The Peculiar Pleasures of Tétouan

One travels to encounter different cultures and different peoples. We certainly did that today on our visit to Tétouan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The town was the Spanish capital of Morocco, back centuries ago when Spain claimed this place, and, except for the use of electricity and automobiles (two big exceptions), people still live here as they did a thousand years ago. Life is simple. Life is primitive. Life is raw.

Glenda has mentioned in her footprint her reaction to some of the cultural differences we encountered. Yet remarkably, once one adjusts to those differences, Tétouan has some interesting cultural characteristics. We went to a beautiful mansion built in 1802, were offered a glass of hot, unsweetened mint tea, and treated to some interesting Moroccan music. Two violinists held their instruments on their knees, something like the position we hold cellos. Another played a large guitar-like instrument one could call a dreadnought. A final member played a hand drum.

And they sang. Boy! Did they sing! I could not understand the words, but their songs were those they learned from their youth. They were not trained vocalists, nor did they pretend to be. They just sang for the joy of singing. I loved that. The singers sacrificed intonation, pronunciation and vocalization all for the joy of just singing the song. I’m sure it was as familiar as “Home On the Range,” is to us, but it was very interesting. One song slipped from 2-4 to 6-8 time without missing a beat. I sometimes wish that we Westerners could forget about the recordings of professional singers and just allow ourselves to sing for the joy of it.

I’m sure if I spent any time in Tétouan, I would need to undergo a period of “seasoning” during which one becomes accustomed to a new bacteriological environment. But after the sickness passed, I’m sure I, like the people who have lived here for a thousand years, would have a load of fun just living, loving and trying to stay alive.Read more