Fieldwork In Morocco Summary

In his book, Reflections on Fieldwork in Morocco, Paul Rabinow mentions numerous cultural observations. One of the cultural observations that Rainbow describes that stands out to me the most is the ceremony of the “night”, which is a ritual performed to cure a sick boy.
During the ceremony of the “night”, Rabinow witnesses the dramatic dancing and performances by the dancers. The dancers become possessed after dancing for hours nonstop and then begin to “eat” fire. The “fire-eating” routine repeats several times while the dancing and the chanting continues. The word “possessed” catches my attention while I’m reading this chapter, for I do not think the dancers are actually possessed by spirits, for spirits are not scientifically provable. The only conclusion I have about the “possession” is that the dancers are overwhelmed by the intense dancing and

The psychotherapy performs in Sefrous is not just limited to Moroccan culture, but also exist in other cultures. When I was little, I had a serious fever. Having a headache and sore throat for about two weeks and going to hospital to get shots almost every day really stressed me out. However, my mother always comforted me by giving me hugs and kisses on the forehead before I go to sleep. These actions made me feel apparently better the next morning. Although these actions don 't have any curing power, they encouraged me mentally, giving me power to keep fighting the virus. The hugging and kissing are not strictly cultural rituals, but these behaviors are similar to the healing ritual performed by the Moroccan dancer for both are psychotherapies.
The “night” performances are extraordinarily intriguing. The deep psychological involvement of the dancers with their movement and the precisions the dancers expresses deeply touches me. The cultural observations of Paul Rabinow draws connection with my life experience and I enjoy reading this