Story, Memory, and a Walk in the Medina

By Ziqing (Frank) Jia 

We began our day with Professor Rabinovitch’s lecture where we discussed how societies change their values over time and how the stories people choose to tell evolve across different eras, from the Almoravids to the Almohads and later the Marinid dynasty. The lecture emphasized how shifting regimes shape selective memory, an idea that strongly connected with our readings. Just as Fes experienced changing values under different dynasties, our readings also illustrate how Jewish-Muslim life in Morocco was continuously reshaped and how the idea of memory and selective history appeared. This showed how younger and older generations may view the same event differently based on their life experience and the information they receive. Morocco’s tendency to hide its history of slavery, which was legal until the 1930s, reflects a similar pattern: what gets remembered or erased often depends on who holds power and which narrative they choose to preserve. 

After an informative lecture, we boarded the bus and headed onto the mountains overlooking the Medina, the old city of Fes. From the mountain, we saw a prison built by Portuguese prisoners. Small putlog holes lined the structure, originally used to insert wooden beams for temporary scaffolding during construction. Though these holes remain today, they now serve a completely different purpose as resting spots for birds flying through the area. We also learned that five things are considered holy within the Medina and found within each neighborhood: mosques, Quranic preschools, communal bakeries, hammams, and fountains. Two other important institutions, however, are located outside the Medina: the hospital and the cemetery. 

From left to right: Putlog holes on the walls of the prison; A mosque in the medina (Fes el-Bali) which used to be a synagogue, evidence of Jewish and Muslims living together; Communal water fountain; Communal bakery. Photos by Frank Jia.   

The Medina itself was an extremely exclusive place until 1951. Before then, the population was around 20,000, and outsiders would need permission from someone inside to enter and would be kicked out of the Medina if they stayed past their allotted time, similar to a visa system. After these restrictions were lifted, the population grew dramatically to nearly 300,000 people. 

A door that contains a small/big knock and a bell. When religious women hear the sound from the small knock, they would assume it’s a lady visitor. While if one knocks on the bigger knock or the ring it would be assumed a male visitor is coming. The host would then wear a scarf to greet the visitor. 

This Medina felt especially unique compared to the others we had visited. It is divided into two sections: Fes el-Bali and Fes el-Jdid. Fes el-Bali contains more residential and communal elements, including bakeries, fountains, and mosques, while Fes el-Jdid is more commercially focused, with businesses thriving throughout the district. One of the places that stood out most to me was the Chouara Tannery, which dates back to the 13th century. The white stone vats are used to prepare and soften the hides with mixtures containing salt and limestone. After five or six days, the hides are transferred into the brown dye vats, where they absorb color evenly over time. 

I found it interesting how the tannery functions both as a tourist attraction and as an active business selling leather products. Tanneries continue to play an important role in the local economy, especially since tourism makes up 7% of Morocco’s GDP. Most of the customers we saw at the tannery were foreigners, highlighting how many local residents rely on tourism as a major source of income. 

The Chouara Tannery. Photos by Frank Jia.

We then visited a historic madrasa dating back to the 1200s. Traditionally, it functioned as a boarding school where young students, often around 10 or 11 years old, dedicated themselves to studying and memorizing the Quran. The madrasa included classrooms and prayer rooms, creating a space centered on both education and spiritual life. After the French introduced the French college and high school system, the role of the madrasa gradually changed. Today, students around 15 or 16 years old are selected from other schools to study there for a year before either continuing on to university or returning to their local institutions. Walking through the building, it was easy to imagine centuries of students who once lived, studied, and prayed within its walls. The structure also reflected many traditional Moroccan architectural features we had seen in other institutions previously, including a fountain in the middle of the courtyard and study rooms lining the upper floors. 

From left to right: University of Al Quaraouiyine. First University in the world, founded in the year 859 by Lady Fatima; Madrasa, a fountain in the middle of the courtyard, while the open windows on the upper floors are study rooms. Photos by Frank Jia.

After a long walk through the Medina’s winding streets, we headed to a local restaurant for a well-deserved lunch. We shared several traditional dishes around the table, taking our time to relax after a busy morning of exploring. Over good food and conversation, the meal became one of the most enjoyable parts of the day. Once we finished lunch, we wandered through the streets again and slowly made our way back to the riad, soaking in the atmosphere of Fes one last time before resting for the afternoon. 

---