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Moroccan Food

Morocco, the culinary star of North Africa, is the doorway between Europe and Africa. Much imperial and trade influence has been filtered through her and blended into her culture. Unlike the herb-based cooking across the sea to the north, Moroccan cooking is characterized by rich spices. Cumin, coriander, saffron, chiles, dried ginger, cinnamon, and paprika are on the cook's shelf, and in her mortar. Harissa, a paste of garlic, chiles, olive oil, and salt, makes for firey dishes that stand out among the milder foods that are more the Mediterranean norm. Ras el hanout (which means head of the shop) names a dried spice mixture that combines anywhere from 10 to 100 spices. Each vendor has his own secret recipe (hence the name), and no two are exactly alike. Couscous, granular semolina, is central to Morrocan cuisine and is often cooked with spices, vegetables, nuts, and raisins. It makes a meal in itself or is topped with rich stews and roasted meats. Lamb is a principal meat -- Moroccan roasted lamb is cooked until tender enough to be pulled apart and eaten with the fingers. It is often topped with raisin and onion sauces, or even an apricot puree. Meat and fish can be grilled, stewed, or cooked in an earthenware tagine (the name for both the pot and the dish). Savory foods are enhanced with fruits, dried and fresh -- apricots, dates, figs, and raisins, to name a few. Lemons preserved in a salt-lemon juice mixture bring a unique face to many Moroccan chicken and pigeon dishes. Nuts are prominent; pine nuts, almonds, and pistachios show up in all sorts of unexpected places. Moroccan sweets are rich and dense confections of cinnamon, almond, and fruit perfumes that are rolled in filo dough, soaked in honey, and stirred into puddings

The imazighen



Introduction

The Berbers lived in north Africa long before the arrival of the Arabs, and their culture probably dates back more than 4,000 years. Berber states known as Mauritania and Numidia existed in classical times.

Between the 11th and 13th centuries, two great Berber dynasties - the Almoravids and the Almohads - controlled large parts of Spain, as well as north-west Africa.

Today, there are substantial Berber populations in Morocco and Algeria, plus smaller numbers in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. In Morocco, about 40% acknowledge a Berber identity, though many more have Berber ancestry.

Berbers are identified primarily by language but also by traditional customs and culture - such as the distinctive music and dances.

There is a tendency in Morocco to regard the Berbers as backward, partly because their culture is strongest in the less-developed rural areas. Many of the children in these regions drop out of school because they are taught in what, to them, is a foreign language - Arabic. The language barrier often remains a problem throughout adult life, especially when dealing with officialdom.

Berber is not officially recognised in Morocco, though French (the old colonial language) is. There was some pressure in 1996, when the constitution was being revised, to have Berber recognised. There are a few Berber programmes on television - mainly as a token gesture. For more about this see the Berber manifesto.

Linguistically, Berber belongs to the Afro-Asiatic group, and has many dialects. The three main dialects used in Morocco are Tachelhit, Tamazight and Tarifit. Collectively, they are known as "shilha" in Arabic.

Tachelhit (sometimes known as "soussi" or "cleuh") is spoken in south-west Morocco, in an area between Ifni in the south, Agadir in the north and Marrakech and the Draa/Sous valleys in the east.

Tamazight is spoken in the Middle Atlas, between Taza, Khemisset, Azilal and Errachidia.

Tarifit (or Rifia) is spoken in the Rif area of northern Morocco.

Berber is basically a spoken language, though there have been (and still are) attempts to gain acceptance for a written form. A Berber alphabet, probably derived from the ancient Punic script, has existed for around 2,500 years.


