A new book published by Safsafa has just come out titled “The Story of a Rif Family: Morocco from Anti-Colonial Resistance to Political Dissent”, written by Moroccan-Canadian researcher Ouzier Glassi and translated by historian and human rights advocate Maati Monjib.
The book goes beyond a simple family story. It uses the history of one Rif family as a window to look at Morocco’s recent past, mixing personal memories with national history in a way that feels both intimate and political at the same time.
It covers a long stretch of time, starting with the Battle of Anoual in 1921, one of the most important moments in the Rif War against colonial rule, and continuing up to today. Along the way, the author reflects on Morocco’s journey from independence struggles to what she calls a “formal independence,” followed by new forms of inequality and political control. She also raises critical ideas about the current system, including terms like “democracy of appearance” and “wild capitalism.”
The Rif region sits at the heart of the book, not just as a place, but as a symbol. Through it, the author tells a wider story about struggle, social classes, and voices that have often been left out of official history—especially women. The writing also touches on identity, culture, and the way memory shapes how we understand the present.
Ouzier Glassi is a scholar working on human rights, identity, and feminist issues, and teaches at Athabasca University in Canada. The Arabic translation by Maati Monjib helps bring the political and historical ideas closer to readers with accuracy and clarity, given his background in Moroccan political history.
