School boys, Blue men and Henna Hands

Saturday, October 09, 2010
Tinerhir, Morocco
Today was our "Day in the Life Experience". It started at 8:30 this morning when we visited the weekly livestock market. In one area the cattle were being sold. The buyer and the seller would try to negotiate a price with the assistance of a middleman. They were surrounded by a group of onlookers supporting both the buyer and the seller. After much bargaining, if a deal was reached, the parties would shake hand, money would be exchanged and the new owner would depart with his cow or bull. Next we watched the donkey sales. They were much the same as the cattle deals, except there was a man who would give the donkey a test ridem, so the prospective buyer could watch. Only men participate in the cattle and donkey sales, but when we crossed to the sheep and goat area, there were both men and women. The purchasers were responsible for getting there purchases home and it was odd to see thenm being driven away on a motorcycle, or the roof of a yellow cab, on in the back of a van. One man had trouble getting his sheep into his station wagon, and finally had to crawl in with it, and get someone else to close the rear door while he crawled over the seats.
    After the animal market, we visited a sheltered workshop that trains people with physical or mental disabilities to make various handicrafts . There was everything from needlework, to jewelry, to pottery to ironwork. The workers seemed very happy and the things offered for sale were well made. Next we took a long hike through the oasis and helped some women cut alfalfa. We watched farmers working their fields and had a great view of the city of Teneghir. During the walk we visited the old medina and the ruins of a Madrassa and mosque that were 400 years old. From the roof we could take great pictures of the new town and the oasis.
Our next stop was dormitory for boys 12-18 who live in the desert or mountains. It provides meals and a place to live while they are attending middle and upper schools. It is largely supported by Grand Circle Foundation and is a very nice place for the boys to stay without charge. We had an excellent lunch there with several of the students, and enjoyed trying to talk with them in a mixture of english, french and occasional sign language. 
    After lunch we met with a Blue man family (Berber Tuaregs) who operate a carpet coop. While I didn't learn much about the blue men--so named for their blue robes and turbans, and the dye that sometimes rubs off on their bodies--I did learn a lot about berber carpets. Our final stop of the afternoon was a woman who painted henna decorations on our hands. It was amazing how fast she could draw very complicated designs with a syringe. Now my right hand and forearm are coated in a dark paste, set with a mixture of garlic, sugar,and lemon. juice, which I'm not to wash off for 24 hours. I'm not sure whether I can make it.
It was a wonderful day and I'm looking forward to dinner and an early evening.
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