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The next morning, I head to a billowing canvas tent the size of a circus big top where the festivities are just beginning. According to one legend, the Brides' Fair originated when a pair of star-crossed lovers, a Berber Romeo and Juliet from warring tribes, were forbidden to marry. When they cried so long that their tears formed two nearby lakes, tribal elders gave in. The fair was created to allow men and women from different tribes to meet one another and, if all goes well, to eventually marry. Inside the tent 20 couples, already engaged to be married, are waiting their turn to sign marriage contracts before a panel of notaries. The prospective grooms, wearing crisp, white djellabas, lounge in one corner while the young women, in brightly colored shawls, sit separately in another. Many engaged couples wait until the Brides' Fair to sign marriage agreements because it's cheaper. (Normally, a contract costs $50 per couple; at the fair it's just $12.)


Wandering around the sprawling harvest market, I peer into tents filled with dates, peppers and pumpkins. Teenage girls with arresting green eyes are dressed in dark indigo capes and head scarves tinkling with mirrored sequins. They inspect stands of jewelry and flirt with teenage boys wearing baseball caps emblazoned with Nike and Philadelphia Phillies logos.


Although traditional Berber weddings can last up to a week, such events are closed to outsiders. Brides' Fair organizers have devised a tourist-friendly alternative. In the nearby village of Agoudal, a 90-minute version is open to all: relatives, friends and tourists. On the way to Agoudal, I pass lush fields of alfalfa and potatoes. Small children hold up green apples for sale, and women bent double by loads of hay tread along on dirt paths.


In the middle of the village square, an announcer narrates each step of the marriage ritual. The comic high point comes when the bride's messenger goes to the groom's home to pick up presents on her behalf. As necklaces, fabrics and scarves are piled on her head, the messenger complains that the gifts are paltry things. “More!” she demands, jumping up and down. The audience laughs. The groom adds more finery. “Bring out the good stuff!” At last, head piled with booty, the bearer takes her leave.


Finally, the bride herself, resplendent in a flowing red robe, rides up on a mule, holding a lamb, representing prosperity. A child, symbolizing fertility, rides behind her. As women ululate and men tap out a high-octane tattoo on handheld drums, the bride is carried to the stage to meet the groom. Wearing a red turban and white djellaba, he takes her hand.


After the nuptials, I drive 180 miles southeast to the Merzouga dunes near Erfoud for a taste of the Sahara. What greets me is more than I bargained for: a fierce sirocco (windstorm) pelts hot sand into my mouth, eyes and hair. I quickly postpone my sunset camel ride and go to my tent hotel, where I sip a glass of mint tea and listen for the wind to die down.

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An hour before dawn I am rousted out of bed for an appointment with my inner Bedouin. Wrinkling its fleshy snout and casting me a baleful eye, my assigned camel snorts in disapproval. He's seen my kind before. Deigning to lower himself, the beast sits down with a thump and I climb aboard. “Huphup,” the camel driver calls out. The animal jerks upright, then lumbers forward, setting a stately pace behind the driver. Soon I am bobbing dreamily in sync with the gentle beast's peculiar stiff-legged walk. The dunes roll away toward Algeria under tufted, gray clouds. Then, for the first time in months, it starts to rain—scattered droplets instantly swallowed up, but rain nonetheless. Ten minutes later, the rain stops as abruptly as it began.


It was Orson Welles who put essaouira, my next destination, 500 miles to the west, on the cultural map. It was at this Atlantic port city, where caravans from Timbuktu once unloaded spices, dates, gold and ivory bound for Europe, that Welles directed and starred in his 1952 film version of Othello. Today the city is a center of Moroccan music and art. The four-day gnaoua (West African trance music) festival in June is one of the few cultural events in the highly stratified country that brings together audiences from all social classes. In the city where Jimi Hendrix once composed psychedelic hits, the festival sparks wildly creative jam sessions among local gnaoua masters, high-energy performers of North African rai music, and experimental jazz pioneers Randy Weston and Archie Shepp.

Moroccan Dance
It is a summer evening. A warm gentle breeze flows through ones body. Night sky with only a few stars shining. Several lights on in the windows. Walking down a hill. There is a quietness along with stillness. Tilting your head up towards the right hill. You hear an Arabic musician playing a drum. It grabs you're soul. A little further is an Arabic nightclub/café. When you enter it is filled with live music. Locals dancing on the floor. The stage has a band playing. A few girls dancing on stage with non stop shimmies.

