--- product_id: 186063901 title: "The Last Storytellers: Tales from the Heart of Morocco" price: "26038CFA" currency: XOF in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.sn/products/186063901-the-last-storytellers-tales-from-the-heart-of-morocco store_origin: SN region: Senegal --- # Preserves endangered storytelling legacy Authentic Moroccan cultural heritage 1000 years of oral tradition The Last Storytellers: Tales from the Heart of Morocco **Price:** 26038CFA **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 📖 Unlock Morocco’s disappearing stories — before they vanish forever! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Last Storytellers: Tales from the Heart of Morocco - **How much does it cost?** 26038CFA with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sn](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/186063901-the-last-storytellers-tales-from-the-heart-of-morocco) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Timeless Moroccan Folklore:** Dive into nearly a millennium of rich, oral storytelling from Marrakech’s legendary Jemaa el Fna square. - • **A Living History Documented:** Witness stories passed down through generations, now immortalized by BBC correspondent Richard Hamilton. - • **Authentic & Diverse Narratives:** Experience 37 vibrant tales blending Berber codes, Arabic classics, and global literary influences. - • **Cultural Preservation in Print:** Own a rare collection capturing the last voices of Morocco’s fading storytellers before this tradition disappears forever. - • **Perfect Gift for Cultural Explorers:** Ideal for professionals craving unique, meaningful reads that connect them to global heritage and timeless wisdom. ## Overview The Last Storytellers: Tales from the Heart of Morocco is a compelling anthology capturing nearly 1,000 years of Morocco’s oral storytelling tradition. Recorded by BBC correspondent Richard Hamilton, it preserves 37 authentic folktales from Marrakech’s last remaining storytellers, blending cultural history, linguistic diversity, and subversive narratives. This book is a vital cultural artifact for anyone passionate about folklore, heritage, and the power of storytelling. ## Description Marrakech is the heart and lifeblood of Morocco's ancient storytelling tradition. For nearly a thousand years, storytellers have gathered in the Jemaa el Fna, the legendary square of the city, to recount ancient folktales and fables to rapt audiences. But this unique chain of oral tradition that has passed seamlessly from generation to generation is teetering on the brink of extinction. The competing distractions of television, movies and the internet have drawn the crowds away from the storytellers and few have the desire to learn the stories and continue their legacy. Richard Hamilton has witnessed at first hand the death throes of this rich and captivating tradition and, in the labyrinth of the Marrakech medina, has tracked down the last few remaining storytellers, recording stories that are replete with the mysteries and beauty of the Maghreb. Review: Endangered Stories - `The Last Storytellers' is a book that puts into print stories from the Moroccan tradition of oral storytelling which goes back almost a thousand years and is now in danger of becoming extinct. Assisted by his guide, Ahmed Tija, Richard Hamilton, the BBC's Moroccan correspondent, sought out in Marrakech five authentic storytellers. Typically they are men who followed what they saw as their fate despite the disapproval of orthodox Islam and opposition from their families, who regarded storytelling as little better than begging. The last storytellers may be aged, poor and frail, but their stories are rich in detail and full of vitality. In his excellent introduction Richard Hamilton tells of some of their accomplishments. One learned most of the Old Testament and all of `One Thousand and One Nights'. Another studies classical Arabic texts at night and recites them next day in Darija, the dialect his listeners can understand. The youngest, who was born into an extremely poor family and had to leave school so that he could help his father at work, is exceptionally well read and can introduce material from Cervantes or Jorge Luis Borges into his tales. The oldest, going deaf and already blind, remembers when, during the time of the French Protectorate, storytellers, speaking in the Berber language, used stories to pass messages to one another in code. Since the men who tell them are no strangers to poverty and oppression, it is not surprising that these thirty-seven stories show sympathy with the underdog and a subversive glee when he succeeds where others have failed. Sons of black slaves inherit a kingdom and marry a Sultan's daughter; respected magistrates turn out to be crooks; barbers are promoted to the rank of Vizier; and a Sultan sacks all his sycophantic viziers because none will tell him the truth. This is a very entertaining collection and a book I intend to keep. To write this review I read the stories more quickly than I would have liked; but I hope to return and read them at a more leisurely pace. All good stories have depths which do not reveal themselves immediately, and these are no exception. Richard Hamilton has done us all a service in recording what he describes as `a priceless treasure, as precious as mankind's greatest artefact or the planet's most endangered species, and of immeasurable importance to humanity.' Review: Great read - Bought this for a birthday present for a friend who is going to Morocco on holiday, she is very pleased with it. ## Features - New Store Stock ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | 285,001 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 1,125 in Folklore (Books) 1,926 in Fiction Anthologies (Books) 3,962 in The Performing Arts | | Customer Reviews | 4.2 out of 5 stars 229 Reviews | ## Images ![The Last Storytellers: Tales from the Heart of Morocco - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81yHlV5VnJL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Endangered Stories *by I***A on 13 July 2011* `The Last Storytellers' is a book that puts into print stories from the Moroccan tradition of oral storytelling which goes back almost a thousand years and is now in danger of becoming extinct. Assisted by his guide, Ahmed Tija, Richard Hamilton, the BBC's Moroccan correspondent, sought out in Marrakech five authentic storytellers. Typically they are men who followed what they saw as their fate despite the disapproval of orthodox Islam and opposition from their families, who regarded storytelling as little better than begging. The last storytellers may be aged, poor and frail, but their stories are rich in detail and full of vitality. In his excellent introduction Richard Hamilton tells of some of their accomplishments. One learned most of the Old Testament and all of `One Thousand and One Nights'. Another studies classical Arabic texts at night and recites them next day in Darija, the dialect his listeners can understand. The youngest, who was born into an extremely poor family and had to leave school so that he could help his father at work, is exceptionally well read and can introduce material from Cervantes or Jorge Luis Borges into his tales. The oldest, going deaf and already blind, remembers when, during the time of the French Protectorate, storytellers, speaking in the Berber language, used stories to pass messages to one another in code. Since the men who tell them are no strangers to poverty and oppression, it is not surprising that these thirty-seven stories show sympathy with the underdog and a subversive glee when he succeeds where others have failed. Sons of black slaves inherit a kingdom and marry a Sultan's daughter; respected magistrates turn out to be crooks; barbers are promoted to the rank of Vizier; and a Sultan sacks all his sycophantic viziers because none will tell him the truth. This is a very entertaining collection and a book I intend to keep. To write this review I read the stories more quickly than I would have liked; but I hope to return and read them at a more leisurely pace. All good stories have depths which do not reveal themselves immediately, and these are no exception. Richard Hamilton has done us all a service in recording what he describes as `a priceless treasure, as precious as mankind's greatest artefact or the planet's most endangered species, and of immeasurable importance to humanity.' ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great read *by W***M on 25 September 2018* Bought this for a birthday present for a friend who is going to Morocco on holiday, she is very pleased with it. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A truly wonderful and inspiring book! *by J***Y on 20 August 2018* This book is beautifully researched and puts into print stories that are in danger of being lost. The long introduction does a great job of bringing the storytellers and their way of life to our attention and then the stories are recounted and authorship acknowledged. A respectful work that has had the significant bonus of gaining recognition in Morocco and elsewhere for a valuable and imperilled part of Morocco's cultural heritage. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sn/products/186063901-the-last-storytellers-tales-from-the-heart-of-morocco](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/186063901-the-last-storytellers-tales-from-the-heart-of-morocco) --- *Product available on Desertcart Senegal* *Store origin: SN* *Last updated: 2026-09-19*