Why Are Moroccos Last Oral Storytellers Preserving Hikayat?

The art of storytelling has always been part of Moroccan culture, used to entertain, educate and inspire the younger through stories about families, lovers, beasts. One group of people are trying hard to preserve this ancient art.

Storytelling is a compelling way of educating people of all ages and entertaining them at the same time; it is a tradition that is being forgotten, but one that is worth preserving, because of the pleasure a story can give and the message it can impart.

More than 60 years ago, storytellers were making a viable income from telling their hikayats, long narrative works in verse, with a story with a moral. Now, only a few remain in Marrakech to transmit their stories to youngsters; among them are Ahmed Ezzarghani and Mehdi El Ghaly.

Ahmed Ezzarghani is one of the few storytellers still performing in Morocco, keeping the tradition alive in the midst of young people’s online consumption of stories. He explains that although he understands that kids have other interests nowadays, this allows some disconnection from new technologies, creating a greater sense of morality in stories.

A younger storyteller who is also trying to keep the tradition alive is Mehdi El Ghaly, who was part of a movement bringing Moroccan storytelling and oral cultures to the masses in a new way, in order to connect with more people. El Ghaly explains that his fascination with hikayats started when he was around three years old, when he asked his mother a question and his mother then answered him in a hikayat, leaving him with both an answer and a moral story to tell in the future.

El Ghaly chose to be part of the fascinating world of storytelling because he wants to connect with people and give them a moment where they can truly relax and discover their culture. He explains, “Storytelling is about the experience, and the feeling after the experience.”

We were curious about why he considers that it’s still useful for young people to maintain the tradition. He goes on to explain that storytelling builds a tremendous confidence in oneself, and is “very useful for the new generations as it connects them to their heritage”. This practice helps people see life from a new perspective, which leads to a better performance in the world of work and community; as El Ghaly affirms, “Storytelling makes you belong, which is hard nowadays.”

What makes a good oral storyteller?

El Ghaly describes a good storyteller as someone with “passion and compassion”. He explains that everyone is a storyteller in a way or another, as “we all have stories to share, and what makes you the best storyteller is being a human that cares for his craft and the people you will share it with”.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.