Morocco is an Islamic State. With Arabic and Middle Eastern roots. Along with the Berber culture. Complimented by a European flavor. North tip of Africa. And borderline of Spain. At times you feel that you are driving through the Swiss Alps. Different colors for each city. Green is the color of Saudi Arabia, which represents peace. Blue is the color of Fez. A Hispanic-Arabic spiritual city. Filled with art, and mystery. Morocco is known for their beautiful hand made carpets. Pottery as well. Each one is different and comes from within one's own creativity and not from a book. People are sweet and very friendly. They will go out of their way for anyone. Inviting one in for tea. When a Moroccan lifts the tea pot up high. They are blessing their guest and friend with prosperity. Cats are a favorite pet there.

Dance and music is very important. Enhancing their everyday lives. Important celebrations as marriage, work, harvest and even war. The sound of prayer through the streets is sung by the muezzin, from the top of the mosque's minaret. It has such spiritual power sung rather than read from a book. In the desert,countryside or city. Each tribe has their own style and specific colors. Dance and music is strongly linked with poetry. As well as the beauty of the Arabic language. Spoken differently in Cairo, Egypt. (Due to the change in dialect). From any city in the Middle East. The language is poetry and art in itself. One can communicate with the Arabic writing, to anyone in the Middle East. That stays the same in any country. Arabic is the official language in Morocco. Moroccans are also fluent in Berber, French, Italian, Spanish, German and Japanese.

North African Berber Festival of the Brides is celebrated in the month of September. Male and females attend the festival in hopes of finding a new partner. Just a few days of this custom. Marriages are arranged to ease a divorce. Most famous ceremony in the Atlas Mountains. A royal bride in Marrakech is dressed in layers of Headdresses and Robes. This special ritual could go one for several hours. As long as three. The bride must sit still. Due to the heavily decorated dress. It is hard to move.

Some dances have a long history. And certain prayers, with the combination of incense are incorporated to enhance movements and emotions, with charismatic and spiritual energy. Celebrating a particular ritual. Well known for a season.

There are so many Moroccan Folklore dances. Here are just a few:

The Tissint: Orginates from the South of Agadir. Female and male dancers perform the dance of the dagger. Which some still believe is an ancient religious dance and symbolic. Still today a big part of marriage ceremonies. Female and male dance to a very rapid rhythm. A young lad and a girl do a duet away from the circle created. The lad holding a dagger spins around the girl. Backs up from her then moves forward. The two are now facing each other. Making small steps. He then raises the dagger and proceeds to put it around the neck of the young girl. Gently the lad then falls to his knees.

The Gnaouas: An African dance. Acrobatic skills are performed. Lots of high jumps. Very intense. Accompanied by large drums, also iron castanets. Glass beads and cowrie shells are worn by the dancers to enhance holistic and magical occurrences. The ornaments also state what origin the dancer is from.



The Fantasia: This is a remarkable display of horsemanship. When the men perform wonderful acrobatic feats. Lining up side by side. Leaping off of the horse. Tumbling upside down on one side of the horse. Then doing the ame on the side. (Non-stop). Still considered a war dance. Proceeding in a perfect synchronized gallop. Firing from their rifles aka Moukhala.

The Guedra: Originates from Southern Morocco. Female dancer (a solo) is on her knees. Draped completely in a black veil. Only her head is revealed. Her eyes stay closed. A pulsating rhythm builds up. Accompanied by a drum. Her fingers move in a snake weaving style. She sways like a pendulum. The veil is finally removed and her body slides down until it suddenly collapses. Hypnotizing anyone watching.

