There is a popular Moroccan proverb that says: “What is new is new, and what is old shouldn’t be forgotten”. This saying was considered the essence, or in other words the philosophy on which Adil Faouzi built his small non-profit project on social media, which he called: Murakuc.
Adel Faouzi, born in 2002, is 19 years old. He is currently studying for a Bachelor of Education, majoring in English, at the Higher School of Education and Training in Beni Mellal. He is also studying for an Associate Degree in Business Administration at the University of the People. Adil grew up in a small village called Talat N’yaacoub in the High Atlas Mountains, where he has been raised to love and be attached to the rich Moroccan and Amazigh culture in particular. Adil says: When I was young, I was asking a lot of questions and I had a great curiosity to know the heritage of Morocco, and I always found my father by my side, explaining to me in an interesting narration way that is still stuck in my mind. After that, I started to go to cultural festivals, traditional local weddings, and Ahouach dances, which were always performed on all occasions.
On February 14, 2021, which falls on Valentine’s Day, Adil decided to create his project, which he had planned for not long. And about his choice of this day, he says: I chose this exact day to express my love for my country and its history and culture. The account publishes in both English and Arabic daily old photos dating back to the period between the 1900s and the 2000s, which, in Adil’s opinion, are full of important events and personalities that seriously changed the course of Morocco.
According to Adil: The Moroccan heritage, whether related to cuisine, dress or customs, and traditions, has been subjected to a campaign of distortion and theft in the recent period by external forces, and this was among the motives that made me give birth to this project with the hope of introducing the whole world to what it means to be a free Moroccan and proud of his identity.
Adil’s new project was supported and encouraged by several Moroccan and foreign actors and singers, such as Gad El Maleh, Hassan El Fad, Nisrin Erradi, and others, in addition to the official Israeli government and diplomatic accounts.
Despite the obstacles that Adil encountered on his way, such as the absence of material and moral support, he decided to continue his “noble goal”, and about his plans, Adil says that he seeks partnerships with museums and heritage preservation organizations to take his project to a higher level, and make it an archive that belongs to everyone nostalgic for his Moroccan origin.
It should be noted that the word “Murakuc” is a variation of the name for the city of Meṛṛakec, “Marrakech”. “Murakuc” (Murakush) is likely the ancient original Amazigh formula for the name of the city of Meṛṛakec (Marrakech), as it was pronounced by its people during the era of the Berber Almoravid Empire 1000 years ago.
