Local Surfgirls: Taghazout, Marokko.

A question that always comes to mind when I’m at a well-known surf spot is: where are the local women who surf? Surfing is a male-dominated sport, but more and more women are making their way into it (as we should!). Yet, at popular surf spots, you often see female tourists in the water, while local women are not as present on the break. I decided to bring up this topic with a local female surfer here in Taghazout, and we had a beautiful conversation about it.

This is a new feature! Different bloggers will travel around the world in search of local women who surf and ask them about their stories. Dive right in!

Disclaimer: This blog is in het engels zodat Faiza en haar familie en vrienden hem ook kunnen lezen :)

Faiza happy in the water!! Picture by: @weerweh.blog

Roos: When did you start surfing?

Faiza: I’ve always been into skating. I started at a young age and still enjoy it to this day. I started surfing when I was 17, so about 15 years ago. At the time, I was living in Agadir, which had a beach where you could surf, but it wasn’t a surf town. Surfing in Morocco wasn’t well known back then at all. I had just bought a board from a tourist and wanted to give it a try. I knew nothing about surfing, the ocean, or surfboards.

Faiza: My first board was a 6.0, of course, that didn’t work at all, but I had no other choice. I didn’t have a wetsuit either, just a rash guard. I was freezing, but I didn’t care. I had to get in the water. Every day after school, if I could, I went to the sea. There were no buses, taxis, or any transport to the beach, so I had to walk. Sometimes I went with a friend who also surfed, but most of the time I walked alone. Those were always the most tedious 20 minutes of my day. Back then, it wasn’t common for a girl to walk alone on the street, let alone with a surfboard!

"Surfing was for boys, what was a girl doing with that board? Girls were supposed to help in the kitchen with a doll in their hands, not walk around alone with a surfboard."

Look at her!!

Faiza: But that didn’t stop me. As often as I could, I walked that distance back and forth, because I knew that once I was on the beach, no one could touch me. On the beach, I had some male surfer friends, and no one looked twice at the fact that I, as a girl, also wanted to enjoy the sport. The moment I was in the water, I felt free. No one could bother me, no one could catcall me, touch me, or harass me. It was the only place where I was completely left alone by everyone, especially men.

Faiza: After a bad experience with a man on the street, I decided to stop surfing, at least until I had a car to drive myself to the surf spot. Until I got a job offer in Taghazout (a surf town 30 minutes from Agadir), I didn’t surf much. I only went when my friends were surfing, so I could walk with them and avoid being harassed. Now, I’ve been living in Taghazout for almost 10 years, and it’s completely different from Agadir. Here, the locals are used to tourists and women on the streets. I don’t feel any resistance between female and male surfers. It felt like a liberation.

Good surf session = big smiles in the water

Roos: What did your family think about your love for skating and surfing?

Faiza: My mother knew. She’s a free spirit like me, she grew up in the Netherlands, where she had a lot of freedom as a girl. She knew I loved surfing and skating and always encouraged me. My father, on the other hand, didn’t know. He’s more traditional, so he would have found it hard to understand. Here in Morocco, it’s not really encouraged to do things that are considered “unconventional.” As a woman, you’re expected to take care of the household, and as a girl, you play with dolls why would you want anything else? Surfing and skating are for men.

"When my father eventually found out, I showed him videos of what I was doing, and he was actually impressed. He’s starting to get used to it, and so is the rest of Morocco. People are beginning to accept that women can also do so-called 'men’s things.'"

Roos: Has the environment in Agadir and Taghazout changed compared to back then?

Faiza: Yes, a lot. Surfing was a tiny part of Morocco back then no one even knew you could surf here. There was no way to find out either, because it was never shown on TV. Now, with social media, information spreads much faster, and because of that, a surf town like Taghazout has grown rapidly. People now know that Morocco is a surf destination, so they come here in large numbers. The men on the streets are used to female surfers and tourists. They don’t harass them why would they? Everyone here does their own thing and minds their own business.

That’s what I love about this town. You really feel free here. It’s the freedom I missed as a teenager when all I wanted was to surf in peace.

Faiza: Younger girls in the streets sell bracelets not because they need the money, but simply because they enjoy selling them. They learn English, they negotiate, they understand the value of things. They’re not just sitting at home; they’re being given freedom. And in my opinion, that’s exactly how it should be.

"I don’t think there’s anything in the world as powerful as a group of women coming together."

Waiting for the waves... Picture by @weerweh.blog

Roos: What do you do to connect local women?

Faiza: I mostly skate a lot. At one point, I organized a skate event with local Moroccan women who skate all over the country. There were only about six of us, and we had connected through social media. This event was so special it made me truly appreciate the power of women.

Women support each other, there’s no competition. When I saw another woman land a cool trick that I had always thought only men could do, I wanted to learn it too. We helped each other improve. I don’t think there’s anything in the world as powerful as a group of women coming together. And I truly mean that! Now, I still hold skate clinics for women, and everyone is welcome. These moments are always so special to me. Even women who have never skated before step onto a board and give it a try. Everyone supports each other, something women are naturally great at.

Faiza: Besides that, I’ve always had a passion for graphic design. I decided to combine this with my other two loves: surfing and skating. That’s how my brand, Wheels and Fins, was born! A clothing brand that stands for women’s empowerment in surfing and skating. It started really small, I had no money in my bank account to even print a single T-shirt. Now, I have my own second-hand store full of Wheels and Fins apparel, and my brand is sold in different stores. It’s amazing to see people wearing my shirts here, even men wear them! That makes me proud.

Faiza, on her way to surf! Pet en tas van Surf Maroc

Roos: Wow, what a story. I knew every female surfer had a story, but this one is truly special.

It’s still hard for me to imagine that she stopped doing what she loved most, surfing, because of the opinions of men on the street. To me, this is proof that we should never let anyone hold us back, especially not men. It makes me so happy to see that despite that experience, Faiza now organizes her own women-only skate clinics, completely free, and has even built an entire clothing brand.

The power of women supporting each other is truly unmatched. Keep uplifting, supporting, and helping each other! That’s what Surfgirls NL is all about.

PS: Ben je van plan om naar Taghazout (of omgeving) te gaan en ben je opzoek naar surflessen/surfcoaching of trips in en around taghazout. Check mijn website www.onthewayve.com :))))

Big hug and stay stoked,

@onthewayve