Toute vérité n’est pas bonne à dire

My name is Nora Zrika. In Arabic, it means blue daylight. At least that’s what I’ve been told. I was born in Luxembourg and learned to write in German. My mother is French-Luxembourgish, a non-practising Catholic. My French ancestor signed the treaty arresting Louis XVI. Yet in France, all they see in me is a “beurette”. My father is Moroccan, Arab-Berber, a non-practising Muslim. He doesn’t speak Berber very well. In Luxembourg, people think my hair is funny. I don’t really laugh when I have to detangle it. In Foukara, Casablanca, Morocco, my grandparents’ neighbourhood, I am many things, but not necessarily Moroccan.