The Last Storytellers
Tales from the Heart of Morocco
Published on 18. April 2019
Book
Paperback/Softback
272 pages
978-1-83860-000-6 (ISBN)
Description
After witnessing first-hand the death throes of this rich and captivating tradition, Richard Hamilton has tracked down the last few remaining storytellers of Morocco, recording stories that are replete with the mysteries and beauty of the Maghreb.
Marrakech is the heart and lifeblood of Morocco's ancient storytelling tradition. For nearly a thousand years, storytellers have gathered in the Jemaa el Fna, the legendary square of the city, to recount ancient folktales and fables to rapt audiences.
But this unique chain of oral tradition that has passed seamlessly from generation to generation is teetering on the brink of extinction. The competing distractions of television, movies and the internet have drawn the crowds away from the storytellers and few have the desire to learn the stories and continue their legacy.
Moroccan tales have a huge educational, religious and moral impact on their audience, offering timeless values and guidance to all who listen. With their passing we risk losing something of Morocco's national psyche and also part of the world's tangible heritage.
Those who have listened to the storytellers at Marrakech first-hand have witnessed something that is no longer part of this world, a treasure as precious as the planet's most endangered species and of immeasurable importance to humanity.
Marrakech is the heart and lifeblood of Morocco's ancient storytelling tradition. For nearly a thousand years, storytellers have gathered in the Jemaa el Fna, the legendary square of the city, to recount ancient folktales and fables to rapt audiences.
But this unique chain of oral tradition that has passed seamlessly from generation to generation is teetering on the brink of extinction. The competing distractions of television, movies and the internet have drawn the crowds away from the storytellers and few have the desire to learn the stories and continue their legacy.
Moroccan tales have a huge educational, religious and moral impact on their audience, offering timeless values and guidance to all who listen. With their passing we risk losing something of Morocco's national psyche and also part of the world's tangible heritage.
Those who have listened to the storytellers at Marrakech first-hand have witnessed something that is no longer part of this world, a treasure as precious as the planet's most endangered species and of immeasurable importance to humanity.
Reviews / Votes
Inspiring . . . brilliantly illustrates an ancient oral tradition in my country. I cannot but commend your untiring, meticulous work. Building on stories gathered directly from some of our most renowned storytellers, you have introduced readers to a time-honoured Moroccan tradition. -- Mohammed VI, King of Morocco Charming, fantastical and lively collection. Like a genie emerging from a flask, The Last Storytellers produces a startling amount of pleasure from some very small packages.... Both men [author and interpreter] deserve much praise for the successful outcome of this endeavour. * Times Literary Supplement * Hamilton presents readers with a precious gift: a collection of content not quite like anything we have ever heard or seen before. Readers who might never reach Marrakech can find their own oasis by making a cup of mint tea and giving thanks for these enchanting stories rescued from oblivion. * New York Journal of Books * Think of this as a collection of Grimm's fairy tales with plenty of added North African charm. * Lonely Planet * Hamilton does not only offer his readers a valuable, enchanting, interesting and entertaining read but also launches a cri de coeur to rescue this vanishing and traditional form of storytelling as it slowly falls into the abyss of forgetfulness. * North South Magazine * This is addictive material. * The National * A truly remarkable piece of literature. * Essential Travel Blog *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 141 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
280 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-83860-000-6 (9781838600006)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
05/2011
1st Edition
I.B. Tauris
€16.99
Available for download
Persons
Richard Hamilton has worked for the BBC World Service as a broadcast journalist since 1998, including being a correspondent in Morocco, South Africa and Madagascar. He also reports for BBC TV, radio and online. Whilst living in Morocco, he co-authored the Time Out Guide to Marrakech and has written throughout his career for magazines and newspapers such as Conde Nast Traveller and The Times. He has an MA in African Studies from SOAS.
Content
Foreword: Circles in the Jemaa el Fna xiii
Author's Note
Acknowledgements
Introduction
The Red Lantern
The King and His Prime Minister
The Gazelle with the Golden Horns
The Imam and the Wager
The Girl Who Fell in Love with the Hermit
The Birth of the Sahara
The Trials of Noureddine
The Sultan and His Vizier's Wife
The Queen and the King, the Son of Amelkani
Nour and the Sultan
The Laundryman and the Fountain
The Man Who Went Against His Father's Wishes
The Vizier and the Chicken
The Fakir and the Frog
The Two Hunchbacks
El-Ghaliya Bent Mansour
The Land and the Treasure
The Statue and the Robber
The Tailor, the Princess and the Eagle
The Sultan and the Thief
The Eyes of Ben'Adi
The Shoemaker and the Bird
The Vizier and the Barber
Seven Coins and a Donkey
The Sultan's Daughter and the Leper
The Nobleman and His Three Sons
The Vengeance of Allah
The Woman and the Black Cat
Aicha Rmada
The Traveller and the Pasha's Daughter
The Girl from Fes
One Hundred and One Beheadings
The Three Figs
Suleiman, the Stork and the City of Gold
The Woman and the Devil
The Bird from the Land of Gabour
The Pomegranate and the Talking Drum
The Date Gatherers
The Rich Woman and the Sacks of Corn
Postscript
Author's Note
Acknowledgements
Introduction
The Red Lantern
The King and His Prime Minister
The Gazelle with the Golden Horns
The Imam and the Wager
The Girl Who Fell in Love with the Hermit
The Birth of the Sahara
The Trials of Noureddine
The Sultan and His Vizier's Wife
The Queen and the King, the Son of Amelkani
Nour and the Sultan
The Laundryman and the Fountain
The Man Who Went Against His Father's Wishes
The Vizier and the Chicken
The Fakir and the Frog
The Two Hunchbacks
El-Ghaliya Bent Mansour
The Land and the Treasure
The Statue and the Robber
The Tailor, the Princess and the Eagle
The Sultan and the Thief
The Eyes of Ben'Adi
The Shoemaker and the Bird
The Vizier and the Barber
Seven Coins and a Donkey
The Sultan's Daughter and the Leper
The Nobleman and His Three Sons
The Vengeance of Allah
The Woman and the Black Cat
Aicha Rmada
The Traveller and the Pasha's Daughter
The Girl from Fes
One Hundred and One Beheadings
The Three Figs
Suleiman, the Stork and the City of Gold
The Woman and the Devil
The Bird from the Land of Gabour
The Pomegranate and the Talking Drum
The Date Gatherers
The Rich Woman and the Sacks of Corn
Postscript