The Moroccan "diaspora"

The issue of Moroccans living abroad & being torn as a community is a serious one.  A Serious issue demands real attention & study to delve into its  whys, whats, hows & ifs to do it justice.  A simple article/take like this one would never claim to be conclusive  in terms of finding answers to all the above questions & to the intricacies surrounding this phenomenon that is eroding  the Moroccans psyche.  I'm sure the answers would have to do with many levels :  psychological, sosiological, historical, individual & finally with the most important one of these levels, which is the Identity level that could encompass all of the above in sub-levels.

The first thing one remarks (or hears) about Moroccans (not only in the U.S, but in other parts of the glob where Moroccans reside like Canada, the U.K ...) is that we live in a sort of "diaspora":  We live as small islands scattered all over the place.  Despite all the connections & the bonds we have, we remain un-connected to one another, generally speaking, on a much deeper level.

As all people from different nationalities living abroad seem to find strength in being together as a whole & as one in the face of the 'Other', we, Moroccans, seem to drift apart, consciously or unconsciously, from each other.  We build walls in between us, walls constructed along several different lines that should, at no time & at no place, matter since we all originated in the same country, underwent more or less the same social, economic & political experiences though at varying degrees of damage & un-damage.  Add to that the common denominators:  history,religion, culture...

These common threads should be used as a building block for a strong & unified community.  But unfortunately, they are not being used & seized upon to construct.

People normally, all people, tend to be selective when it comes to picking who to socialize with or who to"hang out" with, be it in the context of family, individual context, religious context or the educational context...But this often prevents us from seeing the bigger picture which is that we are all Moroccans, exiled away from home & that we have more in common to form a strong front that social status, educational status or linguistic fluency or lack thereof, could ever take away.  These artificial barriers could be transcended & seen past for the sake of the Moroccanness of us all as individuals & as a collectivity living abroad.  Sadly, this approach is never applied.  Even sadder is the fact that we are all aware of our dispersion & yet we do not do anything about it to reverse the situation.  The guilt, hence, is a collective one.  The good thing is a few individuals are asking questions & are trying desperately to find a remedy.

Many a time we talk about how  & why so & so community is thriving & being welded together by the same components that make up our being & not us?  A sad question about a sad situation!

The sum of the islands that the Moroccan "diaspora" is made of could make a homogenous & strong whole only & only when we stop thinking & acting along the divisive lines that we seem to be very comfortable in.  Add to that the distrust, suspicion & hatred that are widely spread & eating away at any attempt to mold the Moroccans in one unified entity.  Yet, in the middle of this sea of negativism, some brave & enlightened individuals showed their ability to get above these narrow & meaningless lines that have been defining us for quiet sometime now, & embrace their Moroccanness with all the positive attributes we experienced back home at the level of the neighbourhood, school, community, work, university; in Ramadan, in Eids ...Or have we succumbed to a severe case of individualism & narcissism that concepts of "Takaful Ijtimaii" & solidarity have become so alien to us or nonexistent in our daily lives as exiles?

Connecting with one's country & one's fellow Moroccans is not only a matter of having a coffee together or dancing at a party ( though, in a way, that is something positive in itself as long as it doesn't remain static & within that context forever).  Connecting with Moroccans is beyond all this.  It encompasses giving a helping hand, tiding someone over when they're in need, being there for one another in good times & in bad times with no design in mind or expectations of compensation.  Gratitude & a recognition of the good gesture would suffice.

I believe, we Moroccans, should learn to forgive( which is one of the mainstays of our religion) & get over our self-created cliches & stereotypes.  We are all humans, we come with flaws & imperfections.  We judge & do not like to be judged. 

Until we realize this & move beyond this futile & meaningless attitude; until we form a unity of vision & a vision of unity, a unity of purpose & a purose of unity, all  based on the common well-being of all the members of all tthe Moroccan communities living abroad; until then, scattered, dispersed, fragmented & divided, we will remain.  Sadly

Assalam. 

addel