Connect with us

Culture

Moroccans celebrate ‘special towncrier’ who works only during Ramadan

Published

on

Moroccans have continued to celebrate a “special towncrier” otherwise known as “Nafar”, who works only during the Ramadan period.

The Nafar, Naoufal Boukhriss, whose seasonal job lasts for one month and ends once Eid al-Fitr is declared, signalling the end of the holy month, is seen as a rare occupation as he “walks the paths and alleys in the early hours of the morning, starting at three am,” alerting faithful to the morning prayers and the Suhoor which is the meal to be taken before commencement of the day’s fasting.

According to Boukhriss who operates in the ancient Moroccan city of Rabat, the “Nafar plays a certain tune with a long trumpet-like instrument to wake people up for the suhoor meal before Muslims start their day of fasting during Ramadan.”

Nafar is the Moroccan way of calling someone who does this job, but the name of this profession differs from country to country. It shares the same name as the instrument in Moroccan Arabic,” he said.

“This craft, once a widespread Ramadan tradition in the past, has become rare today, as it has gradually disappeared with the emergence of technology and new urban areas.

“This (Nafar) is currently only found in the old city. As for the upscale neighborhoods, most of them do not accept the presence of the Nafar, because they say that they have a phone and an alarm clock that they use,” Boukhriss explained.

Local media reports that as a symbol of tradition, Boukhriss usually wears a special set of traditional clothes before he goes on his rounds in the old city.

“He dons a long shirt or ‘Jallaba’, a headpiece or ‘Tarbouch’, leather slippers ‘Belgha’ and white socks.

“While walking through the alleys, Boukhriss plays a special tune that notifies people of the time of suhoor, which is different from the ones they perform inside the mosque.

“Boukhriss considers this work as a reward from God. In return, residents thank him with food, sugar, or a share of money.”

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Culture

Obama names three African artistes in his Favorite Music list 2024

Published

on

In keeping with the tradition of naming his favourite music list of the year, former United States President, Barack Obama, has released his favorite music from 2024, which includes three African artistes.

The Obama Favorite Music list 2024, which he dropped on social media, has Nigerian stars Asake, Rema, and South African Ampiona sensation, Tyla, alongside Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, amongst other world-renowned stars.

While dropping the list, the former US President wrote:

“Here are my favorite songs from this year! Check them out if you’re looking to shake up your playlist – and let me know if there’s a song or artist I should make sure to listen to.”

The top picks for Obama’s shortlist were Billie Eilish’s “Lunch,” Jordan Adetunji’s “Kehlani,” Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby,” Karol G’s “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” Bonny Light Horseman’s “Old Dutch,” Central Cee, Asake’s “Active,” Lil Baby’s “Band4band,” Rema’s “Yayo”, Karol G’s “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” and “Gata Only” by FloyyMenor and Cris MJ.
and more.

The Obama Favorite Music of 2024 list also showcased a vibrant mix of genres and artists, reflecting his diverse musical preferences, spanning hip-hop, R&B, jazz, and reggaeton, showcasing his appreciation for a variety of musical styles.

Continue Reading

Culture

Moroccan tourist arrivals hit record-breaking 16 million

Published

on

The year 2024 has seen Morocco celebrate a record-breaking 16 million tourist arrivals, surpassing the 12 million mark set in 2023, with the country continuing to see impressive growth in tourist arrivals.

Data from the country’s Ministry of Tourism, the Directorate of Studies and Financial Forecasts (DEPF) reveals that additional indicators reveal that the sector reached remarkable numbers in just 10 months, surpassing the total number of arrivals typically seen in a full year.

According to the new details from the directorate, which is affiliated to the Ministry of Economy, the country’s tourism revenues reached MAD 96.9 billion by the end of October, an increase of 9.3% compared to the same period last year.

A statement by the Ministry said
Morocco notably reached a new record of 14.6 million tourists by the end of October, the directorate indicated, noting that this far surpassed the previous record set at the end of 2023 in just 10 months.

“The number marks a 19% increase year on year, representing 2.3 million additional arrivals by the end of October 2024,” it said.

“This remarkable growth is driven both by foreign tourists, whose numbers have increased by 22%, and Moroccans living abroad.

“This past October was an especially strong month for the Moroccan hospitality industry. Approximately 1.5 million visitors traveled to the North African country during that month, representing an increase of 30% compared to October last year,” it stated.

The Ministry of Tourism celebrated the upward trend during a meeting of the Moroccan National Tourism’s Board of Directors held on Monday, with data showing that the North African country saw a record 15.87 million visitors by the end of November, marking a 20% increase while tourism revenues soared to MAD 97 billion.

“The sector achieved a growth rate of 19%, higher than the world average of 12% and most competing destinations,” the Moroccan Tourism Office said.

Speaking at the event, Tourism Minister Fatim-Zahra Ammor:

“Our tourism roadmap is bearing fruit and we can now enter the year 24 with confidence and determination.”

Continue Reading

EDITOR’S PICK

VenturesNow1 month ago

Nigeria: Marketers predict further price cut as another refinery begins operations

Oil marketers and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority expect refined petroleum product prices to reduce as another...

VenturesNow1 month ago

Kenya: Consumer inflation rises to 3.0% from 2.8%

Kenya’s statistics agency said on Tuesday that Kenya’s consumer price inflation increased slightly to 3.0% year-over-year in December from 2.8%...

VenturesNow1 month ago

South Africa’s Transnet’s half-year deficit hits $117m

Transnet, a state-owned logistics company in South Africa, announced on Tuesday that it had lost 2.2 billion rand ($117.48 million)...

Musings From Abroad1 month ago

Nigeria, China extend $2bn currency swap deal

A 15 billion yuan ($2 billion) currency-swap arrangement between China and Nigeria has been extended to boost investment and commerce...

VenturesNow1 month ago

Egypt’s central bank maintains overnight rates

As anticipated, Egypt’s central bank has maintained its overnight interest rates, stating that although inflation was predicted to drop significantly...

VenturesNow1 month ago

Illicit flows cost Nigeria, others $1.6bn daily— AfDB

According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), illicit money flows and profit shifting by multinational corporations doing business in Africa...

Metro1 month ago

‘Don’t start what you can’t finish’, ex-Nigerian official replies President Tchiani

Former Nigerian Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has told President Abdourahamane Tchiani of Niger Republic to refrain from making infantile and...

Tech1 month ago

Again, Starlink raises prices of its services in Nigeria

Elon Musk’s satellite internet service provider, Starlink, has again jacked up the prices of its services in Nigeria after an...

Sports1 month ago

Former President of Moroccan club Raja sentenced to 3 years in prison

The former President of Moroccan top club, Raja Casablanca, Mohamed Aouzal, has been sentenced to three and a half years...

Metro1 month ago

Zambia announces second case of Mpox as country battles cholera outbreak

The Zambian Ministry of Health has reported a second case of Monkeypox, popularly known as Mpox, in Kitwe region of...

Trending