Reflections on Fieldwork in Morocco

In Chapter 3 Rabinow introduces Ali, possibly the most influential informant he maintains while in Morocco. He is first introduced in the Sefrou medina, where he and his friend Soussi own side-by-side shops. Ali is a traditional healer and, along with his friend Soussi, the coordinator of a large sex work operation. In many ways, Ali is the perfect anthropological informant. He is well connected, smart, adventurous, and willing to talk about anything. He is also supremely controversial, especially in his tiny home village. This point will complicate Rabinow’s research later in the book, but at first Ali’s openness is a welcome break from the guardedness Rabinow feels from other Moroccans. Their first meetings act as an introduction to the Sefrou medina.

In contrast to the mid-20th-century Ville Nouvelle, the medina in Sefrou has existed since the ninth century AD and remains largely unchanged. It is a labyrinthine district enclosed within tall outer walls, which are shut at night. Within these walls a maze of narrow streets is packed with people, shops, mosques, cafes, and hidden residential courtyards. Motorized vehicles are not allowed within the medina walls, so pack animals are used to transport goods around the district.