Double Teamed

Meknes, Morocco – 21 May

We were double teamed today.

A blue robed man encouraged us to come to his workshop. I was naturally reluctant as this was a well known tactic to have us eventually buy goods, but looking over his shoulder I saw the blacksmith forges, salt sellers, timber carvers and metal workers. My camera innocently led us down the busy street of smoke, grinding, welding, hammering and sawing.

He was sharpening axe heads, chisels and scissors.

He sold white rock used in whitewashing walls.

In the workshop, blue robe’s artist brother sat at a small bench hammering silver wire into carved metal. Other silver objects were in display cases. Silver! I knew I’d have to keep a close eye on the person who was travelling with me. Her arm still had space above the elbow for more metal.

I heard banging above me and looked up. Yellow light shone through a hole in the ceiling and the blue robed man adjusted the ladder and invited me to climb to see the artists at work. I nervously looked over my shoulder, but she was showing no interest in what was around her, so I quickly scaled the ladder. At the top of the hole a workman sat at a small bench.

He was tapping silver wire into small grooves he’d made in the metal.

A minute later I was down again but the transaction was already in its final stages. Three more bands were wrapped around her arm and the cash was gone.