The word mîka ميكة means plastic bag in Darija. Mîka ميكة is kîs blâstîki كيس بلاستيكي in MSA.

Mîka: Undefined feminine singular.
Lmîka: Defined feminine singular.
Mîkât: Undefined feminine plural.
Lmîkât: Defined feminine plural.

Mîka ميكة can also be used to refer to plastic in general. Like when we say for example: llo3ab dyâl lmîkka اللعب ديال لميكة = Toys made of plastic.

When you go to the grocer’s, you ask for mîka ميكة to put your stuff in. You can also say plastika, or khnsha خنشة, khnsha dyâl lmîka خنشة ديال لميكة to be more specific.

Sometimes, we use the word khnsha خنشة jokingly to replace khmsa خمسة (five). For example, someone would say: 3ndî khnsha dyâl ddrârî عندي خنشة ديال الدراري, meaning that he got five kids.

Back to the word mîka ميكة . In Moroccan markets, you’d see those small kids selling plastic bags, using the typical Moroccan marketing technique used by merchants in markets, which is yelling. And they say: mîka rb3a, mîka 3shra, mîka drhm ميكة ربعة، ميكة عشرة، ميكة درهم = the 4 riyals (20 centimes) plastic bag, the 10 riyals (50 centimes) plastic bag, the 1 dirham plastic bag. Poor kids! I always wonderd how much profit a day could they get out of such a job!

There is a verb that is derived from mîka ميكة , it’s miyyek ميك, which means to ignore someone deliberately, and pretend not to see them. When someone you know passes by and completely ignores you and doesn’t even greet you, the next time you meet them, the first thing you say is: – and this is a typical Moroccan behavior – dztî mn 7dâyâ hâdâk nnhâr w miyykti دزتي حدايا هاداك النهار و ميكتي= You passed by me the other day, and your totally ignored me. Or another reformulation, using the root word: dztî mn 7dâyâ hâdâk nnhâr w drtî mîka دزتي حدايا هاداك النهار و درتي ميكة

And if the person didn’t even see you, this turns out to be a (dangerous) accusation, since Moroccans consider it completely impolite to ingore someone you know and not greet them. Social etiquette is crucial.

A sarcastic way of getting the attention of someone who is ignoring you, or that you think is, is by yelling at them in the street: wâ mîka! وا ميكة! This is almost like: You insensitive plastic bag!

No, seriosly! As there is not apparent link between miyyek (ignoring someone) and mika (the plastic bag), then let’s just imagine that when you are ignoring someone, then you are… an insensitive plastic bag!

Environmental note:
In Morocco, we have this excess of using black plastic bags, to the extent that when we have windy days, you see them flying around, and sometimes one would bash you in the face. But Moroccan associations and authorities are aware of this problem, and are acting together to reduce the use of plastic bags. Last June for example, there was a compaign to collect and destroy plastic bags that damage the environment and to raise the population’s awareness about the dangers of these wastes. (source)

Artistic note:
I found out about this Moroccan artist, Younes Rahmoun, while writing this post. And what especially attracted my attention was the plastic bags related works of his.
Let you have a look at:

Nafas: Plastic bags. By Younes Rahmoun – 2001
Kemmoussa: Plastic bags compressed and nails. By Younes Rahmoun – 2001
Baydaq: wood painted and plastic bags compressed. By Younes Rahmoun – 2001
Mika: Plastic bags and air. By Younes Rahmoun – 2004

Musical note:
When you’re Moroccan, you can’t help smiling when knowing that someone out there is called Mika. (It’s the same effect the name Monika –doll- has).
According to Wikipedia, Mika is a Finnish name, with the same origins as Michael. And it’s a name suitable for both girls and boys. Here is list of people called Mika.
Mika of the day that got my attention is Michael Holbrook Penniman, a British singer of Lebanese origins. So to finish smoothly this –long- post, here is my musical discovery of the day: Mika – Grace Kelly.
I love the voice tone change when he gets to my favourite part of the whole song:

I could be brown
I could be blue
I could be violet sky
I could be hurtful
I could be purple
I could be anything you like
Gotta be green
Gotta be mean
Gotta be everything more
Why don’t you like me
Why don’t you like me
Walk out the door!

Enjoy!

Money is flôs فلوس in Darija. Folôs فلوس is also used in MSA, or its synonme noqôd نقود. That’s also folôs فلوس in Egypt. In Syria and Lebanon, money is maSârî مصاري or miSriyyât مصريات. A Lebanese singer named himself Massari… This cracks me up!

There is a funny/sad Moroccan saying: “llî mâ 3ndo lflôs, klâmô mssôs“

اللي ما عندو لفلوس، كلامو مسوس = He who doesn’t have money, his speech is sugarless/saltless (insipid). The fun part is the words’ use. And the sad part is that according to this saying, if you don’t have money, then whatever you say/think wouldn’t matter that much to others.

Talking about money, I found an interesting website with a gallery containing photos of old Moroccan banknotes since 1948. All of them are of course bilingual, but the Arabic calligraphy style changed starting from the independance’ year.
Until 1955, it was all about Francs. The Dirham was reintroduced in 1960 (it was created in 1882), although the Franc was still circulating. Nowadays, Moroccans still calculate in Francs, although they were replaced by centimes very long ago.
The logic goes like: 10 dh = 1000 Francs = 1000 centimes = 200 Ryal.
When a merchant in the market replies using Francs to the famous question: “bsh7âl hâdâ“ بشحال هادا؟ (how much does this cost), it takes me a few seconds to convert to Dirhams. It just messes up my mind.

Does anyone of you have some of the old Moroccan banknotes and coins?