Dancing in Fez

2010 May 13

by sfcg

By Sydney Smith
Photos by Felix Unogwu

Felix Unogwu is being followed. Search for Common Ground’s Children and Youth Specialist, he arrived in Fez, Morocco’s third largest city, a few days prior with colleagues from Sierra Leone: Country Director Ambrose James and Alimamy Kamara . They’re here meeting with the Search for Common Ground Morocco staff for what Felix calls “country cross-fertilization.” They’ll be conducting media training for the Search Morocco Team and the staff of the regional public radio in Fez. The team is also there to witness the work of the youth mediators in Fez in the hopes of creating similar programs in Sierra Leone where, as Felix says, “the context is fertile and there is a need.”

Now he and the Sierra Leone staff are taking part (mostly as observers) in a Public Sensitization Day, during which the mediators go into public squares of the community to spread awareness and give out information about the services offered in their center.

Much of their work is spread by word of mouth, and at least one man, selling bright fruits and vegetables, has already had experiences with the center. “Yes,” he cries in recognition, “They do good work!”

Felix joins the young mediators as they fan out in the medina. They talk to young and old, male and female.

Ambrose observing the mediators

The square is busy and the responses to the outreach are positive. And there, just off to the side is a man who does not speak or approach, just…follows. Felix has no idea who he might be or what his interest is. Perhaps he is merely curious. Coming from the comparatively laid back Sierra Leone, Ambrose and Alimamy must adjust to Fez’s stricter culture.

Meeting with the mayor

The King’s portrait hangs in nearly every building and the team’s progress would have been all but impossible without the blessing of Fez’s mayor, one of the most powerful men in the region. To get anything accomplished here requires consulting with many institutions and skill with maneuvering the system. Morocco’s civil society is fledgling but Felix and the Sierra Leone staff are impressed with what the Morocco team has achieved in spite of constraints.

One of these achievements is the amazing trust that the mediators seem to have built within the community. Most mediators are somewhere between the ages of 17 and 30 and they often mediate on cases involving people twice and three times their age. Marriage issues are frequent, as are issues of custody and disputes between neighbors and tenants. In a culture that values and respects age, Felix was initially surprised to see an elderly man bring forth a domestic dispute before teenage staff. However all parties said they felt comfortable doing so. A few of the mediators confess that it can sometimes feel strange, like talking with their grandfather or parents about their personal problems, but that the training they’ve received tended to make such feelings evaporate.

When he first arrived, there was some wariness on the part of mediators who felt that they might be scrutinized. But Felix assured them he had come with a blank slate and was there to learn. For those who might remain unconvinced he pulls out his Arabic dance moves.

At first it has the awkward one-man-dancing-in-a-circle-by-himself feel, complete with “what is this man doing??” looks. But eventually his exuberance wins out and many mediators join, laughing and egging each other on. Even many girls, unused to dancing with men cannot help but catch the spirit.

When he leaves, Felix –SFCG “best hugger” awardee—will have a hug line queuing for him; this in spite of cultural reluctance about women touching unrelated men.

Some tensions are harder to dance away. When they began the media training, Felix gave a presentation to show SFCG programs, projects and methodology around the world. He included a clip of a peace song written and performed by a Palestinian and Israeli musician. He thought the message of collaboration would appeal to his Moroccan audience. Yet the reaction to the clip was complete silence. Pin-drop silence that seemed, to Felix, to stretch on for ages. Finally, one young man spoke:

“Why did the Jewish guy sing first?”

Alimamy nearly burst out laughing, but a well-timed pinch from Felix silenced him. The question took Felix by complete surprise, but it seemed that most were in agreement. In their perception, the singing order seemed symbolic of dominance. Some thought it was a bad idea for them to be singing together at all. For Felix it was an example of how differently people can view things and of how important it is to hear those viewpoints. In short: mediation.