Sugar Culture in Morocco, Particularly Within a Berber Community in Rastabouda: an Overview of Environmental and Health Issues in Morocco, ... to the Introduction of Sugar Cane Crops

This book merges the arts and sciences. It provides an overview of the history of sugar and its effect on Berber traditions & culture in Morocco. The introduction of sugar to Morocco had a major influence on society including traditional Berber communities where it is reported to have supernatural protective powers over new born babies. Sugar is also a valuable commodity in regard to marriage negotiations. The cultural importance of sugar in rural Berber communities within the Rif region of North Africa are viewed from an anthropological perspective with reference being made to the works of Sidney Mintz, Michel Foucault and Pierre Bourdieu in relation to slavery, habitus, the normalization of mass beliefs and power structures within society. It also suggests ways in which remediation may be undertaken in regard to the pollutants and toxins left in the environment by the sugar cane industry. This book is a wonderful read for anyone interested in the history of sugar, anthropology, cultural studies, environmental science or those planning arm chair travel or actual travel to the Maghrib.