Life comes back to Casablanca at night after virtually being brought to halt during Iftar in the Holy month of Ramadan (breaking the fast) as people flock to the mosques and coffee shops.
In trendy Moulay Youssef boulevard of the Moroccan economic capital, Casablanca Café is buzzing with customers to the sounds of classical Arabic music, which makes you feel like being in an Egyptian café in the heart of a popular Cairo district amid the absence of waterpipes (arguila).
Named after the famous classical movie “Casablanca”, the coffee shop brings you back to the 60s and 70s atmosphere as the interior is decorated with posters and frames of the leading classical Arabic singers, including Oum Kalthoum and Mohammed Abdul Wahab, meticulously mixed with those of the American movie.
“I wanted to pay tribute to ‘Casablanca’ movie, and therefore pay tribute to the Moroccan city,” says the 46-year-old owner Nourelhak Erroussafi, adding that many tourists ask him whether the movie was filmed at his café.
Nourelhak’s reasons behind playing classical Arabic music “are to return to the sources and target a niche clientele that appreciates the priceless quality of our Arab classical singers.”
However, Nourelhak notes that the music played in the café changes according to the day and time of day.
“On Friday, for instance, I play spiritual music such as Mary Kayrouz, malhoun, Andalusian music besides Arabic classics. On Saturday night, it’s Jazz, Blues and French classics such as Jacques Brel and Edith Piaff.”
A café with a cultural message
Nourelhak, who holds a degree in IT from France, is passionate about arts and culture and an amateur painter. This is why he turned the café into a “Casablanca Foundation of Culture and Arts” in 2007 after fighting for five years with the authorities to change its status.
“It was not easy to convert the café’s status due to the lack of a legislation at that time to legalise it.”
Inside the café stands a small library of English and Arabic books and encyclopedia that are donated by customers and acquaintances. It is not surprising as the café is opposite the American Language Center.
“Customers are welcome to hire books free of charge,” says Nourelhak whose English is little bit weak.
He organizes a cultural and artistic event on the last Sunday of every month in a bid is to promote the Moroccan culture and artists.
There are plenty of Moroccan writers who are desperately looking to launch their books during the event due to the fact that it is covered by the media.
“Surprisingly, some cultural or artistic events are broadcast on Moroccan TV channels a month after being held in my café, not to mention the launch of ‘The One Man Show’ by Taib Saddiqi and ‘Nahla Shama’ album by Nass El Ghiwane,” he says.
Casablanca café also featured in few international movies including “Live From Baghdad” by Mick Jackson.
Nourelhak’s goal is to create a library of purely Moroccan poetry books. However, he still has not reached the necessary number of books he collected to be able to expose them at his café.
Dr. Saad Guerraoui, Senior Editor at Middle East Online
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