Sunday, November 2, 2008

Une Kheddama in The US





I am not talking about maids...in fact, I am talking about lkhedama-type we see in Morocco. Yeah, I am talking about the same concept of having Kheddama doing chores around the house a la marocaine. Seeing one in the heart of US, makes my skin shiver.
Not long time ago, I was attending Eid prayers in Turkey Park in Orlando, Florida, and my eyes almost popped out upon seeing a real kheddama bossed around by a Moroccan-born lady. The young Khedamma, who probably has not reached 20 years old, was wearing a scarf like the rest of traditional kheddamat in Morocco. She had on multiple colorful thin layers of shirts and was wearing pants and a skirt on top of it. The young kheddama was carrying her lady's bag and was following her wherever she goes.

Just couple days ago, once again, I see another Moroccan Kheddama, in a different state. Kheddama swept the floor, wiped off dust from tiny home decorations, helped preparing couscous, served the table, cleared it out when everybody was done and of course washed dishes.

Not that I'm against the idea of having a kheddama to help with the chores around the house but I am totally against the concept of treating kheddama like a kheddama, as an object I mean. Like another Kheddama, I saw serving another Moroccan family. As soon as she finished serving dinner, she isolated herself in the corner of the kitchen watching us eating chhiwate she made. It ticked me off depriving her from having dinner witn us. She was just a Kheddama, and of course in big families, kheddamate don't get mixed with guests period.


2 comments:

Adilski said...

Vagabonda,
If I were you , I would have informed the social services of your country. Having a kheddama, underpaid, overworked, and unprotected 24-hour maid, in the US is against the law.

Lamia said...

Yeah I know that is against the law, but the last thing I want to get involved in is problems with Moroccans in the US. Have I seen that she was physically abused in any way or shape I would have stepped in.