Hajar Benallal is a modern-day hero. This young Moroccan woman takes care of some of the many street cats of Rabat. Each week, she feeds hundreds of cats.

Stray cats in the Moroccan capital usually hide behind trees or under cars, occasionally taking a peek as they look for something to eat. Being careful is part of daily life for a cat, especially on the streets of an urban city like Rabat. But when they see Hajar, their fear is gone.

Every day, Hajar travels around the city, carrying a big backpack filled with bags of cat food, spare bottles and a large container of water. The 30-year-old has dedicated her life to the wellbeing of street cats. For six years, Hajar has been doing her feeding tours around Rabat. Her love for cats began at an early age as she fed and looked after animals in her neighborhood before she slowly extended her mission.

Hajar has never stopped despite the many challenges she has faced. In the beginning, she received almost no support and had to pay for the expensive cat food out of her own pocket. The reaction from people on the street was often negative or even hostile, since many of them failed to appreciate her efforts. Instead, they saw stray cats as a plague, undeserving of any attention.

Till today, Hajar has only received limited support from her fellow citizens. Most of the help she gets is from abroad. Through her Facebook page, she receives donations from people in France, Belgium and Germany, most of whom she has never met. Not only does she use the money to feed around 400 cats a week, but she also gets some of them sterilized — in which she contributes to a long-term solution.

Despite the obstacles and difficulties she faces, Hajar has never stopped. Her compassion and determination are stronger than the fatigue and frustration. Her work makes her happy and sad at the same time. She is happy and grateful because she is making a change and has beautiful encounters with cats. But she always feels that she is not doing enough. In spite of Hajar’s strength and willpower, there are simply too many mouths to feed for just one catwoman in Rabat.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect 51³Ô¹Ï’s editorial policy.

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At the end of June, the winds of the old port city of Essaouira move to the rhythm of Gnaoua music when the takes place. At this time, the small Moroccan city on the Atlantic Ocean becomes a magnet for music lovers who are drawn to Essaouira from around the world.

For three days the maalems, the masters of Gnaoua music and tradition, enter a musical dialogue that breaks the borders of language and culture. During the Gnaoua festival, Essaouira is taken over by music, joy and happiness, and the people only speak one language: that of Gnaoua music.

What makes Gnaoua music an internationally-understood language is mainly its compatible and captivating rhythm. It can be paired and combined with different musical genres like jazz and the Blues and, therefore, many global artists are eager to indulge in fusing their music with the Gnaoua spirit.

Gnaoua music is an important part of Moroccan culture. The music is spiritual and its sounds are mystical, which can help the musicians fall into a state of trance.

However, their music is not only about joy and happiness, but it also tells a story of suffering and endurance. The ethnic group of the Gnaoua such as Mali and Senegal, and they were trafficked as slaves to Morocco in the . During their journey to North Africa, they suffered under inhumane circumstances, and music helped lift their spirits so they could cope.

The Gnaoua people pass on their culture and stories from generation to generation, and their music is one of their means in sharing and preserving it. The festival, therefore, has an important function in keeping the traditions and narratives of the Gnaoua alive.

There is much to be discovered at the festival. The spirituality is not only a part of the music; it is also the basic way of life of the Gnaoua. Apart from the big performances, the real stories and authentic emotions can be discovered off the main stages — especially in the faces of those playing their in small streets or those selling instruments in the main square, or in the faces of all those that seize the opportunity of the festival to live a little.

Even though the Gnaoua festival only lasts for three days, the spirit remains in every corner of Essaouira.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect 51³Ô¹Ï’s editorial policy.

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