Meet the Growing Vegan Community of Morocco

Agadir – Vegan tagines and bastilla are not just for tourists visiting Morocco. There is a growing vegan and vegetarian community in the country represented by thousands of Moroccans in social media groups and attending VegFest Morocco.

There are a handful of reasons people choose vegan or vegetarian lifestyles. In general terms, vegetarians do not consume any meat, while vegans also exclude dairy products from their diet. But there is much more to being a vegan than the diet.

In 1951 the Vegan Society (founded in the UK) added “exclude all forms of animal exploitation” to their definition of veganism. Simohamed Bouhakkaoui of MoroccanVegan explains, “The moral system changes through the ages. In one era, racism and gender discrimination were acceptable in the world, but they changed because of the activism of many people.”

For Moroccan vegans, animal abuse and environmentalism top their reasons to choose abstinence from animal products.

Vegan and green

Bouhakkaoui says veganism is a solid consideration for environmentally conscious people “because their environmental struggle is incomplete as long as you consume meat that harms the environment. Meat accounts for nearly 60% of all greenhouse gas [emissions] from food production and it takes up to 15,500 liters of water to produce 1 kilo of beef.”

At the vegan restaurant Niya in Casablanca, customers will find a small boutique area that sells “Moroccan brands that promote craftsmanship, zero waste, and creativity,” their website explains. Their selection of lovely items is also “certified cruelty-free.”

How do menstrual panties belong in an eating establishment, one may wonder. Niya owner Chama Tahiri-Ivorra explained to Morocco World News (MWN) that being vegan is an interconnected, far-reaching ethical lifestyle.

Each consumer purchase has power. Tahiri-Ivorra shops and sells selectively, favoring ethically made products that have a reduced impact on the environment, such as period panties instead of chemical-laden, disposable feminine hygiene products.

‘Chicken burger’ via Niya in Casablanca’s Instagram

In a surprising twist, Tahiri-Ivorra told MWN that even considering the plastics and chemicals that may have been used, she “would rather buy fake leather than have an animal killed for shoes.” She notes, “The violence matters for me.”

Is your meat a ‘good thing’?

In Morocco, local meat is considered halal, meeting the Islamic guidelines to be consumed by Muslims. Among these guidelines is the concept of zabiha, which goes beyond the technicalities of which meats are edible, the actual slaughter, and reciting “Bismillah” before the slaughter. Zabiha addresses the violent nature of taking a life as well as the care in raising animals for food.

According to both halal and zabiha requirements, animals must not see other animals being slaughtered, they must be killed in a comfortable position, and the slaughter knife must be perfectly sharp.

Moroccan vegans are painfully aware of a component of zabiha often overlooked in the production of meat and dairy products, even in Morocco. To be zabiha, the animal must live a pleasant life, free from abuse.

Some Moroccan vegans reject meat as a matter of preventing cruelty to animals, while others think beyond that and relate to animals as sentient beings. Tahiri-Ivorra says she is “antispecism,” noting that “every species contributes to the balance” of the world’s ecosystem.

Though veganism is unique in Morocco, for whatever reasons Moroccan choose the lifestyle it is very much in line with some Muslims’ spiritual beliefs.

Bouhakkaoui notes that though he has a handful of reasons for being vegan, ultimately “Islam allowed Muslims to consume meat, but it did not oblige it. We as humans have a choice to make.”

Healthy, satisfying choices

If the vegan diet is healthy is widely debated, but a plant-based and reduced-meat diet is known to be healthy. Moroccan blogger Vegan Hanane says, “In short, you should go vegan for your health, the animals, and the environment.”

A tasty homemade dish via VeganHanane’s Instagram.

Among the health benefits that Hanane has found along her vegan journey are “1 Increase in energy, 2 Healthy Weight Management and 3. Improved Digestion: No more smelly farts, bloating, and constipation. When I ate on a high protein diet, I was constipated ALL the time.”

Many believe that a vegan diet is difficult to maintain, boring, and not satisfying. Bouhakkaoui, Tahiri-Ivorra, and Hanane have all faced these hurdles and overcome them. Bouhakkaoui explains, “In Morocco, we can easily make choices. Our country is rich in agricultural products and there are always available alternatives. It’s easy to veganize Moroccan meals like couscous, refissa, tajine…”

Niya in Casablanca has a tantalizing and rotating seasonal menu, with “veganized” dishes such as the first vegan burger in Casablanca, as well as original plant-based dishes such as cauliflower in a cashew and coconut sauce. But she was concerned with the challenge of creating “complex, exciting, filling food for nonvegans.”

Tihiri-Ivorra has so far thrived. The 200 reviews her place received on Google include much positive feedback from customers who loved the food even though they are not vegan. Niya’s atmosphere was also repeatedly reviewed as having “great vibes” and even being “immaculate,” demonstrating that peacefulness is the core of veganism.