A MOROCCAN "HOW-DAYEDO?"

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13925, 5 December 1908, Page 4 (Supplement)

A MOROCCAN "HOW-DAYE-DO?"

The position of Morocco and things Moroccan in the political world just at present may make the following extracts from a diary kept by a correspondent in 1895 during a stay in Mogador, the southernmost port on the coast, suOieiently interesting to. bear perusal. The natives (Moors) have a peculiar way of saying their "Good morning, how-d'ye-do?" to.each other. Two friends or acquaintances meeting ;in the street will not stand talking about the weather, the crops, the state of trade, or the rates, as 'we do at home. ; They, do things otherwise here. They will fill up their time instead asking after each other's health and the condition of the different parts of their; anatomy. Here is an actual conversation that takes place at every meeting ,of any two friends or acquaintances, say, Mr. Abd'lKhader and M Boo'l-Hamara: ': Peace be with you this morning." "And with you bo peace." ", "How do you do?" (Literally, "Ash n'Ta," i.e., " What are you?") " Without any ill, thank God." "And are you well?" » "Thank God!" "And is your health good "It is good, thank G0d.",,". "And you have no ill in your body!" .:■ "1 have none, thank God.'' "And your bones, how are they?" > "They are indeed strong, thank God," " And your little Ixnies?" "There is no ill to them, praise be to God." ~ - And the marrow, in your bones, is it well"" :■' ■ : ': :L _ . * "It is well, by, Divine mercy." "And your limbs, are they well?" "They are sound, praise be to the Prophet." , ■ "And the whole of your body, is it well?". ~- . v" ■ , " It is well, thank God." "And your forehead, how'..is it this .morning!" ■■-.■•■:.'■-.:;'.''-'• ' ■ ; -; By your life, truly it is well." : "And how is your nose?" " It is free from any harm, I am grateful to you." ■ " And your ears, are they well?" "They are well, may the Prophet be blessed."--; And so ;on and so ' forth until; almost every part of . the human system has been inquired after. -'.;•'• .j- i | ,-,'-. .-.'-* ..' THE PITFALL. ' & As soon as any momentary pause gives him the opportunity of doing so, Mr. B. is in duty bound to take' up the'; interrogatory, and he fires tho same string of questions back to his erstwhile interlocutor, ' who will deal back more or less; the same replies, with perhaps »; few of his own special blessings on the Prophet, etc., added. The , most interesting part of the business is that shoul i there be anything the matter with either of them, the shf ferer must make the most abject apologies for mentioning his ill, expressing at the same time most sincere and pious wishes to the "powers that be" that his interrogator may never a victim to such evil, but rather that he may be protected for ever by the powers of Good and given long life to enjoy perfect health, j; When both have had their say, and cannot yet find an excuse to get away from each other, the same performance will ; be commenced all over again, for it is very impolite to hurry away. » ' "AN UNPLEASANT SUBJECT. ' In , the second round an inquiry might be made after the wife, if the. "inquire©" happens to be married. In that case the inquirer must first say " Hasßack," equivalent to asking pardon: for the use of an improper word. V. It really amounts to 6aying, " Forgive me" for broaching such an unpleasant subject, but ,how is your wife?" The same string of questions is then gone through as before, until they have to stop for breath. Of course, a married man understands that . any inquiries made as to the state of health of "his wife" refer to any one dLhis numerous wives who may happen to be in favour at the time. (she may be one of four, six, or any ~ number ad infinitum, according to * the wealth of the individual. It is very rude, indeed, for a man to refer to a member of the opposite sex. be stive wife, mother, or sister, without making the most profound apologies for * daring to use the word. , ■.',. AGONIES OF. ; PASTING. " • The parting of two friends after this most interesting series of inquiries after each other's health is much the same as that of two Piccadilly "Johnnies," or two ladies who have met to discuss views when they are out shopping for each will hurry away in an opposite direction, as if each had most important work awaiting him or a very pressing engagement to keep. And. I suppose they are just as likely as not to be well glad that they are > rid of each other. I can Imagine our friend Boo'l-Hamara saying to himself as he gets away: "May the Prophet annihilate that rascally fool!" though in his heart he means no more ill to his friend than our Piccadilly Johnnie would mean by saying: " Drat the beastly old bore!" or our lady out shopping by :" Spiteful old cat! She does look a sight in that bonnet!" as they part from their respective friends. I must not forget to say that all the time they are speaking they are holding hands, varying the hold by changing it at every question, by bringing the fingers round to the soft part of the palm, then back again to the ordinary hold, and so forth. When women meet in the street, their greeting is the same as far as the questions go, but they do not shake" hands or kiss as they, do at home, as they require their hands all the time to keep their cloak or shawls in position, so as not to show more than one eye, the rest of the face being covered over from the gaze of men. , .; r ;; :

Before parting, the men press their hands to their breasts, then to their foreheads, and then kiss their own hands.