A hammam is a traditional bathhouse that Moroccan women and men visit (separately) once a week for a good scrub down. After yesterday, I understand why. For women the hammam is equivalent to the American beauty shop, you go hangout with friends and catchup while primping. You might even go with your bestie for an “I scrub you, you scrub me” type thing. We were told it’s a great way to meet women and make friends. Me and my teammate Ace were all in!
We asked around to some of our new pals, one of them actually offered her services… we opted to let a stranger scrub us for our first experience. While buying bread from our favorite bread shop gals they tell us there is a great place close by. We made sure they understood we wanted a stranger to scrub us this time. When we show back up that evening the probably 10 year old girl decides she is our tour guide… and she does not leave.
Allow me to set the scene, a room with 4 rows of sinks and little stools in front of them and 7 marble slabs for tables going around the perimeter… Full of naked wet ladies. They ranged from children to grandmas doing all the things you would do in the privacy of your own shower while visiting with your friend waiting for your turn to be scrubbed. Everyone talking and laughing with one another and we have no idea what anyone is saying or what we are supposed to be doing. Did I mention we were both wearing our glasses that we had to leave in our locker because they would just fog up? We were literally going in blind. On so many levels. Our little tour guide hangs around while we strip down and hands us shampoo, soap, a scrubby mitt and puts us in the sauna. We hangout until we think we’ve had enough and hope it was the appropriate amount of time before heading back out into the main room. The other women are all sudsed up, shaving, shampooing, conditioning, laughing. We didn’t bring any of those things with us because we thought the scrub was enough. So, we find a sink wash our hair and sit there splashing water on ourselves to blend in waiting on our turn to be scrubbed. All the while our little tour guide is sitting at the door smiling and waving at us.
The scrub is real, y’all. They use a special mitt and a black soap but the real trick is these women. They are not gentle. You are laying on a wet marble slab; they just roll you around and flip you over and SCRUB. The amount of filth that came off my body is embarrassing. And I have been showering every day! I even bought a loofa! I am certain the women were talking about me and Ace. Maybe because of the filth, maybe because we had no idea what was happening, maybe because I was flopping around like a slab of meat they were tenderizing.
We spent a lot of time observing and mimicking behavior and here is what I realized. In this culture this is probably the few place that these women can truly be themselves. Stripped down in a safe place. That is exactly how Jesus wants us to approach Him; stripped down, laughing, knowing He is a safe place. The fact that multiple generations come together for this experience is also beautiful to me. They are teaching their daughters from a young age that “This is your body, they are all different, don’t be ashamed of yours”. I love everything about that. After all, there is no time for shame when everyone is busy laughing.
After the scrub and a quick rinse off you are moved to the lounge chair section where you dry off and oil up before you leave. We had no oil, so again, we are sitting and trying to blend in. Our little tour guide comes over and braids our hair for us. And guess what?? The lady on the lounge chair beside us spoke english!! She lives in our neighborhood! She has already seen us naked AND invited us over on Saturday. You could say we were fast friends. If you could be praying for a fruitful relationship there.
All in all, it was weird and we didn’t really know what was happening BUT we are cleaner than we have ever been AND we made a friend WHO SPEAKS ENGLISH!! All for 120dh ($12) totally worth it. I want the Lord to pull me into these uncomfortable situations 1000 times over if it means I get to see people the way he does; free to be themselves.
