Ait Ben Haddou Film Set: Who Actually Lives There Now

Every tour bus that stops at this Ait Ben Haddou film set tells the same story. Gladiator filmed here. So did Game of Thrones, Lawrence of Arabia, and The Mummy. The guide points at a tower, someone takes a photo, and the group moves on within the hour. What almost nobody mentions is different. A […]
Gnawa Music in Khamlia Morocco Desert Village Sound

About fifteen kilometers from Merzouga, down a road that most tourists never take, there is a small village called Khamlia. Admittedly, it does not look like much from the outside. A handful of low buildings, a few palm trees, the ever-present sand. But Khamlia is home to one of the most distinctive musical communities in […]
The Women Behind Morocco’s Argan Oil Cooperatives

The landscape shifts dramatically when you drive between Marrakech and Essaouira. Trees become thornier and more twisted. Goats often stand completely unbothered in the high branches. These animals happily eat fruit from the ancient argan trees. Their discarded pits actually start the process of making a highly sought-after oil. Argan oil represents a global industry […]