Figuig
Encyclopedia
Figuig - Ifiyey is a town in eastern Morocco
near the Atlas Mountains
, on the border with Algeria
.
The town is built around an oasis
of date palm
s, called Tazdayt in the Berber languages
, surrounded by rugged, mountainous wilderness. Modernisation has both raised the standard of living, and drawn much of the town's population away, so that it is now struggling to reach stability.
The town has a population of some 13,000.
): At-Wadday, At-Amar, At-Lamiz, At-Sliman, At-aNaj, At-Addi, Iznayen. A community territory is called an Agram (the word the Berber use to describe themselves in their tongue; plural Igramawan), usually made up of a fortified group of houses. Many Agrams are designed with defensive measures like watch-towers and heavy doors on the main entrances, which are closed at night, as well as a mazelike layout, called an Abrid, which makes navigation for the unwanted extremely difficult.
Homes, or Tidriwin, are extended by building rooms over the alleyways; these extensions are referred to as Askif. Houses are built mainly with soil, though palm trunks (tizidin) and leaf-heads (tikachba, taratta) are used in roof construction. The arrival of electricity, plumbing, and concrete construction has not essentially altered the nature of Aghram building. However, modern age buildings are being built more and more in the newly appointed area's at the edge of each "Agram".
s would exhibit merchandise like cooked butter (Udi), dried milk (Ibrassa), and sheep wool (Douft). However, due to lack of demand and western-influenced tastes, the plaza-markets have waned in both their variety and importance.
The akharbish education, often held near a mosque
, had already been replaced by modern French
schools since the establishment of the French
colonisation. This trend has only been strengthened by the advantages a Western French education is perceived to confer, and as a result, knowledge of the Berber language has suffered.
The original mainly spoken language is Tamazight
(a Berber language). Figuig's population are referred to as At-Ufiyyey in that language. Tamazight is spoken but not written in Figuig.
Wheat, or tasharza, is also an important product of the town. Its cultivation near the town assured a steady supply of the crucial grain which allowed for a higher quality of life
. In order to increase arrable land, many private farmers have constructed soil-filled stone terraces along the Jorf, a salt mountain nearby.
The Jorf is a sort of salt mountain about 1 kilometre long and 50 metres high. It is a nesting site of wild pigeons and bees, as well as scorpions and snakes, and is divided between several private landowners . The Jorf also serves to divide between the upper and lower portions of the town, and several thoroughfares connecting them run across it. The town's water-supply (aman) is drawn from its northern end, near the pass which serves as the main entrance to Figuig, and water can generally found there at the shallow depth of 10 metres.
The water is conducted from its source via underground channel
s (lakbawat) to lime and stone or cement cistern
s (sharij), from which farmers can utilise it at their convenience. The cisterns sometimes double as swimming hole
s to provide recreation for the local children.
, telegraphs, cellular network
s, digital satellite
programming, and even Broadband Internet access
, have made their way to Figuig. These developments have begun to bring the residents remaining in the town into close-contact with local culture, and the town has even seen the opening of several cafes.
A central bureaucracy, held-over from the French control, has supplanted the tribal structure as a center of Figuigs' administration.
Most people who are originally from Figuig and who live abroad visit Figuig every summer. The city becomes very crowded and teenagers enjoy going there because they meet with their friends and they spend a very good time. They go to swimming pools and biking as well as sightseeing.
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
near the Atlas Mountains
Atlas Mountains
The Atlas Mountains is a mountain range across a northern stretch of Africa extending about through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The highest peak is Toubkal, with an elevation of in southwestern Morocco. The Atlas ranges separate the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines from the Sahara Desert...
, on the border with Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
.
The town is built around an oasis
Oasis
In geography, an oasis or cienega is an isolated area of vegetation in a desert, typically surrounding a spring or similar water source...
of date palm
Date Palm
The date palm is a palm in the genus Phoenix, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. Although its place of origin is unknown because of long cultivation, it probably originated from lands around the Persian Gulf. It is a medium-sized plant, 15–25 m tall, growing singly or forming a clump with...
s, called Tazdayt in the Berber languages
Berber languages
The Berber languages are a family of languages indigenous to North Africa, spoken from Siwa Oasis in Egypt to Morocco , and south to the countries of the Sahara Desert...
, surrounded by rugged, mountainous wilderness. Modernisation has both raised the standard of living, and drawn much of the town's population away, so that it is now struggling to reach stability.
The town has a population of some 13,000.
Aghrem
Figuig consists of seven different communities (Ighermawen in AmazighSouth Oran Berber
South Oran and Figuig Berber is a Zenati Berber dialect group spoken in a number of oases of southwestern Algeria, as well as nearby ones in Morocco...
