Anyone who has watched classic cartoons in the United States has seen snakes being “charmed” at one time or another. Have you ever seen snakes charmed in Morocco in person?
Snakes “Charmed” in Morocco. Sunday Morning Photograph.
Snake charming is the practice of appearing to hypnotize a snake by playing and waving around an instrument called a pungi. The snakes are typically cobras. These five snakes were at Jemaa el-Fnaa in the Medina Quarter of Marrakech during a break. They are apparently a sight that people seemed to be used to seeing…
…well — many people, anyway.
Once the snake charmer started playing his pungi, the snakes quickly responded to the music of the instrument — but they were not actually enjoying it. The snake lacks an outer ear that would enable them to hear the music even though it is able to sense sound. Rather, the snake considers the person and pungi a threat. The snake responds to the “charmer” as if he were a predator by following his movement.
Final Boarding Call
Laws that were enacted in many countries around the world over the years to protect snakes and other wildlife. As a result, the practice of snake charming has been dying a slow death. Snake “charmers” can still be found in Morocco and several other countries in northern Africa and southeastern Asia. They hope to earn some money by “charming” snakes.
The purpose of the weekly series of Sunday Morning Photograph articles is to feature photographs from my travels around the world which you can view while enjoying your morning coffee.
Please click here for a complete list of the Sunday Morning Photograph series of articles at The Gate With Brian Cohen, which include photographs taken of nature and sights of interest in many countries and territories around the world — including but not limited to:
Andorra • Argentina • Austria • Bahamas • Bahrain • Belgium • Belarus • Botswana • Brazil • Bulgaria • Canada • China • Chile • Colombia • Côte d’Ivoire or Ivory Coast • Cyprus — including the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus • Czechia or Czech Republic • Denmark • Dominican Republic • Egypt • England in Great Britain in the United Kingdom • Estonia • Finland • France • Germany • Hungary • Iceland • Ireland • Italy • Kenya • Latvia • Lebanon • Lesotho • Liechtenstein • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Malaysia • Morocco • Mozambique • Netherlands • Oman • Panama • Philippines • Poland • Portugal • Romania • Singapore • Slovenia • South Africa • South Korea • Spain • Swaziland or Eswatini • Sweden • Switzerland • Thailand • United Arab Emirates • United States of America • Uruguay
All photographs ©2015 by Brian Cohen.
