Maid in Morocco
September 5th, 2009“Here you go, akhti Sarah,” she said, while carefully pouring the lukewarm water from the bronze kettle. I watched as it slowly dribbled over my outstretched hands, and splashed into the small plastic tub she carried in her other hand while waiting for the cue to hand me the hand towel draped over her shoulder.
“Safi, shoukran,” I thanked her and quickly removed my hands, not wanting to take up anymore of her time and wanting to be rid of my uneasy feeling of being catered to by a woman not much older than I. She came back a few minutes later carrying a straw tray of piping hot bread that she’d carried back from the neighborhood oven and set it down on the table next to the steaming herbed chicken and pickled lemon tagine. Behind her trailed her small daughter, Naima, carrying a bottle of Fanta—more like clutching it to her small body, so as not to drop it and be reprimanded by her mother.
Amongst my photographs of crowded souks and souvenirs of hand-woven, colorful baskets lugged back on the plane home, my memories of vacations spent in Morocco are littered with images of maids. In Bouznika, a beachside haven where the elite of the country spend les vacances, we spent several days relaxing with some family friends who had arrived with four maids in tow. Each time I’d visit my grandparents’ house, there’d be a different maid than the last time I’d come—all had either left voluntarily or been dismissed. I’d sit around during the hottest hours of the afternoon—Moroccan summers yield temperatures of around 110 degrees—trying to keep cool and catching trails of the adults’ conversations. The latest gossip would be recounted, tales of whose diabetes was worse and whose blood pressure was higher would be recounted as if the person with the more tragic medical history would be offered a prize later, and of course, woeful stories about “how hard it is to find a good maid nowadays”.
With their conversation drawing to a lulled buzz in the back of my mind, I spent hours contemplating the situation. These women and children are born into an unfortunate (to say the least) position in a country whose rich are separated from the realities of their country’s economy and developing status by elaborate walls and a language they insist on speaking—one that was left over from their history as subjects of imperialism. In addition to expensive villas and numerous trips overseas, the upper class of Morocco like to flaunt their wealth through their accumulation of maids.
These poverty-stricken, uneducated women come from villages on the outskirts of Moroccan cities and have no choice but to provide for their families and children by taking jobs as maids for the country’s most ostentatious citizens. The stigma of poverty they are branded with at birth is further emphasized by this symbolic occupation—maids are to be seen and not heard. They work behind-the-scenes—similar to the house elves in J.K. Rowling’s famous wizarding series.
There are many families in Morocco who attempt to provide a home and not just a workplace for their maids. My grandmother has always made sure her maids’ children received an education alongside her own children and grandchildren—during the time her mother worked in my grandmother’s house, Naima went to the same school as my cousin. Unfortunately, it is safe to say that most people in the country do not provide the same earnest care to their maids.
Eleven-year-old Zainab Shtet is currently experiencing the aftermath of possibly one of the worst ordeals any human can have to endure—bruised, burned, starved all under the hand of her “masters”. The daughter of a desperately impoverished father, Zainab had no other hopes for bettering her future but to offer herself as a maid. The sad irony here, is that her boss was none other than a judge and his family. She had to cater to the needs of the richest and most powerful citizens of Moroccan society including a so-called representative of the law. How can justice ever be brought to this little girl when her perpetrator and arbiter are one—especially in a country where the barriers of law topple down with the hands of money.
As an aficionado of African-American history, Zainab’s story not only shocked me, but it also provided me with a mirror of our own past. We cannot change the current economic structure of Morocco—we cannot widen the gap between the rich and the poor overnight. We can, however, promote the importance of education and make sure each and every child is provided with an education and not forced with the burden of work—especially not one where he or she has to serve an entire family hand and foot.
It will take time and effort, but as a Moroccan-American, I do not feel comfortable with myself knowing I have not made any attempts to better the situation of poor, young maids in Morocco. In an entrenched political system, change has to come slowly and over the course of many years. However, by spreading Zainab’s story and seeking solace in the power of awareness, I know that eventually, as it has in our own country, “A Change is Gonna Come”.
