When I was a little girl, I was enchanted by all the stories and folktales that my aunt would tell me every time I went to sleep. I would ask her to tell me a story every night that I grew very fond of that ritual. It was only when I became a Cultural Studies student that I discovered the importance and the charm of studying the folktale, rediscover it in an era where every old form of entertainment has been replaced by more exciting and interactive stuff. The kids no longer yearn for family gatherings in the evening where an older family members tells a story, and the little flickering candle-light is substituted for games and chat rooms on a virtual world, or else for TV programs that are transmitted to us from farther cultures, teaching us other cultural values than ours, while our own values dwindle and finally fade away in silence.
Storytelling has been for millennia the powerful means of expression. It involves the art and the skill of narration, typically a female practice, that has resisted the silencing process exercised on women since the beginnings of history by men, and managed to win over time and span to our days.
The idea of creating this blog came from an urge to re-discover and archive the legacy of the past in Moroccan oral-narrative-repertoire, very cherished yet un-cared for marvelous treasure and source of artistic inspiration. It was, and still is that magical thing that resonates in your h(ear)t, transports you to lands of fantasy, and brings back moments of your childhood to your present. It's such a wonderful material to remember, re-memorize, and re-tell to the upcoming generations...
Our primary aim is to archive our own legacy, compile and store it for the upcoming generations, and transmit the wisdom of the folk tale from parents to children. People interested in the field of the fairytale are invited to discover traditional folk tales from Morocco, as well as to share ideas and suggestions, and - why not - more fairy tales!