The Taskiouine: From the High Atlas. Very close to Quarzazate. A warrior dance. Due to all male dancers performing this. Wearing white turbans and tunics. On their shoulders are powder-horns. Accompanied by tambourines. Lined up side by side. Shoulder to shoulder. Clapping hands and feet. Their whole body shakes, and then suddenly stops.

The Awash: Also from the Hight Atlas near Qaurazazate. Females gathering around making a circle. (Dressed in multicolored robes standing still). Males sit around a fire in the center. Suddenly a strong cry is led out. Drums are beating very strong. Males start a song. Females join in. Both sway to the rhythm in a very slow manner. Rhythm eventually grows to a faster beat until the end.

The Quais: Considered a Ballet. This dance is very graceful. Observing the couplets alternating the dance movements is a beautiful site to see. Accompanied by ancient Middle Eastern music. Dancers also have small finger symbols on their fingers. Which add to the rhythm.

The Houara: Comes from Agadir, near Inezgane. A group of male and females gather around making a circle. And start dancing, creating a spiritual and vivacious energy in the air. One or two dancers who have really mastered their knowledge and skills of this particular dance leave the circle, to perform a solo. The rhythm starts to get stronger. With a brisk energy a female enters the center. Creating a non stop whirling with a strong force-trance like state. No one in an audience walks away from viewing this dance without feeling a new awakening. The Houara is the most sensational dance in Moroccan folklore.

The Ahidous: Originates from the Atlas Haidous. Both male and females dance and sing in a large circle. Standing side by side. Shoulder to shoulder. They sing and undulate. Accompanied by tambourines. Creating a very joyful feeling. This dance is considered very sacred. Moroccans are expressing their souls and appreciation of a particular ceremony.

Mocorro is so wonderful in diversity. No matter where you visit. There is always music playing. Someone dancing. Sounds of fingers symbols or drums to be heard. Making it unique.

History Unlike other North African nations, Morocco has been largely occupied by the one people for as long as recorded history can recall. The Berbers, or Imazighen (men of the land), settled in the area thousands of years ago and at one time they controlled all of the land between Morocco and Egypt. Divided into clans and tribes, they have always jealously guarded their independence. It's this fierce independence that has helped preserve one of Africa's most fascinating cultures.

The early Berbers were unmoved by the colonising Phoenicians, and even the Romans did little to upset the Berber way of life after the sack of Carthage in 146 BC. All the same, the Romans ushered in a long period of peace during which many cities were founded, and the Berbers of the coastal plains became city dwellers. Christianity turned up in the 3rd century AD, and again the Berbers asserted their traditional dislike of centralised authority by following Donatus (a Christian sect leader who claimed that the Donatists alone constituted the true church).

Islam burst onto the world stage in the 7th century when the Arab armies swept out of Arabia. Quickly conquering Egypt, the Arabs controlled all of North Africa by the start of the 8th century. By the next century much of North Africa had fragmented, with the move towards a united Morocco steadily growing. A fundamentalist Berber movement emerged from the chaos caused by the Arab invasion, overrunning Morocco and Muslim Andalusia (in Spain). The Almoravids founded Marrakesh as their capital, but they were soon replaced by the Almohads.

Under these new rulers, a professional civil service was set up and the cities of Fès, Marrakesh, Tlemcen and Rabat reached the peak of their cultural development. But eventually weakened by Christian defeats in Spain, and paying the price for heavily taxing tribes, the Muslim (or Moorish) rule began to wane. In their place came the Merenids, from the Moroccan hinterland, and the area again blossomed - until the fall of Spain to the Christians in 1492 unleashed a revolt that dissolved the new dynasty within 100 years.

After a number of short-lived dynasties rose and fell, the Alawite family secured a stranglehold in the 1630s that remains firm to this day. Although it was rarely a smooth ride, this pragmatic dynasty managed to keep Morocco independent for more than three centuries.

Enter the European traders in the late 19th century, and a long era of colonial renovations. Suddenly France, Spain and Germany were all keen on hijacking the country for its strategic position and rich trade resources. France won out and occupied virtually the entire country by 1912. Spain clung to a small coastal protectorate and Tangier was declared an international zone.