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[...] article, by Sarah Alaoui, was published today on Mideast [...]
uve exagerated a bit 22222222222222222 much in ur story!
its an unfortunate state of affairs in Morocco, young uneducated women don’t have a ton of options, and many of them find that the only way they can support there children, family, is by working as maids, and from a very young age.. though most maids are treated relatively well compared to maids in other Arab countries, a minority is still confronted with a considerable amount of psychological and physical abuse, and in exceptional cases, they face much more sinister forms of treatment..
on the most part, Moroccan people are compassionate (weather they are wealthy or poor), and maids are treated with a degree of affection and kindness that is rarely seen in the Middle East, especially countries like Saudi and the UAE, where Pilipino and Indian maids are subjected to forms of cruelty that pals in comparison to the treatment faced by Moroccan maids.. that’s not a justification or an attempt to dilute the problems faced by young Moroccan women, but it is a small conciliation to know that Moroccan society is enriched with a deep sense of morality and fairness, and that the cases you speak of are more an exception than the rule..
It is true that the poor in Morocco are far too poor, and it’s perceived as a good option to go and work in a ‘rich’ household. It’s a tradition that dates back hundreds of years, to a time when girls would go and work in the great households in Marrakech and Fes for several years. They received no pay, but they were supposed to learn how to run a household elegantly, and would be given a gold or silver bracelet each year, eventually amassing a dowry and allowing them to find a husband.
We have staff in our Anglo-Moroccan home in Fes. They are very much part of the family; the ‘upstairs – downstairs’ attitude of English houses is totally absent. Work and hours can be long, but compared to a life in the countryside, it’s an easy option. Many of these girls come from farming households, where they are expected to carry water to the house every day (it’s common in remote mountain areas to see teenage girls carrying ten or twenty litres of water – which is 10 or 20 kilos – up some near sheer slope).
Men in the countryside are responsible for business and trade, which seems to involve discussing prices in cafes quite a lot. The women are left to tend to the fields, gather fodder for the animals, and maintain, clean and cook for the household. Men do do the heavy work – ploughing the fields with a mule, building and extending the house in adobe or stone.
It’s no surprise that helping to clean and cook in a house with electricity and running water seems an easy option, even more so when you are actually paid for your efforts.
Education is a major cultural issue. We have an 18 year old girl helping us at the moment. Neither she nor her two sisters was sent to school; all of her five brothers were.
Morocco is a compassionate, friendly, family orientated country. I sincerely hope that change happens gently, and avoids the loss of some excellent values – values sadly missing or forgotten in many Western cultures.
[...] 6th, 2009 at 2:21 am. uve exagerated a bit 22222222222222222 … View original here: Mideast Youth – Thinking Ahead » Maid in Morocco Share and [...]
It is so true that Moroccan families, for the most part, are compassionate and Godfearing. However, there are always the few bad ones. I have been a guest to families with maids. Some were nicely and humanly treated, others were not so lucky. I think the author of this piece exaggerated a little bit and depicted a horrible picture od these maids, that are suffering in almost evry home, except of course her grandparent’s where the maid was treated almost as one of the immediate family.
I grew up in Morocco, never had a maid and never felt comfortable having one serve me. It is true that poverty, hence lack of education is what lead families to “sell” their youg children as maids. The parents will get their few Dirhams a month, the host family will enjoy their time together while a child maid is doing everything around the house. In the midst of all this, the poor maid’s interests are being forgotten. She was let down by her own family and the host family, if you want to call it that.
Most of us believe, that it is the lack of education that pushes these maids to these jobs. However, the majority of families who mistreated these young maids, are in fact educated. So what gives? I honestly tend to think that, Education is one part of it, but also the Moroccan mentality of you are my maid, you don’t have the right to anything, I own you, I do how I please with you, need to change. Only a non Godfearing person/family would do such a thing. treat people the same way you want to be treated.
Morocco need a law protecting these child worker. It has to be a strong law with very strong consequnces. No one should be above the law, no one. Whoever commits a horrible crime against maids regardless of their status, should pay for it. A lesson need to be learned here otherwise, the abuse will continue forever.
May Allah help us all.
SA and Maher:
Exaggerated?? I think not. Every story of every child should matter, and this story of maids covers many aspects of Moroccan society and social structure that need to be fixed. This girl was BURNED, BEAT, HARASSED…and she’s only 11. Don’t let her leave your mind as just a statistic–especially since her boss is a judge and will most likely get away with this treatment.