): At-Wadday, At-Amar, At-Lamiz, At-Sliman, At-aNaj, At-Addi, Iznayen. A community territory is called an Agram (the word the Berber use to describe themselves in their tongue; plural Igramawan), usually made up of a fortified group of houses. Many Agrams are designed with defensive measures like watch-towers and heavy doors on the main entrances, which are closed at night, as well as a mazelike layout, called an Abrid, which makes navigation for the unwanted extremely difficult.
Homes, or Tidriwin, are extended by building rooms over the alleyways; these extensions are referred to as Askif. Houses are built mainly with soil, though palm trunks (tizidin) and leaf-heads (tikachba, taratta) are used in roof construction. The arrival of electricity, plumbing, and concrete construction has not essentially altered the nature of Aghram building. However, modern age buildings are being built more and more in the newly appointed area's at the edge of each "Agram".
Culture
Aghrams are often centered around a plaza once used for communal gatherings and shopping. Arab nomadNomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
s would exhibit merchandise like cooked butter (Udi), dried milk (Ibrassa), and sheep wool (Douft). However, due to lack of demand and western-influenced tastes, the plaza-markets have waned in both their variety and importance.
The akharbish education, often held near a mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
, had already been replaced by modern French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
schools since the establishment of the French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
colonisation. This trend has only been strengthened by the advantages a Western French education is perceived to confer, and as a result, knowledge of the Berber language has suffered.
The original mainly spoken language is Tamazight
South Oran Berber
South Oran and Figuig Berber is a Zenati Berber dialect group spoken in a number of oases of southwestern Algeria, as well as nearby ones in Morocco...
(a Berber language). Figuig's population are referred to as At-Ufiyyey in that language. Tamazight is spoken but not written in Figuig.
Agriculture
The town was established next to an oasis of date palms, and dates, or tiyni, are by far its most important resource. Some hundreds of thousands of date palms are cultivated in the area, and their fruit has become Figuig's primary crop. In the 1960s and 1970s however, Figuig had lost countless date palms because of the Bayud disease.Wheat, or tasharza, is also an important product of the town. Its cultivation near the town assured a steady supply of the crucial grain which allowed for a higher quality of life
Quality of life
The term quality of life is used to evaluate the general well-being of individuals and societies. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, including the fields of international development, healthcare, and politics. Quality of life should not be confused with the concept of standard of...
. In order to increase arrable land, many private farmers have constructed soil-filled stone terraces along the Jorf, a salt mountain nearby.
The Jorf is a sort of salt mountain about 1 kilometre long and 50 metres high. It is a nesting site of wild pigeons and bees, as well as scorpions and snakes, and is divided between several private landowners . The Jorf also serves to divide between the upper and lower portions of the town, and several thoroughfares connecting them run across it. The town's water-supply (aman) is drawn from its northern end, near the pass which serves as the main entrance to Figuig, and water can generally found there at the shallow depth of 10 metres.
The water is conducted from its source via underground channel
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
s (lakbawat) to lime and stone or cement cistern
Cistern
A cistern is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. Cisterns are distinguished from wells by their waterproof linings...
s (sharij), from which farmers can utilise it at their convenience. The cisterns sometimes double as swimming hole
Swimming hole
A swimming hole is a place in a river, stream, creek, spring, or similar natural body of water, which is large enough and deep enough for a person to swim in...
s to provide recreation for the local children.
Modernisation
New technologies such as cement and steel construction, as well as electricity, gasLiquified petroleum gas
Liquefied petroleum gas is a flammable mixture of hydrocarbon gases used as a fuel in heating appliances and vehicles. It is increasingly used as an aerosol propellant and a refrigerant, replacing chlorofluorocarbons in an effort to reduce damage to the ozone layer...
, telegraphs, cellular network
Cellular network
A cellular network is a radio network distributed over land areas called cells, each served by at least one fixed-location transceiver known as a cell site or base station. When joined together these cells provide radio coverage over a wide geographic area...
s, digital satellite
Direct broadcast satellite
Direct broadcast satellite is a term used to refer to satellite television broadcasts intended for home reception.A designation broader than DBS would be direct-to-home signals, or DTH. This has initially distinguished the transmissions directly intended for home viewers from cable television...
programming, and even Broadband Internet access
Broadband Internet access
Broadband Internet access, often shortened to just "broadband", is a high data rate, low-latency connection to the Internet— typically contrasted with dial-up access using a 56 kbit/s modem or satellite Internet with inherently high latency....
, have made their way to Figuig. These developments have begun to bring the residents remaining in the town into close-contact with local culture, and the town has even seen the opening of several cafes.
A central bureaucracy, held-over from the French control, has supplanted the tribal structure as a center of Figuigs' administration.
Most people who are originally from Figuig and who live abroad visit Figuig every summer. The city becomes very crowded and teenagers enjoy going there because they meet with their friends and they spend a very good time. They go to swimming pools and biking as well as sightseeing.
