Berber Water Seller
Fez, Morocco 1995
Photographed near the medina. Dressed in the traditional Rif Berber waterman costume, he no longer sells water. He makes more money posing for pictures. I know I was happy to pay him for this portrait.
He wears the distinctive hat worn only in the Rif, the northeastern mountainous area of Morocco. His long red jacket and red knee length pants are worn by water sellers in all parts of Morocco. He carries a water bag made of goat skin. (It looks like he is holding a baby goat under his arm because the hair has not been removed from the hide, which I think is called a guerba.) He carries a brass cup and a large leather purse decorated with coins is slung over his shoulder.
Water sellers in Rissani, a small trading center in the desert, are Gnaoua men: said to be descended from slaves taken from Senegal. They wear a skull cap decorated with cowrie shells. They do earn money by selling water in the market place. Their red outfit is shabby from being worn day in and day out. The hair on the goat skin bag drips from water seeping through. As the hot desert sun evaporates this water, it cools the water in the bag. The Gnaoua water sellers become quite angry if you try to take their picture. I don’t advise it unless you are sure you won’t be seen.
Street in Old Fez
The costume of the Gnaoua with cowrie shell decorations similar to the Dogon costume. This man is not a water seller. Perhaps he is a musician.
I recommend www.adventureswithali.com for your photographic adventure to Morocco…or any other type of adventure.