According to the Department of Labor, “Labor inspectors can now take action against abusive employers of child maids under 15, and courts can take action once two witnesses file a complaint, but few employers of child maids have been prosecuted.”
What does this tell you? Do we wait until it’s a real problem before we take action?? I don’t care how many stories of little girls I need to cite (I will find them all and cite them all, if so be it, in order to raise attention to this dire issue) before someone can tell me that “no you’re not exaggerating. this is a real issue among Moroccan society and in other societies that we need to resolve and quit trying to make excuses for”. Read: every.child.matters.
If your girl was being pawned off as a maid to someone, I’m sure you’d make it your life mission to take a stand.
I’m Moroccan. I’m not arguing against the hospitality of our culture nor am I ignoring the fact that YES there are some families who treat their maids okay. However the entire maid/boss relationship is messed up as I’m sure many of you know…just the term “khadamma” has a negative connotation to it. Would you let your son marry the “maid” God forbid?? (sarcasm). This story encompasses SO MUCH of Moroccan society but let’s just start with the nitty gritty of a young 11-year-old girl having to fight for her life.
Please spread Zainab’s story far and wide–that is all I aim to do with my words..raise awareness.
Peace.
The painful reality as mentioned before is the lack of education and the social home where the young girl grew up in. Most of the maids in Morocco if you ask them where they came from, or where thier origin. They will say they came from small farm town where the father is not able to support the rest of the family, and the kids have no choice, but the choice that is already made to them by thier parents, especially the father. The kid is sent to slave at an early age, and the father recieves the money on monthly basis to help support the rest of the family. Who is to blame here? The parents or the system! I personally think that the system is to blame for such issue, the reason is because if the government puts in an honest intention into bettering the lives of the rural villages, and offering opportunities to students both male and female to exploit thier potential of success in the society, that might spark some sense of home in the minds of the parents and the childern, but the current reality that those poeple live in is far beyond that. It is time for those families to get up on thier feet and overcome the fear of walking to the office of the elected official and bring the problem to the table, yes the government is corrupted, but if everyone allows the situation to continue it will only lead to worse. Those of us who are from villages, or know some influential person have a full responsbility of bringing issues of those rural villages to the table and make sure to follow up on them. Spread the word, and be willing to change the world to a better place. Those are childeren that deserve the best of living, they are not slaves of slaves.
Peace.
Very moving and written beautifully. Thank you.
You are been unkind and dishonest about the maids situations in Morocco.true,there is some abuse!,however most of them have found descent homes with descent people as help as we prefer to call them.My mom has had a lady with her for te last 40 years ,we have shared ,births,weddings funerals etc… She truly is a member of the family. .you do have isolated cases where there is abuse .It is happening also in America with the illegal immigrants.
Sarah,
When I said exaggerated, it was not the zainab story that was, rather the way you made it seem that, the majority of ‘khadamate’ are physically, sexually and mentally abused in Morocco. As America and you have stated, there are maids in your families that have been well treated and I know alot of them that are and have been cared for decently. The Zainab story is a tragedy like I said, I would be the first one to stand up for and defend her cause. There is no doubt that children are being abused in our Bled, alot need to be done. Talking about it and trying to fing ways to rectify this problem is one step.
Personally, I have never had a maid and never had any desire to have one serve me-Unlike some- But to go ahead and paint all Moroccan families, that employ a maid, with the same brush, is an exaggeration in my view.
Salam
America: oh I have no doubt that you all have shared weddings and ceremonies–I mean, who else is going to serve the guests?
As Moroccans, if we approach this topic so lightly, how are we going to change the situation? Not only is there physical abuse (as there is in other places, true, America, but if I were to detail all the examples of abuse in the world, I’d need to write a book), but there is ESPECIALLY mental abuse. There is a huge rift between the maids and their bosses–especially live in maids. Live in maids, I have a huge problem with, because in my opinion, no one needs someone to live with them 24/7 and tend to their every need (yes, I realize they only work for a certain number of those hours).
