فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Episode 3 / Heroes of Gold: Faces of Fes Resistance
In our previous episodes, we experienced the details of the glorious Fes Uprising in April 1912, following the heroism and immense sacrifices of its people in the face of colonization. We saw how their pure blood watered the land of the homeland, and how every person in Fes, man and woman, scholar and worker, became a symbol of resilience and dignity.
But what happened after the brutal force of the colonizer extinguished the flames of the armed uprising? Did Fes surrender, and did the spirit of resistance fade? Today’s episode answers this question, revealing how the fire of rejection transformed into other forms of steadfastness and challenge.
Ashes Beneath the Flames: Attempts to Extinguish the Fassi Spirit
The French colonizer could never forgive the bold uprising of Fes. After the bloody events of April 1912, the protectorate authorities imposed a harsh siege on the city and carried out brutal repression to break the resistance and instill fear in the people.
Death sentences were issued, prisons filled with activists, and the people were stripped of any means of defense. Strict surveillance was imposed on every detail, with the clear aim of eradicating the spirit of defiance in its cradle and turning Fes into a silent, submissive city to ensure that what happened would not be repeated. Fes endured years of suffering under the weight of repression, and the colonizer thought they had succeeded in smothering its spirit forever.
Embers Beneath the Ashes: Cultural and Intellectual Resistance as a Fortress
However, the spirit of Fes did not die. While armed resistance was temporarily crushed by the military superiority of the occupier, the true resistance, which resides in minds and hearts, remained burning like embers beneath the ashes. The scholars and intellectuals of Fes realized that the battle was not over, and that preserving their identity was the most powerful weapon against the policies of distortion and alienation imposed by the colonizer.
Here, the historic role of the University of Al-Qarawiyyin, mosques, Quranic schools, and traditional educational institutions came to the forefront. These institutions turned into fortresses for defending the Arabic language, spreading religious sciences, teaching national history, and instilling Islamic and national values in the youth. The lessons in Al-Qarawiyyin or the old corners of the city were no longer just about imparting knowledge, but became an act of resistance, reaffirming cultural identity in the face of attempts at erasure. Every Quranic verse recited, every Hadith explained, every Arabic poem sung, and every historical truth told was a shot in the battle for awareness and identity.
Rejecting the Status Quo: Silent Resistance and Emerging Political Movements
In addition to intellectual resistance, the genius of Fessis manifested in other forms of silent and daily rejection of the occupation. Clinging to traditional national attire, preserving authentic customs and traditions, and boycotting European lifestyle elements that the occupier tried to impose were all symbolic but profound expressions of rejecting the status quo and preserving one’s identity.
Secretly and cautiously, seeds of organized political resistance began to emerge. In private councils and behind closed meetings, passionate nationalists began to discuss the situation, plan for the future, and look for new ways to resist the occupation, moving beyond direct military confrontation to political and organizational action. These were the early roots of the nationalist movement that would play a decisive role in the independence struggle later on. The rejection of normalization with the occupier and the constant effort to undermine their plans became the hallmark of many Fessis during that difficult period.
Fes Does Not Surrender: The City as a Fortress of Challenge
Despite all attempts at repression and restriction, and despite the deep wounds left by the 1912 events, Fes remained a symbol of resilience and defiance. Its glorious history and spiritual and intellectual standing made it a constant thorn in the side of the occupier, and a continuous source of inspiration for patriots throughout Morocco. The memory of the martyrs and sacrifices remained alive in the hearts of its people, passed down from generation to generation, nurturing the spirit of nationalism and motivating them to continue the struggle. Fes’s resilience in the face of hardship and its ability to preserve its identity and spirit were, in themselves, the greatest form of resistance.
The Message of the Episode: The National Spirit Never Dies
This chapter in Fes’s history teaches us that resistance is not only through arms and direct confrontation. When the paths are narrow, the free people invent new forms of struggle. Resistance through thought, culture, education, holding onto identity, and rejecting the status quo are all weapons just as deadly to the occupier as bullets. The people of Fes proved that true national spirit can never die or be defeated, and that it can be renewed and rise from the ashes to continue the fight until victory is achieved.
In the next episode, God willing: We will discuss how today’s generations can draw lessons from this glorious history, and how we can preserve the legacy of our ancestors in defending the nation and safeguarding its dignity. Stay tuned for the next episode on “Fes News.”
Source: Fes News Media
