With Anas Idouatchich | Local skater, surfer and photographer

With apartment keys acquired and bags dropped, we set out to become familiar with the village of Taghazout, located on the Atlantic coast 4 hours west of Marrakech. To little surprise, we ended up at the local surf shop and quickly struck up a conversation with Anas. His ambition to create art, cultivate community and learn about foreigners was pouring out of him, so we decided to take him up on an offer to explore the local skate park and dive into the scene that is Taghazout.

What's your name, where'd you grow up? And what do you do now?

My name is Anas Idouatchich. I'm originally from Agadir, Morocco, and I'm a photographer, skater and surfer. Right now I'm doing retail with Surf Moroc in the village of Taghazout. I’ve become quite good with languages, and I just try to talk with a lot of people that come from overseas.

That has to bring unique perspectives of things to your attention. What do you like about seeing so many different people from all around the world?

I tend to like Aussies, Kiwis, Americans and English people, not because I have any hate for the other people, but because the differences we have in culture. During the winter we have a lot of people coming in from Europe, as well as all around the world so it's been really fun.

What when was the first time you picked a camera?

The first time I thought about taking photos was in 2015 but I didn’t have the money to buy a camera so I started with just phone pictures, but I made it work. I then finally bought my first camera, which was secondhand. It was a an old film camera and I was shooting black and white. I like to take pictures, but I like to tell stories about the pictures that I'm taking as well. As a young kid it was a way to join the culture and community. That's the good part of it.

"Here in Morocco, it’s hard for creatives to reach and obtain the things that they want. It's really a pity and I hope it can change."

 

What's the community and culture like here? Is Agadir and Taghazout, combined into one? Where would you say the cultural hub is?

The surf culture of course has been here in Taghazout for a while, but for skate it was just in Agadir. I still remember when a lot of people were just skating in Agadir, especially in the city at a spot called Palm Beach. It had a lot of curves, a lot of stairs in there. It was a really good spot. But now I guess the skate culture jumped into Taghazout once Make Life, Skate Life started thinking about opening a skate park here in the village. They were talking with a lot of locals about coming together to help build it, and I was one of them. So we went out and built the skate park, and now people from around the world come here to skate.

 And how long ago was that?

The construction was in 2015 and we finished it in a month.

Wow that was fast. So you actually had your hands dirty, physically building it?

Yeah, I was there with Tijgo, Faiza, Anas, Imad, and a lot of other locals who were involved. There was a lot of free beers going around. The owner brought in a lot of food and beers for the people who helped throughout the process. It was fun. I wish I could go back in time.

The skate culture here in Morocco is really diverse compared to America or other countries. A lot of Moroccans here never had the culture of skateboarding in anyway. They don’t understand it that much. So that is a drawback in a way.

What's it like to be a creative here in Morocco? To surf, to be into skateboarding, to be into photography. It doesn't seem like that's the most common thing in Morocco - How is that perceived from society, from maybe your elders?

It’s elusive, for creativity I guess. You need to do your own things which is going to be difficult. When I was talking with my dad about buying me a skateboard he didn’t really like these kinds of sports. I still remember once I got a skateboard on my own he threatened to break it apart with an axe. It was so funny. But I guess a lot of Moroccans don’t really appreciate these kind of things like skate or photography or surfing as well.

"It's a privilege. To create an image for somebody who doesn't expect that kind of outcome, it makes me feel happy no matter what. Whether it’s for money or not, I'm just doing it for pleasure."

How challenging is it for you to pursue the things that you're passionate about?

At the moment I don't really care about what's most risky. I can’t care about what most people are saying about the kind of things that I'm doing in my life. People judging me about the type of fashion that I'm into, the clothes that I wear. I had even painted my fingernails at one point, which was distinct from others. People here can’t mind their own business. I mean, it's just how it is here in Morocco though.

Talk to us about your style because you've got a unique vibe. How does fashion and clothing make you feel, and what part does fashion play in your life?

I wasn't always like this. My biggest inspiration was Dylan Rider - he is a pro skater. That was the first time that I had the thought about changing my style. I wanted to copy his but realized I was like, already jumping to another style. So now I really have my own touch on it. I love it. I love the way how I mix colors, but I like tan, and other pale colors as well. And of course, black and white.

And what are your buying habits when you do look for pieces of clothing? Where are you buying from?

I prefer to buy secondhand from a thrift shop, especially for jackets and trousers. And for the new things, I just go with shoes [laughs].

What’s your style when it comes to photography?

I love to take portraits. I’ve been asking loads of people about taking some pictures. The response varies, some rebuff me because they're not feeling comfortable, which is really normal though. But at the same time, some people, they're accepting of it. Maybe it’s because I can hide myself behind the camera and just take the pictures, which is the easiest way.

" I hope the new generation doesn’t give up following the thing they love."

 

How does it make you feel after you take someone's picture who's maybe apprehensive about it, but after you take a picture they end up loving it?

It's a privilege. I mean like, when you create an image for somebody who doesn't expect that kind of outcome, it makes me feel happy no matter what. Whether it’s for money or not, I'm just doing it for pleasure. So that's a good thing.

What's the role that your camera plays in your life? Do you pick it up just on the weekends? Do you carry it with you all the time? Are you thinking about taking photos when you're at work?

Right now I only use my camera on my days off. But if I'm taking the photos that I want, with the style that I want then it's going to be really good man. But here in Morocco, it’s hard for creatives to reach and obtain the things that they want. It's really a pity and I hope it can change.

What are your hopes for the next generation? For when that young kid in your crew is your age?

I hope the new generation doesn’t give up following the thing they love. I was one of those kids back in the day. I was one of the up and coming skaters in Morocco, and because of the circumstances I wasn't able to reach the goal that I wanted in my life. I was so close to quitting skating. I'm hoping that everyone in the community can keep doing the things that they love and to stick to it, and one day they’re going to reach their goal. And I hope this country can evolve over time and give the right to the people to chase those passions.

Anas is based in Taghazout, Morocco.

@ozzie_brisy