Snake charming in Morocco

We provide an overview of the history of Moroccan snake charming, and then we describe the current state of snake charming performances in Morocco, drawing from observations, interviews, and analysis of published materials. Because Marrakesh represents the most prominent centre of snake charming in the country, this paper provides detailed information on performances in the well-known Place Jmaa el Fna. The cities of Meknes, Taroudant, and Tangier also host snake charmers. Weekly markets, or souqs, in rural areas historically involved entertainers such as snake charmers, but observations in several of these souqs revealed none. Charmers use several snake species for their trade. This study documented: the Egyptian Cobra (Naja haje), Puff Adder (Bitis arietans), Horned Viper (Cerastes cerastes), Moorish Viper (Daboia mauritanica), Montpellier Snake (Malpolon monspessulanus), Horseshoe Whip Snake (Hemorrhois hippocrepis), and Viperine Snake (Natrix maura). We discuss several explanations for avoidance of harm from the venomous species. Finally, we outline present and future challenges of the practice.