Arraqs maa asuufiyeen

Below is a Q&A session about Morocco you won't find in a travel guide:

Q: Is that an employee of the trash pickup company sweeping the street with a palm frond?
A: Yes, yes it is (and I so regret not taking a picture).

Q: That cat on the sidewalk is just sleeping, right?
A: No, Jimmy. That cat is in cat heaven.

Q: Will the power go out in the language center during class?
A: Yes. And that includes the A/C.

Q: If I take a chicken into the hotel restaurant will they cook it for me?
A: Yes, and everyone will think you are awesome.

This evening was supposed to be movie night at the language center, but we all received a pleasant surprise when a Sufi (صوفيّ) band arrived and started banging drums, clanging bells, singing and chanting. A large group of us ran to see where the sounds were coming from and we found ourselves in a room full of people clapping to the music.
Sufism is a sect of Islam and is characterized by a spiritual, mystical approach to religious thought. They are known for repeating the names of Allah over and over as part of prayer. There is no good comparison in Christianity, but their celebrations and music sometimes appear similar to Evangelism in the United States, where people dance and sing in order to achieve a feeling of ecstasy.
This was very evident during the performance, where the singer chanted and repeated the names of God and sang Quranic phrases, varying the intonation with each repetition. The music built and crescendoed until people got up to dance in a big circle, and by the end of the song everyone had joined. I felt some of that sense of ecstasy from the music. In Arabic, this concept of musical enthusiasm and ecstasy is known as tarab (طَرَب). For more information about Sufism and tarab, check out the following links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufism, http://www.wbur.org/npr/.

Today we learned about tipping (attadweera) in Morocco. Pro tips for travelers below!
1. Moroccans do not usually tip taxi drivers.
2. Tipping is expected in cafes but not restaurants.
3. Tipping is appropriate when people do small favors for you (like carrying your bags).
4. There is no set price for tipping. 1-2 dirhams is usually appropriate but the amount is always at the discretion of the tipper.

Tips for advice found on this blog gratefully accepted.