Fragments of Moroccan Life

  • Dates
    2017 - Ongoing
  • Author
  • Locations Morocco, Safi

In 2016, I traveled to Morocco for the first time. I stayed there for six weeks and had no idea until the very end that this would be the first of a total of twelve trips. What was just a new place in the beginning, a new land and new people, was slowly becoming a foreign home. The experience of everyday life in Morocco, both "inside" and "outside", is like the interweaving of a second reality into the foundation of my imprint. I grew up in Germany and I am the daughter of a mother born in Germany and a father born in Turkey. I've never had much contact with my dad, so this part of my identity often felt like a T-shirt whose print has been cracked and unrecognizable due to too much laundry. My stays in Morocco have become the epitome of this confrontation with the unknown in me. In the weeks and sometimes months, which I mostly spent in Marrakech and Safi, I document emotions that resonate with my sense of the unknown and the familiar. I am an observer and at the same time a participant. If we want to get familiar with something we have to deal with it and invest time.

© Sina Opalka - #anonymous #casablanca
i

#anonymous #casablanca

© Sina Opalka - women talking, man looking
i

women talking, man looking

© Sina Opalka - Image from the Fragments of Moroccan Life photography project
i

This moment kept me standing for quite a while. The girl jumping, having her eyes closed, seemingly free and careless. It brings me to question what freedom really means

© Sina Opalka - A boy listening to the weekly happening "hmadscha", a ritual where men sing and play instruments
i

A boy listening to the weekly happening "hmadscha", a ritual where men sing and play instruments

© Sina Opalka - A child and adults starring at something
i

A child and adults starring at something

© Sina Opalka - lonely trash bin and moon in Safi
i

lonely trash bin and moon in Safi

© Sina Opalka - kitchen break
i

kitchen break

© Sina Opalka - Prayer Schedule
i

Prayer Schedule

© Sina Opalka - Home shopping, buisness calls and baby sitting.
i

Home shopping, buisness calls and baby sitting.

© Sina Opalka - getting prepared for celebration
i

getting prepared for celebration

© Sina Opalka - the world on the 1st floor is following strict rules
i

the world on the 1st floor is following strict rules

© Sina Opalka - the world on the 2nd floor not so much
i

the world on the 2nd floor not so much

© Sina Opalka - Amina believes in black magic and shares her thoughts with everyone interested
i

Amina believes in black magic and shares her thoughts with everyone interested

© Sina Opalka - A taxi ride rarely costs mir than 10drh, which is about one Dollar
i

A taxi ride rarely costs mir than 10drh, which is about one Dollar

© Sina Opalka - moroccan items
i

moroccan items

© Sina Opalka - Jemaa el Fna
i

Jemaa el Fna

© Sina Opalka - Rajan, three years old
i

Rajan, three years old

© Sina Opalka - #anonymous #marrakesch
i

#anonymous #marrakesch

Latest Projects

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Stay in the loop


We will send you weekly news on contemporary photography. You can change your mind at any time. We will treat your data with respect. For more information please visit our privacy policy. By ticking here, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with them. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.