Relatively speaking, the first French resident-general, Marshal Lyautey, respected the Arab culture. He generously resisted the urge to destroy the existing Moroccan towns and instead built French villes nouvelles (new towns) alongside them. He made Rabat on the Atlantic coast the new capital and developed the port of Casablanca. The sultan remained, but as little more than a figurehead. Lyautey's successors were not so sensitive. Their efforts to speed French settlement prompted the people of the Rif Mountains, led by the Berber scholar Abd el-Krim, to rise up against both colonial forces. It was only through the combined efforts of 25,000 Spanish-French troops that Abd el-Krim was eventually forced to surrender in 1926. By the 1930s, more than 200,000 French had made Morocco home. WWII saw Allied forces use Morocco as a base from which to drive the Germans out of North Africa.

With the war over, Sultan Mohammed V inspired an independence party which finally secured Moroccan freedom in 1956. Tangier was reclaimed in the process, but Spain refused to hand over the northern towns of Ceuta and Melilla (to this day they remain Spain's last tenuous claim on Africa).

Mohammed V promoted himself to king in 1957 and was succeeded four years later by his son, Hassan II. This popular leader cemented his place in Moroccan hearts and minds by staging the Green March into the Western Sahara, an area formerly held by Spain. With a force of 350,000 volunteers, Hassan's followers overcame the indigenous Sahrawis to claim the mineral-rich region as their own. But by the 1960s it had become clear that the 100,000 or so inhabitants of the `territory' wanted independence. Western Sahara's Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia al-Hamra and Rio de Oro (Polisario) didn't take kindly to the invasion and embarked on a long and gruesome war of independence against Morocco. In 1991, the United Nations brokered a ceasefire and more recently decided to `remain seized of the matter'. In other words, Western Sahara's official status remains in question thanks to Morocco's continued muscle flexing.

While the Moroccan masses applauded the southern invasion, it left nearby Algeria about as happy as the Western Saharans themselves. Hassan's relations with this particular war-torn neighbour have been poor ever since. Today, despite recent changes to the constitution, Hassan remains as an absolute, and somewhat antique, autocrat.

Morocco is a great destination with wonderful trails, wild mountains, fascinating people and a dozen summits over 4000 metres high - they're not called the High Atlas for nothing! Lower elevation treks are available too. English speaking guide(s) cook your meals, and mules carry all the essentials so you can enjoy travelling light and spend your day exploring ancient villages, pastoral valleys and hidden passes that lead to panoramic ridges. Far above dramatic stark crags and rocky trails contrast with terraced village gardens and ruined kasbahs. You can wander at will and perhaps bag a few peaks

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Moroccan cuisine
Food in Morocco

Morocco, the name itself evokes exotic images. Moroccan cuisine has strong routes in tradition and is rated as THE best in the world. The Moroccans are very proud of their food. The sharing of meals is an integral part of the culinary experience and the foundation of the Moroccan way of life There is a strong sense of family and tribe.

Morocco is an agricultural paradise. The heart of Moroccan cuisine lies in the spices expelling tantalizing fragrance, color and warmth. Set recipes are very rare, each dish will have the signature of the creator, who is always a woman.

MINT TEA

The country's national drink, tea is drunk every hour of the day. Although it is said to be the favoured drink of the Prophet, the truth behind the history of tea is the English who offloaded it in Tangier during the Crimean War. Mint is grown all over Morocco but flourishes in the mountains. The only mint that can be used is 'mentha viridis'. The best quality, dark with firm stalks, comes from Meknes or the Zerhoun. Freshly brewed na'na' MINT TEA has become a fine art and a national symbol.

COUSCOUS

As the national dish, couscous has a strong religious and emotional significance. Made from durum-wheat semolina native to the region mixed with smaller quantities of either drum-wheat flour or a soft-wheat flour, it is usually served topped with a stew. Moroccans believe couscous brings God's blessing upon those who consume it. Couscous needs to be prepared with patience, rhythm, time and the finesse of the woman preparing it.

