project work: customs that came from other culture

s
the culture is considered important to every society in all over the world
because it is the base on which the society is built. But the interference of
some traditions of other cultures influence the original culture. So, in what
spheres our culture are most affected by other culture's traditions?





When we are
talking about the learned and shared customs of a society we are referring to
our culture. This latter consists of habits, attitudes and most importantly,
the customs which are brought from other societies to our culture and become a
part of it. In almost every culture and nation on earth, virtually nothing is
as universally celebrated as birthdays which are celebrated in Morocco to mark
the completion of another year in one's life. During this celebration, candles
are lit on a cake; they extinguish these candles by blowing them out and all
present clap their hands and singing “Happy Birthday” song. Most of these
birthday parties are celebrated as they are celebrated in the western culture
with nice decors, music, dance, exotic delicacies, fun loving games, gifts and
so on.





Our
Islamic religion supports the celebration of birthdays if it is an expression
of gratitude to Allah for His bounties, sustenance and blessings in man’s life,
as long as that celebration does not include anything that may displease Allah,
the Almighty.





In
this context, the celebration of such occasions, e.g. the Prophet’s birthday,
is no more than a matter of habit, and by no means a religious requirement.
However, if it entails any forbidden practices, such a celebration becomes
forbidden for that reason alone. Moreover, a celebration of this sort becomes
recommended if it includes recommended acts of worship.





The
western culture affects also the wedding as it affects birthday's celebration
.The traditional Moroccan wedding has quite an elaborate and meaningful
process. The wedding process can take up to seven days and there are many pre-wedding
ceremonies that take place before the actual wedding.


Morocco
is a place with a very rich cultural heritage and active traditions and many of
these can be seen at Moroccan wedding ceremonies. Usually the entire affair is
quite expensive. It starts with the paying of a dowry that is spent on
household items and furniture for the bride. If the grooms parents are very
wealthy, they will pay for these items themselves. The bride also receives
golden jewelry and is sent presents of cloth, clothing and perfume from her
groom every feast day. The courtship period can last from six months to two
years.


Once
a date has been set for the wedding, the real preparations begin. Five days
before the matrimonial event, necessities such as a mattress and blanket are taken
to the bridal chamber. There the bride is given a bath in hammam which is a
sort of milk bath that is meant to purify the bride. Her negaffa (female
attendants) will usually supervise the event. The negaffa - who are usually
older married woman, female friends and relatives - then set about trying to
beautify her. After dressing her in an elaborately decorated wedding kaftan
(usually white) they proceed to decorate her with heavy jewelry and darken her
eyes with kohl which looks a bit like thick dark eyeliner.


The group
then proceeds to have a beberiska ceremony in which the hands and feet of the
bride and her party are painted with henna. The bride's designs are always the
most intricate and the various floral and geometric designs are meant to ward off
evil spirits, bring good luck and increase fertility. The grooms name is often
hidden in the henna designs. The negaffa will usually take this opportunity to
discuss the 'secrets' of marriage with the young virgin. In some ceremonies the
bride will then be placed behind a curtain to symbolize her change of
lifestyle. In more remote areas, this ceremony would only take place the day
before the wedding. Often, a bride is not expected to do any house work until
her henna has faded.


Once
all this preparation is complete, food is prepared in excess to cater for
unexpected guests and the festivities begin. In times past, the men and woman
would celebrate these festivities at separate locations. At some point in the
evening, the groom would leave to make his way towards the bridal party
accompanied by a group of friends who sing, beat drums and dance. The bride
would be lifted up on a circular cushion or table and the groom on the
shoulders of his friends. The two would then be carried to the bridal chamber
where they would be expected to consummate their marriage. The bridal party
would then examine their sheets for signs of blood to confirm the bride's
virginity. The two would journey to their new home and the bride would circle
her home three times before becoming the keeper of her new hearth.


Today
things have changed somewhat. Although the hamman bath is still used quite
often in more rural areas, it is sometimes completely overlooked in the cities
and towns. And though young brides are still quite happy to don their
ceremonial kaftans, these are now more often shop bought because modern
machinery has caused hand-made kaftans to be considered an expensive rarity.
Many women who consider themselves to be more 'modern' have also rejected the
intricate henna designs that usually adorn the bride.


