Morocco
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Morocco
(dreams)Dreams are valued highly by the Moroccans of northwest Africa. They are most often regarded as indicators of the future, in that they can foretell it or indicate an action that should be taken. Moroccans have a rich, living tradition of dream interpretation, although they have not elaborated a particularly consistent dream theory, nor have they developed complex dream-related rituals. Moroccan dream interpretation and dream classification reflect the various influences of daily experience, folk Islam, classical Islam—popular and orthodox beliefs, attitudes, and doctrines. These diverse and sometimes competing elements affect the Moroccan view of dreams—everything from beliefs in the evil eye, to the Islamic ideal of the good man, to djinn (the spirits—good and bad—who oversee daily social interactions).
Moroccans, like many other people, believe that dreams result from the wandering of the soul during sleep, whereas daydreams occur when the soul leaves the body but stays close to it. The wandering soul witnesses real events that happen elsewhere in space and time. These dream events are thought to be related to the dreamer’s future, most often in a symbolic way. Moroccans classify dreams as being either truthful, divinely inspired dreams, or deceitful dreams coming from the Devil and other sources. Truthful dreams are associated with safety, and deceitful dreams are associated with harm shaped by the evil intentions of spirits and ill-intended people.
In order to achieve a good interpretation of dreams, it is very common to share them, as well as to rely on external dream specialists. In Morocco, not all dreams are trusted, any more than all people are trusted. The only dreams that can be trusted are God-sent, although it is difficult to distinguish them from the Satan-sent. However, Moroccans are not particularly concerned with internal (in the dream itself) criteria by which false dreams can be distinguished from true ones. Rather, they are generally more concerned with the condition of the dreamer himself as a determinant of the truth or falsehood of a dream.
Truthful, God-sent dreams are considered to have a spiritual origin, whereas deceitful dreams are regarded as expressions of psychological realities and everyday experiences. Another type of dream, not to be confused with bad dreams, is visitation dreams, which involve the appearance of saints and other spiritual beings. They usually serve to resolve conflicts that may not be clearly articulated by the dreamer by providing a point of primary orientation for the resolution process.
Morocco
Official name: Kingdom of Morocco
Capital city: Rabat
Internet country code: .ma
Flag description: Red with a green pentacle (five-pointed linear star) known as Sulayman’s (Solomon’s) seal in the center of the flag; red and green are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red is more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian gulf; design dates to 1912
National anthem: “Royaume du Maroc: Garde Royale”
National motto: God, The Country, The King
Geographical description: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara
Total area: 172,413 sq. mi. (446,550 sq. km.)
Climate: Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior
Nationality: noun: Moroccan(s); adjective: Moroccan
Population: 33,757,175 (July 2007 CIA est.)
Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%
Languages spoken: Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy
Religions: Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%
Legal Holidays:
| Anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People | Aug 20 |
| Feast of the Throne | Jul 30 |
| Green March Day | Nov 6 |
| Independence Day | Nov 18 |
| Labor Day | May 1 |
| New Year's Day | Jan 1 |
| Oued Eddahab Allegiance | Aug 14 |
| Presentation of Independence Proclamation | Jan 11 |
| Youth's Day | Aug 21 |