BREAD

Bread or &#x20khubz', the most basic and essential food is sacred in Morocco. The Prophet ordered that that bread be treated with the utmost respect, so any bread found thrown away in the street must be moved out of the way of foot traffic with a short prayer. Loaves are baked early morning in terracotta gas'a in a communal oven.

PRESERVES

One of the cornerstones of Moroccan cuisine. Jewish Moroccans developed the art of preserving using salt. Olives from around Fes and Meknes are some of the best in the Mediterranean. Lemons are preserved in the spring when they are their ripest and sweetest. Some regions add cinnamon sticks, cloves and coriander for an alternative taste.

BAGH'IR

For a delicious Morocco breakfast, try this yeasty semolina pancake with a distinctive honeycomb appearance. Serve with 'khli'' preserved meat.

B'STILA

This pastry is widely regarded as the crowning dish of Moroccan cuisine. This pastry is served to newlyweds the morning after their wedding night to symbolise their family's wish that life together should be as sweet as this creation.

The Moroccans eat three meals a day, the main meal being around mid-day.

Eating with your hands is a time-honoured tradition. Rule number one: eat with your right hand only, using the thumb and first two fingers. Using more is a sign of gluttony. The left hand may only be used for picking up bread or passing dishes on to other people. Never help yourself to bread, wait until it is given to you. If more than one person apportions the bread at the table, the house will be beset by quarrelling. Use the bread to mop up sauces and clean you plate. Do not lick your fingers until the end of the meal. In the meantime wipe them on the bread or a napkin, if you have to.

Washing is very important - clean your hands before every meal usually with rose or orange scented water.

When at home with a Moroccan family the women may not eat with the family, allowances are made when female visitors are there for lunch. The cook presents the lunch and leaves. The host will announce 'Bismillah' (the name of Allah), everyone echoes his salutation. Then eating commences.

If you are full, continue nibbling. If you stop the rest of the table will follow suit.

If offered a gift when invited into a Moroccan home do not refuse – it's very uncouth to turn down a charitable moment. Be careful not to admire something in the house as they may give it to you to take away. This is the Arab fear of the 'evil eye' – the envied object is given away to deter jealousy.

In the same way do not refuse food when offered. The host will always offer food when you enter his home. Three glasses of mint tea and a meal is acceptable. The best portions will be served to you. If you don't like it – just taste a little of it. At the end of a meal a significant portion of food must remain.

Honour the host. Conversation must be entertaining and praising of the food

Shopping Cart HomeMoroccan Caravan is owned by Addi Ouadderrou, Amazigh (Berber) a native of Morocco and based in the United States. The Moroccan Caravan always carries authentic high-quality arts and crafts. Since we care about our friends and customers, we treat them as if they were part of our family and share with them the warmth of Moroccan hospitality. We want you to get things just like the ones we use in our homes.

Please keep in mind that helping Moroccan Caravan means directly helping Moroccan artists, keeping alive ancient art forms for everyone's enjoyment.

Visit us often to learn about new merchandise as the caravan frequently crosses the Atlantic from Africa to America. Shopping at MoroccanCaravan.com is fun and always secure

The social changes which swept Morocco during the 20th century, saw the birth of a growing mobility of the Amazigh-speaking population . The Middle Atlas witnessed the sudden growth of small towns, such as Khenifra, Azrou and Ain Leuh, as they became a way station for many dispossessed nomads. From the new arrivals sprang a new musical artistic form, removed from the local traditions. It borrows from Izli the basic rythms and themes, while standing out by placing itself on the cusp of the Shiukh's violin performance, such as Hammou Lyazid, and the traditional Izlan rendition. It combines the use of the Lutar, Izlan of various length and a band which, besides singers, is made up of tambourine players and of Shikhats for the dancing and chorus.

