November 2003 Archives

MoorishGirl

"I've just heard that Moroccan author Mohammed Choukri passed away this weekend at his home in Tangier. A contemporary and friend of Jean Genet, Tennessee Williams, Paul Bowles (with whom he later had a falling out), and others, Choukri is probably best known for his semi-autobiographical novel Al-Khubz Al-Hafi, which dealt with famine in the 1940s and his experiences with drugs, homosexuality, and prostitution.

I guess I need to add Choukri to my list of people to read. It's not the first time I've heard his name, but I'm sorry to learn about him because of his death.

Over the weekend, I caught the end of the National Museum of African Arts' exhibit The Fabric of Moroccan Life -- a show about Moroccan textiles. The show illustrated the central role of textiles in Arabic and Berber decor, and showcased a variety of clothing, curtains, pillows, and wall hangings. Like most shows at the Museum of African Art, the selection was chosen so that it could be seen in the space of an hour and a half. I came away not only with a new appreciation for Moroccan textiles, but also with two CD's of Moroccan music and a beautiful set of tea glasses.