Yes we have a beautiful culture, yes we are a beautiful country, but if we can’t face the reality of just a small aspect of our society (maids), then how are we to ever progress? As Moroccans, you should be intolerant of any abuse that occurs in your country.
Are u Moroccan or American Moroccan ? There is a huge difference!
I’m Moroccan-American but have been to Morocco enough times (and lived there for my first years of life) to know what goes on.
I really don’t think there is any more abuse, or any more opportunity for those in influential positions to get away with abuse, in Morocco than there is in Europe; I can’t speak for the ‘States.
Horrible things happen to people everywhere, and I don’t think Morocco should be demonised, as a result of however many isolated incidents.
The Moroccan social structure, family strength, and network of support for the less fortunate is something the West could learn something from.
In Western economies, you are able to turn the other cheek, pay taxes, and expect the government to help the poor.
In Morocco, when someone asks you to help them, it’s a direct request, and there isn’t some expensive, inefficient and impersonal social scheme to turn to.
If helping involves welcoming a member of their family into your home to become a member of your family, I can see no wrong in it.
There are circumstances where staff are required. Somewhere above someone comments about “never having felt comfortable’ about having a maid. I wonder how they cope in restaurants or hotels; uncomfortable, one presumes. If you have a large house, or a big garden, or lots of children, which other parts of your life are you going to sacrifice in order to do all of this work yourself?
If those of us who can afford it pay people to clean our houses, drive our cars, and look after our children and gardens, we are giving people an opportunity to work and some wealth filters down.
Isn’t it mean to refuse to do this, and just sit on the money?
Mark:
what I don’t understand is the persistent denial of the situation by you as well as some Moroccans…it won’t lower our tourism or any other worries you may have if we bring this issue to light. YES, it occurs in other countries. but we have to start somewhere, and being a Moroccan myself, I’m going to start in my own country. the cold, hard facts are that maids are in fact, treated as second-class citizens in Morocco. you are not Moroccan, so you probably cannot fathom this…but it’s the truth. I’m glad you treat your maids well.
Hi Sarah
I’m not denying the problem existed, or that there are problems with maids or other staff here or anywhere else.
There’s enough going on elsewhere in the world to effect tourism and the economy here, so, no, I’m not worried about that!
I think balance is the key. All employees here have far fewer rights, often appalling health and safety, few have pensions etc. But these problems aren’t exclusive to Morocco. In fact, in comparison with Morocco’s neighbours on the African continent, I think the country does exceptionally well. I think you have overstated the case by inferring it is a Moroccan problem. It isn’t. It’s simply a problem that exists in Morocco, along with many other countries.
I’m not Moroccan, but my wife is, and I’ve lived here for nearly a decade – which might be more time than you spent here, for all I know. I do speak the language (both Darija and French) and I don’t live in an expat bubble. In fact, deep in the middle of the medina in Fes, I think we are probably closer to the essence of Morocco than the bourgeois colony of Bouznika.
But, you mention being a second class citizen?
When I work, I sell my time to who ever is paying me. I do my best to do what I’m asked to do. From time to time I have to carry bags, open doors, and do other things that you might think ’servile’.
In truth, everyone works for someone; there’s a Dylan song about it. So, just because you cook and clean and your employer shouts at you, it doesn’t mean you have the right to invoke ’second class citizenship’. You are who you are.
Incidentally, you aren’t obliged to be waited on hand and foot. You can wash you own hands, you can help the staff. I do still wash the dishes.
So next time your maid offers you the kettle and bowl, take it from her and wash the hands of the other people at the table. She can get back to the kitchen, her daughter and the doubtless many other jobs she needs to do.
If you really want to help these women, providing water and education in the countryside is an excellent place to start.
Hi Mark,
When I get the means to do so, providing water and education for these women will be on my list of priorities. For now, my means is writing and awareness. While I have not continuously lived in the country as long as you have, I’ve had Moroccan culture engrained in me during the 19 years of my life and have been able to visit Morocco with “American” eyes. Those maids who did everything for me as a child who I’d taken for granted back then, I now look at as unnecessary. By “second class citizen”, I mean it is in some Moroccans’ mentality that when they have a certain amount of money to their name, they abuse this power and feel like they can treat anyone “below them” however they want to. If it wasn’t an issue, you wouldn’t see stories of this being broadcasted nightly on 2M, or even a culture where the position of the “maid” is stigmatized on popular shows and movies, and therefore into real life as well. What we need to do, is enforce child labor laws, crack down on people who are hiring these children, and slowly evolve this position of the maid as a respectable job in which it is an OPTION of these women, and not a desperate, last resort.