The
food is now more often provided by caterers instead of family members. Most
young people have begun to choose their own marriage partners and ask for their
parent's blessing on the arrangement. In the past, a marriage partner was
always chosen for them. The celebrations still take place at different
locations for the men and woman. Often, someone is employed to paint the hands
of guests with henna. Music at these occasions can be traditional Berber,
Andalusian or Arabian, or they can be popular modern tunes played on
traditional instruments. The young groom is accompanied by singing, dancing
friends although usually, there are a few car hooters to add to the din.
Nowadays, instead of immediately consummating their marriage at this point, the
two parties more often join together and the bride changes into an outfit
reflecting her region. After more celebrations, the bride then changes again
and the newly wed couple leaves the party for some private time. They usually
go to a hotel instead of the traditional marriage chamber and no one expects
them to display their sheets as proof of the bride's virginity.


Last
not least. It is important to note that some of the customs followed in
Moroccan weddings have no foundation in Islam. However, the Moroccan culture
has adopted those ceremonies and traditions from various cultures including the
French.





Another
important custom which is strongly influenced by other cultures is Fast food. it
is a concept that originated in 19th century, as a response to the growing food
demands. The concept of fast food is
well defined by the term itself. Food, that can be cooked 'fast' is fast food.
Fast food cooking basically involves the usage of cooking techniques that
enable the chef or cook to finish the cooking process in the shortest possible
time. The advancements in food process industry, lower costs, and delicious
food, makes fast food a favorite choice of a large number of people in Morocco.





The
major ingredients that are used in fast food, basically have a large quantity
of what is known as trans fats in them. In addition to that, all the foods have
a huge proportion of meat and less fibers. For example: bread, which is made up
of large amounts of pure flour. All these food items have a high concentration
of fats, LDL cholesterol and unhealthy proteins. Thus, the nutrients that are
derived from fast food cause health problems.





Low
nutritional value is not the only cause of fast food problems. The frequency
with which the food is consumed is also a prominent cause. Excessive
consumption of fast food leads to health problems, as the body does not get the
required nutrients. The human body, especially the digestive system and
respiratory system, require carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals
and fibers in order to keep all the bodily function running smoothly.
Unfortunately, the nutrients that are derived from fast food are not balanced
and have large concentration of fats and proteins.





In
these days, people have more health problems that are related with the new
eating habits and fast food consumption. Despite some advantages of fast food
the harm caused by fast food does not outweigh its benefit. I think that people
should consider the negative fact of fast food consumption and the benefits of
preparing their own food at home. It is unfair that the traditional food which
arrive to us from generation to generation we are going to replace it with junk
food that will harm us more than benefit us. It is unfortunate to lose the
cooking tradition and eating homemade food prepared by our mothers together
around the table. I am sure that all of us must think over this problem and try
to find the appropriate solution to save our cultures, our traditional foods,
and more importantly our health.
Moroccan
Islamic Clothes are one of the most important customs that are affected by
western culture. Clothing usually depicts the tradition and culture of Morocco.
The code of dressing is determined by respective cultural obligations,
religious beliefs and traditions. In fact, traditional and customary clothes
are vital in all cultures and beliefs. Such cultures are also passed on from
generation to generations.
The
influence of West is undeniable. There are many bold proofs to explain such
influences. Moroccan men who traditionally wore a djellaba and sometimes topped
with the famous Moroccan red cap, called a fez or tarbouche, and yellow leather
slippers, known as baboush or belgha, have now diverged in their fashion
sensibility. They are more comfortable in western looking approach.
Men in Morocco
are normally very stylish, hence can afford to spend considerable time in
grooming and dressing themselves up with utmost perfection. In fact, they
prefer going out wearing clean and ironed garments to add to their smart looks.
Using branded cotton and silk dresses and wearing closed shoes with ankle-high
socks are integral parts of so-called male 'dressing up ceremony' in Morocco.
However, traditional Moroccan outfits like djellabas and kaftans are used only
during festivals and ceremonies.
Women
are equally conscious about their dress codes, and take great care about it.
Low-class, needy women try and avoid dirty and crumpled rags as it signify
financially deprived conditions on their parts. Loose fitting outfits and
traditional silk dresses are common among the Moroccan womenfolk, though
recently, modern western wears have influenced female Moroccan clothing
considerably. Attires like short, tight shorts and close-fitting jeans are
indicative of a total revolution in the clothing concept in Morocco.
As
a conclusion, Moroccan culture is beautifully complex, with influences that are
as old as recorded human history, and as new as the latest technology. The
product of these forces is a culture as rich as any on the planet, a mixture of
Islam and Berber-influenced conservatives and postmodern Western
"liberalism".