“Transformation or transition?”…that is the question. Well, just my question. When it comes to Ibn Battuta’s very interesting and ”wild” last journey from Morocco to “the land of the blacks,” would it be most accurately labeled as a sort of transformation or a transition? Trans means “change” and surely Ibn Battuta experiences changes during his journey to this new land. Transition is defined as the change from one position, state to another. Transformation is defined as a change in form or function. So, I conclude here that transition and transformation differ in the sense that transformation is a more dramatic change in form, in structure or in character. Still, it is in my opinion that Ibn Battuta’s journey was a transition, change in position, but also a transformation in perception as well as character. It is no doubt that his journey to the “land of the blacks” was very significant and there are consequences both perceived and direct.
Ibn Battuta’s journey in layman’s terms was a slight “reality check.” It is worth exploring here the issue of normativity. Like most, Ibn Battuta perceived the culture and practices of those in Morocco to be “normal.” This is what he was accustomed to, and in agreement with, despite all his traveling. But, what is normal in Morocco may not be “normal” elsewhere and there were obvious differences in practices in the land of the blacks than what Ibn Battuta considered “normal.” I may go further to say that Ibn Battuta did not like or did not agree with those differences that he found. For example, of the people of Iwalatan, Ibn Battuta found their behavior strange and their manners outlandish. He goes on to say that he has never witnessed such behavior in all his travels except for in a non-Muslim country. He was most surprised by the fact that men derive their genealogy from their maternal uncle and not their father. In addition, he identified the lack of sexual jealousy in men as absurd. He could not understand why men and women, who were not related, were close companions. Men and women who were lawful for marriage should not be alone together without a third party and there is no such thing as “male/female” companionship outside the realm of marriage. It was something he could not wrap his head around for these men and women were righteous and pious believers otherwise. The women he says were pious in the company of men although they were not veiled and the men were righteous as well. He recalls the qadi in Iwalatan who had made pilgrimage be in the company of a beautiful young girl. Ibn Battuta retreated upon seeing her with him while the qadi and the women remained very confused. Their norm was much different.
Overall, among the blacks, there were qualities that Ibn Battuta liked and those that he disliked. He liked the qualities they possessed regarding Friday dress in preparation for prayer and how they meticulously observe the prayer times and the beating of which they instill these qualities in their children. There were on the other hand things that he disliked among the blacks. The main issue he had was the naked manner in which these slave women would present themselves to the sultan even during the holy month of Ramadan, private parts not covered. This behavior was very strange to Ibn Battuta because it was not the norm for Moroccans.
Like Battuta, I cannot wrap my head around the holiness of the black people and both the companionship between the men and women as well as the presentation of the slave women. Especially for the pre-modern period. The two just don’t seem to go. As he mentions, this was not the norm for most of the Muslim lands he traveled to. Thus, I think it is safe to say that this journey represents a transformation, or change in the perception of Ibn Battuta. Whether he liked it or not or whether he agreed with it or not, his awareness of the world definitely changed and the journey was again a “reality check.”
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