Cave Dwellers of Morocco

Posing for the Portrait

High Atlas Mountains, Morocco 1999 I had spent the night in a small hotel in the heart of the gorge at Boumalne Dades. That morning a Berber guide and I began the hike into the mountains to visit the Berber cave dwellers. I didn’t realize that my driver could have driven me to the trail head and so by the time we arrived at the beginning of our hike, I was already beginning to tire. As usual I was carrying a heavy camera, about 15 rolls of film, filters, etc. It’s heavy! 

We crossed the stream by balancing on a log and rising before us was the mountain, barren, rock strewn, and steep. As I slowly climbed, young Berber women would be scampering down and up with amazing speed and balance. Did I mention that they carried copper urns filled with water from the stream? My chain smoking guide sauntered ahead of me. I admit it. It was hard for me. I wasn’t young and I wasn’t fit, but I kept on.  Frequently, I’d have to stop and catch my breath. I could feel my guide’s scorn as he remarked on the Berber girls striding past us. 

 Finally we reached the top and walking was easier although the scree covered path was slippery. When we walked down, my leather soled boots would slip and I’d find myself sitting on the path. Do you think I was happy to finally reach the cave where the family lived?

The photo above is of the first family I met. That black hole in the rock is the entrance to their cave home. The women were sitting in the sun carding wool. It gets cold in the mountains and sitting in the sun was a pleasure for them. The young girl was happy to see me and ran back into the cave to get her best scarf and her liquid kohl to apply the tiny touches on her eyes, nose and forehead. She was a beautiful young girl as many Berber girls are.

Now that I have shown you the photo, I sense that she might have been feeling anxious. I had no such idea a the time, but later my guide kept remarking at how pretty she was and that she was ready to marry. Perhaps that is what he was saying to her mother while I was photographing her.  I would have had an unhappy look at that prospect myself.