult or overwhelming for those who notice vast differences in the country’s culture and society compared to their own. However, Moroccans’ friendliness and warm hospitality make integrating into the culture a breeze.
Morocco is famous for its rich culture, diverse landscapes, historic monuments, and colorful cities that attract thousands of tourists from around the world. Many visitors rave about the sounds, the smells, the food, the beauty of the architecture, and, above all, Moroccan customs and hospitality.
Some of the first things you might notice about Moroccans include their positive and cheerful attitude, the way they change languages mid-sentence, and how they are always ready to help. These are eight Moroccan habits and customs that you may have already noticed if you have been lucky enough to visit the country and interact with its people.
Being Multilingual Is The Norm
The first original language of Morocco is Tamazight, or Berber. It has three dialects spoken by Moroccan Amazigh (Berber) people and is the second official language in Morocco after Arabic.
Due to the spread of Islam to North Africa in the 7th century and French and Spanish imperialism, most Moroccans today can fluently speak at least two languages.
Moroccans’ native languages are Moroccan Arabic (Darija) and Tamazight. Most Tamazight-speakers also speak Darija, but not all Moroccans who grow up learning Darija know Tamazight. This depends on the region of the country and is a feature of the rural-urban divide. Tamazight is the dominant language in many rural communities, while Moroccans born in urban areas tend to only speak Darija, even if their parents grew up speaking Tamazight.
Most Moroccans learn Modern Standard Arabic and French in school. In the north, many Moroccans also speak Spanish. English-speakers are present throughout the country, but most people in this group learn the language independently or through private or higher education.
Read also: Learning to Speak Darija: How to Make a Moroccan Laugh
Being multilingual, Moroccans have the intriguing custom of subconsciously changing languages mid-sentence---Moroccan Darija itself is a blend of all the languages that have influenced the country’s history. This can be fascinating yet confusing for non-Moroccans, but it is also a characteristic that allows Moroccans to communicate easily with foreigners.
The ability to speak different languages also helps Moroccans learn new languages faster and easier and even master accents in foreign languages.
Being Generous Is Part Of The Culture
Moroccans are known for their hospitality and their boundless generosity is one of the customs that amaze foreigners. Moroccans will share with strangers their home, their food, and their possessions without hesitation and without asking for anything in return.
Your taxi driver will engage in long conversations with you and offer to pick you up whenever you need. If you are lost or need directions, you will undoubtedly find someone who will give you directions or even offer you to take you where you need.
Moroccan families will also offer you their home to stay in during your travel for however long you want and happily share their food with you. Moroccans consider generosity a duty, which makes them some of the friendliest and warm-hearted people with whom you can grow life-long relationships.
Sharing Food Is A Must
If you are traveling on the bus or train and a Moroccan sitting next to you is eating, don’t be surprised if they offer to share their food with you. Sharing food is a Moroccan custom, with Moroccans believing that eating alone in front of others is rude, especially if the other person is hungry.
When welcoming guests, Moroccans will fill their dining table with various dishes, beverages, and traditional mint tea and invite their guests over and over again for lunch or dinner. Because sharing food is a way of connecting and getting closer to new friends, Moroccans might consider it rude or impolite to reject food.
