No Man is an Island: Globalisation and Resilience in the Fezzillij Tradition

This paper examines the 'island' construct by focusing on one case study of cultural production: zillij tile work in Morocco. This artisanal craft form is a hallmark of Moroccan identity, yet also remains fervently appropriated by the outside world. The goal here is to flush out the complex and often competing forces in such a dynamic. Through interviews with craftsmen and a critical assessment of issues related to expertise and production, we learn that in Morocco this art form is situated in ever-widening zones of influence and investment, from a nucleus of daily production-related practices, to the professional tensions in local and regional politics, to the global presentation of zillij as Islamic cultural heritage. It is not until we test the assumptions and realities of the relationship between craft and religion, however, that we begin to differentiate the globalised rhetoric from a strong core of local resilience.