Ramadan Under Lockdown: Marrakech Adapts to Covid-19 Restrictions

No more ritual prayers, no more night vigils, no more evenings in historic mosques such as the Koutoubia or that of Moulay Yazid, closure of mosques... The month of Ramadan 2020 is being experienced differently in confinement, unlike other years.

The coffee and/or nicotine addicts, used to sipping their coffee slowly with friends in the upscale neighborhoods of Gueliz or Victor Hugo, can no longer indulge in this pleasure.

In the popular neighborhoods of Ryad Laarouss, Sidi Youssef ben Ali and the neighborhoods around Jamaâ El Fna square, the cafes and tea rooms were teeming with people after the Taraouih prayers, with a massive influx to the terraces of the cafes of France or El Koutoubia, just after the night prayer.

The confinement also has a negative impact on the activity of gastronomy enthusiasts, in particular of Tanjia, a local specialty eaten in groups, in most cases, in green spaces, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Almost all traditional practices are changing this Ramadan due to confinement.