Wild Desertscapes

The arid beauty of Morocco

For the last few days, we watched the world change outside our windows, from the comfort of our air-conditioned vehicle. Looking out at a cracked, arid earth, shaped by unrelenting winds and a scarcity of water. The desert is raw and beautiful. We take so much for granted.

Some moments that will truly stay with me didn’t come from the tiles and ornately carved mosques and fine dining. They’ve come from the glimpses into a way of life amoung the desert nomads who choose freedom.

Our own guide; proudly Amazigh (Berber) was able to share glimpses into this life and ways of his people. He even brought us to his childhood home now abandoned, made of mud and straw. Then we continued deep into the desert. We drove for hours until finally some shapes made their way into focus on the bright horizon.

Homes created from found objects; bits of textile like denim jackets, tattered table cloths and plastic tarps sewn together to form walls and supported by sturdy sticks in the ground. The coolest and coziest forts we would have made as kids are the most beautiful and serene homes here for the Amazigh.

A simple fire, kettle outside.

Inside a few cushions or rolled matts, a carpet on the ground .

Smiling faces and warm greetings, eyes shining. The invitation to join them inside their home without hesitation to enjoy the ritual of tea. We removed our shoes as there we sat, connected to earth while wind whipped around us and goats bleated in the distance. A cat appears through an opening of cloth from the exterior wall, wrapped its tail around our ankles as it walked by and head butts a woman’s hand stained with Henna. Her husband pours us tea. Back and forth, back and forth in small glasses until a froth forms. Sugar is cracked from a stone and stirred in.

This journey has moved us more than I can easily explain. The hospitality of the Amazigh people challenged our perspective on what it means to live well. It made us reflect on how much we complicate our lives, how disconnected we can become, and how true richness is found in community, humility, presence, and human connection.