Best,
Sarah
I shouldn’t worry too much about 2M; I’m sure you are familiar with ‘the butler did it’.
Sadly butlers are now rare, but the few remaining aren’t too traumatised by the catchphrase.
I admire your ambitions, but I think you have to look at the root of the problem. It isn’t rude (or even violent) employers, but the fact that many people just don’t have any option better than household staff.
As prosperity and education advance, it will become too expensive to have staff, just as it has in Europe and the US, except for the really wealthy. Morocco is well on it’s way to achieving this, so try not to be to hard on her.
Cracking down on child labour might not be as good an idea as it sounds. I’m not advocating children working, but if the choice might be between working as an agricultural labourer at home, or helping in a relatively sophisticated and educated household, it might be as close as a child comes to an education. I know of instances where this has really paid off and given the ’servant’ a leg up into a different world.
Language is critical, for instance. If your family speak only Berber, then you might just benefit from being surrounded by people speaking Arabic, French etc (in addition to Berber; I hope the dialects survive as well). The household might have a few books, even.
I know that you are being completely politically correct; but sadly political correctness, like pure democracy, doesn’t work so well here.
So, if you were still stuck in the Atlas, as a nineteen year old, let me ask you what you would prefer? You haven’t been able to go to school, but you’ve picked up the odd word of French from your brothers. Your days consist of carrying water from the spring back up an impossible slope to your house in the village, and collecting fodder for the animals. In the evening you have electricity, from a solar panel and a battery, enough to watch TV for a few hours a night. Your feet still hurt, as your broken plastic shoes are too small.
You can see your mother and elder sisters ageing prematurely from the hard labour. Your grandmother is bent nearly double, so she walks with a stick, but she still carries huge bundles of firewood back to the village day in, day out.
Your father has been asked for your hand in marriage, but the young man in question has lost several of his teeth and you aren’t keen. You’ve seen your mother go through the pain of childbirth and loose a child at home, with only the advice and dubious ministrations of the old women to help her.
One day a family from the town turns up. They have a car – you’ve never been in a car, only the vans and trucks that use the rough pistes. You can go and live with them, half a days travel away, earn some money, in fact almost as much as your father, and send half of it home to help your siblings.
You have a room with satelite TV, hot and cold running water, a toilet that flushes, your own bed. You can buy a few clothes, a mobile telephone, buy a few presents when you visit your family…
What would you do?
Whilst the above story relates to one of our staff, who is your age, the same could easily be true for a fourteen year old. And how do you think these girls will feel if you successfully remove the option?
Aren’t you denying them a chance to escape?
It would probably be nice if the maids had guaranteed labour rights and weren’t depended on the goodwill of their employer. I don’t think that doing the kind of work maids do is dishonorable in any way, just not well protected.
I lived in Egypt for some time. I was on the one hand impressed with the number of “invented” jobs (prime example being the bawab) that would allow the poor to support themselves and their families with at least some degree of dignity, on the other hand I was shocked to see how much potential is wasted. But that has nothing to do with culture, only economic power. It did feel like though at least some rich Egyptians had to really stress how different they were from the poor. One of their means was to treat the poor very arrogantly. But you find this everywhere, I guess, that people tend to think of themselves as worthier than others. Unfortunately.
Mark, you bring up some wonderful points. I completely understand that we cannot completely eradicate the occupation of maids today…nor anytime in the near future…I just think their treatment in some places and households should be improved. Also, while it would be ideal for all children to be in school, I know that’s not the reality of the situation and may not be completely feasible at this point…all I ask for is a change of mind in order to step into the gradual road of change. Yes, I’m trying to be politically correct, but when I see how the U.S. is then go back and witness countries like Morocco and Mexico, for example, and the gap between classes, it just gets me down to think that they can’t have the same kind of society we do (especially since we were like them once, but we’ve improved).