Jo Ann Michetti’s letter (Jan. ’14, pg. 49), reflecting her visit to Morocco in 1992 and referencing Steven Emmet’s experience in 2011 (Nov. ’13, pg. 54), said that Moroccans don’t want their pictures taken. From our experiences in 1997, I’d like to qualify that statement.
My husband and I spent most of our time wandering around southern Morocco, with brief visits to Marrakesh and Casablanca. We found that folks in costumes didn’t want their photos taken unless you greased their palms. The others in big cities didn’t pay any attention to visitors with cameras or, considering our photo of a cheerful lineup of people in a Marrakesh souk, didn’t mind posing when you had a buyer/seller relationship with them.
The big difference, however — nowhere out in the countryside of southern Morocco did we find anything but smiles for our cameras. Children flocked around us. Women dipping water from wells smiled. Old men missing many teeth were happy to give broad grins.
Is it a worldwide phenomenon that, for the most part, big-city folks mind their own business and village or countryside folks are friendly?
NANCY ENGLAND
Oak Ridge, TN
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