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A Report on the State of the Moroccan Archives

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 May 2014

Thomas K. Park
Thomas K. Park*
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin–Madison
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Extract

A gradual transformation is taking place in Morocco in the ease with which it is possible to have access to archives. In a year and a half in Morocco my research in the archives both of Rabat and of the town of Essaouira was expedited by the administrators and ministries responsible in a way that approached what is current in England, for example. Those who have done archival research in Morocco will recognize the significance of such a change.

This report begins with a discussion of living accommodations in Morocco that may be of interest to those wishing to do research in the archives. Following this section I have tried to set out, first, the types of archives to be found, as well as their accessibility, and, second, the sorts of archival material likely to be found in each archive. Finally, I have appended a few suggestions about getting permission to do research in these archives. I can speak with accuracy for Rabat and Essaouira and, though it may be unwise to say they are representative of large and small towns, at least the two examples may be of some general significance.

Those who can afford to stay at the Rabat Hilton may skip this section because it is targeted to those who cannot or would prefer not to spend that much money. A fairly inexpensive hotel, yet one that a North American would feel comfortable in, is fairly easy to find in most of the major cities or towns of Morocco. These would run about $20 to $30 a night for two people. In Rabat two possibilities are: BELERE (33, Av. Moulay Youssef) and LES OUDAYAS (4, Rue Tobrouk). Both are within an easy walk of the Royal Archives and the Archives of the Bibliothèque Générale.

Type
Research Article
Information
History in Africa , Volume 10 , 1983 , pp. 395 - 409
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 1983

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References

Notes

1. Research in Morocco (1980–81) was funded by the Social Science Research Council and the American Council of Learned Societies and the Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Program. Any viewpoints expressed here are my own and not necessarily those of the funding organizations.

2. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff of the Royal Archives for their exemplary kindness in furthering my research: in particular, Mohamed Al-Arbi El-Khattabi, the Director and Conservator, Ahmed Krefa, and Abderrahmane Lahrech, Assistants. I would also like to thank Daniel Schroeter of Manchester University who, while researching a thesis on an earlier period of Essaouira's history, made copies for me of everything he came across in the Royal Archives which he felt might be of value to me.

3. I am indebted to M. Belarbi, Secrétaire Générale of the Ministry of Culture, Abderrahmane al-Fasi, Director of the Bibliothèque Générale, and Mohammed El-Aouene, then Informatist in the Archive Building of the Bibliothèque Générale, for allowing me to consult some of the material from the unclassified floors of the archives attached to the Bibliothèque Générale.