Born in 1950 in Khenifra (about 120 miles south of Fez), Mohammed El Houari aka. Rouicha is, along with Mohammed Meghni, the front man of this new tradition. Having left school early to study the art of singing, he went through an imitation phase. In the late sixties he started to write his own music and to perform on the Moroccan stages.

Rouicha is famous for his perfect mastery of the Lutar, the leading regional instrument, and for his individual style of the Izli genre. During his career, he has been a strong influence on numerous artists of this tradition, such as the singer Cherifa. Rouicha sings of love, nature, life's tragedies, death, social justice and politics.

Afulay
Paris, June 2003
Translated from French by
Liza Ben Belkacem

Glossary
Ahidus: word which to the Imazighen (in this instance, Berbers of the Middle or Eastern High Atlas) includes a great number of group dances, while singing to the beat of drums.
Izli (plural: Izlan): lyric poems sang at the beginning of the Ahidus, often performed as a challenge. As a rule the Izli is made up of two verses.
Lutar; three or four strings Lute.
Shikhat: Singers/dancers performing with the shiukh on the violin, the alto Ikamanja or the lutar.
Shiukh: (singular: Shikh); professional musicians.

To learn more...
M. Rovsing Olsen, Chants et danses de l'Atlas, Cité de la musique / Actes sud, 1997.
Site Izlan imazighen

Born Robert Nesta Marley on February 6, 1945 in Nine Miles, (St. Ann) Jamaica, from a middle age white father and a teenage Black mother, Robert Nesta Marley transcended the humility of his rural beginnings to become not only a million-selling artist and stadium-filling entertainer but a nearly religious figure whose pleas for brotherhood and justice achieved universal anthemic status.

At the young age of 16 he started singing professionally, releasing his first single "Judge Not" on the Beverley's Label, under the names Robert Marley and Bobby Martell. However "Judge Not" and its follow-up "One Cup Of Coffee" were not successful. Due to his musical hunger he asked Joe Higgs to tutor him, Joe Higgs was a recording artist who coached local youngsters like Marley, Bunny Livingstone, and Peter Tosh (who would become The Wailers) for free. Signed in 1963 to Coxsone Dodd's Studio One Label, The Wailers saw their first release, "Simmer Down," become an instant number 1. During the next two-and-a-half years, the group recorded over a hundred songs, and at one point in 1965 they held five of the top ten slots on the Jamaican charts.

Noticing that they were not getting enough of the money made from there records, they formed their own label, Wail 'n Soul 'm, in 1966. The Wailers continued a series of local hits, with little financial remuneration. Following the album "Best of the Wailers" with producer Leslie Kong (which may have lead to his own death), they joined forces with the seminal oddball producer, Lee Perry, and produced an amazing series of singles that are collected under a variety of names and remain their finest hour.

In 1972, Island Records president Chris Blackwell signed The Wailers to a record contract, allowing them to release records under there new label, Tuff Gong, but after there first two albums with Island, the group broke up, leaving Marley at the head of the band (now named Bob Marley and the Wailers), to which he added a female backing trio, The I-Threes (Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt, and Marcia Griffiths).

During his raise to fame Marley made his beliefs in Rastafari, well known to the observing public. Most ignorant observers viewed Marley as a long haired, Herb smoking trouble-maker, but the younger, more understanding youth say him as a leader. Almost assassinated in 1976 in his Kingston home at 56 Hope Road, Marley was given the UN Peace Medal on behalf of 500 million Africans in 1978 for his humanitarian achievements. He headlined a Peace Concert that same year in Jamaica, bringing together Prime Minister Michael Manley and Edward Seaga, the leader of the opposition. But his greatest honor came when he was invited to headline the Zimbabwe Independence Celebrations in 1980. He outdrew the Pope in Milan, fathered eleven children by seven different women, sold tens of millions of records worldwide, left a $30 million estate, and died at the young age of 36 from melanoma.