Interview to a Morisco

Journalist:

Hello. My name is Fernando. We are speaking from the BBC in London. Today we have travelled to the 17^th Century and we are interviewing a man who has recently suffered the expulsion of the Moriscos. Tell me something about you.

Morisco:

Hello, my name is Abdula Al Abukar and I hope to solve all your doubts.

Journalist:

How did the government tell you the bad new?

Morisco:

In 1570 we received a letter signed by the King that told that we had to leave Spain. It was quite a shocking situation and my family and I thought it was a prank. We got some information from the government and finally they told us it was true.

Journalist:

When did they take you and your family?

Morisco:

Well, It´s a long story.

First of all we live in Valencia, and because as it´s one of the cities with more Moriscos,  they took us the first ones. We had many problems because my family and I were taken in different boats, they told us to calm down that our destination was the same. I arrived first, and a week later my family and my sons arrived.

Journalist:

Where did you arrive?

Morisco:

The first week I didn´t recognized the place and anyone told me where we were. But one day I saw a sign with the name “Rabat” written and then I realized where I was. I was in the capital of Morocco.

Journalist:

Wow! That should have been a very uncomfortable situation.

What was your job in Spain and in Morocco?

Morisco:

I worked for a noble in a land where I was the chief, he gave me that charge because I had been with him my entire live, and we were near friends. He gave me a house near the land where I lived with my family. Notwithstanding, in Morocco I work in a land that doesn´t product a lot of harvest, I have to work more than ten or eleven hours a day, and my salary isn´t as high as in Spain and I can´t maintain my family.

Journalist:

I´m sorry you haven´t found any other place to work.

Why do you think the king wanted you to leave Spain?

Morisco:

Well, I don´t actually know why he decided to expel my family and me out of the peninsula.

I converted myself to Christianity, I obeyed every single law, and I loved Spain; and if I had to die for Spain I would. Three generations ago, my whole family converted to Christianity. Since then we have all been Christians, and my wife and I got married in the church. I felt quite bothered. Do you know the reasons why they expelled us?

Journalist:

Oh, I thought you knew them! Well the main reason was because you weren´t Christians…

Morisco:

But I had converted to Christianity, and I loved Spain. I think the decision Philip has taken isn´t the correct one. I think he isn´t an example of a loyal king. Charles V, in my opinion, he was faithful to his country because he respected having another religion.

Journalist:

Moving to another topic, let´s talk about your social situation there in Morocco.

Morisco:

OK. To be honest, it´s totally different. I have no friends, the food is different… I think I´d have to get used to live in this place. Every one looks at me as if I was an immigrant. It´s quite annoying.

Journalist:

Yes, I can imagine it. Do your wife or children work?

Morisco:

My wife is a homemaker. She works in house and takes care of our sons. Otherwise, my sons do not work. They start to work when they are 12. They are know: 11, 9 and 5.

Journalist:

Do you support this behavior?

Morisco:

Of course not, I think what children should do is go to school and learn, because I haven´t learnt and I feel like if I were nothing; and I don´t want that for my children. I try to teach them the things I know. Has it changed in the future?

Journalist:

Yes. Now it is obligatory to go to school. I´m so sorry you haven’t gone to school. But it has been a slow process. Nowadays, there are still countries that don´t have schools.

Just the last question: do you spend time with your family?

Morisco:

Well, not a lot. I wake up early and they are still sleeping. At lunch time, I have a sandwich at the land, and of course I cannot see them. But when I arrive home and can give them lessons and have fun with them

Journalist:

Thank you very much. I hope you find a better place to live, and that you spend more time with your family. It has been a pleasure.

Morisco:

Your welcome.