An island woman who spent one week hiking with nomads through the foothills of the Atlas Mountains will talk about her experience and the importance of a positive attitude on Tuesday.
Linda Hebert (Summersea) is 66 years old and a member of the Vashon Senior Center. During her trip, she hiked four to seven hours each day and said she would like to let other seniors know that their age has no bearing on what they can do.
“As senior citizens, people frequently look at us as less capable. We need to show that our mind controls most of our failures and successes,” she said.
Hebert trained for months leading up to the trip by hiking and running in Island Center Forest, as most of the 13-person group consisted of people in their 20s and 30s.
“Soon I learned that I would be the only senior citizen in the group, and it turned out to be an amazing trip,” she said.
Hebert flew into Marrakesh in late March and met up with the other members of the Australian tour group that consisted of Australians, Americans and Germans. The 13 then headed with their guide on a seven-hour drive into the Atlas mountains where the hiking would begin. Hebert said they met up with a family of Berber nomads, a group that has seen its way of life decline in recent years as families abandon the nomadic lifestyle, children are educated and move away to attend college.
“In 1996 there were 65,000 of these nomads. That number dropped to 25,000 in 2004 and now, no one knows how many are left,” she said.
The nomads are goat herders and make a trek twice per year between the highlands and lowlands of the Atlas mountains. They trade and barter with goats, donkeys and camels and live in caves that were dug more than 2,000 years ago.
During Hebert’s trip, she got a glimpse into what the nomadic lifestyle is like. Accompanied by three camels, mules, goats, chickens and a guide who grew up a Berber nomad, but left to attend college, she and the 13 others in the group lived for a week with no electricity or running water. A solar charger powered her phone that was only useful as a camera. Food most days consisted of bread, oranges, dates and couscous washed down with plenty of traditional mint tea. While the nomads slept in caves, Hebert and the group slept in tents that were carried by the mules, who also carried the group’s bags and the nomads’ baby goats.
“Every day was so energizing. We were so open to learn, and I thanked them for teaching us their culture,” she said.
At the end of the seven days, the group headed back to Marrakesh and were able to shower for the first time in a week; Hebert took the time to visit a traditional open-air market and meet some snake charmers.
She said the trip was a way for her to revisit her past as she and her husband travelled to Morocco as newlyweds in 1975.
“(We) rented a car and spent 10 days traveling Morocco. It’s a trip that has always stood out for me in terms of adventure, culture and friendly people,” she said. “It was a total immersion experience in the days before tourism.”
Hebert said she stumbled upon this most recent tour while scrolling through Facebook and signed up within a week.
“Each day was full of new challenges, but I knew I had prepared for them. I knew my limitations and I knew my capacity for adaptation,” she said.
Walking with nomads
Islander Linda Hebert will talk about her trip to Morocco and show photos at 1 p.m. Friday, May 19, at the Vashon Senior Center on Bank Road. Everyone is welcome to attend.
