Posts Tagged ‘Tarodaunt’

The Other Agadir, Traditions of Berber Granaries, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Saturday, November 29th, 2014
Berber Granary, Agadir Region

Berber Granary, Agadir Region

Morocco is such a melting pot of cultures and identities. The Berbers (or Amazigh; plural: Imazighen, meaning “free men”) were Morocco’s indigenous peoples, settled in the north-western corner of Africa across modern-day Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria and beyond, long before the arrival of Arabs from the East in the 7th century.

The beach resort city of Agadir – known for its golden sands and luxurious beachfront resorts – is also the capital of the Souss-Massa-Draa region. As such it is a bustling hub for traders and farmers of the region as well as tourists. Traveling inland from Agadir, the road towards Taroudant and the Anti Atlas mountains traverses the fertile flood plains of the Souss and Massa rivers. This area is one of Morocco’s prime agricultural regions. Protected by the Anti Atlas Mountains from the harsh climate of the Sahara, and fed each spring by melt water, these plains are one of Morocco’s main breadbaskets.

This is not to say that life is not harsh for the sedentary agriculturalists of the Souss and the Anti Atlas. For centuries, these regions have been the source of large migratory flows to Moroccan and European cities as young men sought to better their circumstances.

Given the precarity of life, the irregularity of the rains, and the risk of attack, the local Chleuh Berbers developed a means to store their wealth – most often in the form of cereals but also important legal documents and gold or silver brought up through the Sahara and perhaps offered as a dowry.

Communal granaries – often fortified – were constructed in pisé (rammed mud) in hilltop villages to store such items. Made from the local earth, an agadir (as they are known in the local Berber Dialect, Tashelhiyt – the plural is igoudar) is an organic structure and often visually almost indivisible from the local environment. Inside, each tribe or family would have their own compartment, locked with an elaborate wooden or metal key. Compartments were stacked on top of each other, some requiring a wooden ladder to gain access. Villages were often inhabited by just a handful of families, so there was a collective motivation for the protection of the agadir and a guardian would be appointed.

Barley could be stored for up to 25 years. Almonds could last up to 20, and argan nuts – oil-yielding nuts indigenous to the area – for up to 30 years. Honey, ghee and oil stored in terracotta or glass jars would also last several years.

The agadir was also a means of defence. Tribesmen would store their arms inside and women, children and even livestock could seek protection in the agadir’s central courtyard in times of siege. In peaceful times, strategically placed igoudar could profit from passing camel trains as places of shelter and trade. Some agadir featured communal services such as a small mosque, a council chamber or a blacksmith and so are seen as an early form of urbanisation of the Berbers. In this way, over time the agadir mutated into the ksar (castle, the Berber word for which is agherm).

The routes between the main Anti-Atlas cities of Taroudant, Tafraoute, Tata and Tiznit make great road trips – each is different and fascinating in its own way. This area, however, is also prime agadir-spotting territory. A few have been restored, some are even signposted. But for the most part, these structures are hidden, neglected and sometimes even in ruins. A local guide can locate them and find the key-holder. Villagers are often pleased that outsiders express an interest in their indigenous culture. The area around Igherm (a key crossroads between Tata or Tafraoute and Tardoudant) is particularly rich in this aspect of Berber built heritage, but the igoudar are often hard to find and may require a 4-wheel drive vehicle for access. Depending on your itinerary, your Travel Exploration driver and guide could take you to the agadir of Anammet (near Igherm), Dou Tgadir (off the P1723 road) or Taguent (along the same road). On the Igherm-Tafraoute road (the R106), you can find igoudar at Issouka and Amane n Tazart.

Kasbah Tizourgane (on the Ait Baha alternative route between Taroudant and Tafraoute) is easily accessible. Situated on a hill in a low plain, this fortified village is being sensitively restored by descendents of the original three families who lived here. Using heritage funding and income from the on-site guest house, the communal areas such as the mosque and agadir are slowly being restored to give visitors a real insight into kasbah life.

Door to Berber Granary, Sidi Moussa Ait Bougumez

Door to Berber Granary, Sidi Moussa Ait Bougumez

Many of the communal granaries have spiritual or religious connections. In the Ait Bouguemez Valley – further north in the High Atlas Mountains – the granary on a pyramid-shaped hill overlooking the valley marks the site of a former Jewish pilgrimage to the saint, Sidi Moussa. In the typical way that pre-Islamic beliefs permeate modern religious practices, the granary is said to offer fertility benefits to female visitors. The agadir is easy to reach and the guardian is happy to show visitors around the small museum to local mountain life inside.

If your itinerary in Morocco does not allow for an exploration of the igoudar in situ, the museums in Agadir (Museum Municipal du Patrimoine Amazigh) and Marrakech (the Berber Museum in the Majorelle Gardens) offer a great opportunity for an insight into Berber life. The museum in Agadir in particular has excellent exhibits of agadir keys plus jewelry and family documents found in igoudar, such as 18th and 19th century marriage certificates and wills. These were carved in wood or written on paper scrolls stored inside bamboo canes or leather pouches. The interesting aspect of these texts is that they are written in the local Berber dialect, Tashelhiyt, but using Arabic script (the Berber script being a modern invention).

So, the word agadir means both fortress and collective storage. If you visit the modern city of Agadir the evidence of its former fortress and Kasbah are long gone, destroyed by the earthquake of 1960, but you may have the opportunity to visit the original kind of agadir in its culturally rich Souss and Anti Atlas hinterland.

Written by Lynn Sheppard 

Lynn Sheppard has lived in Essaouira, on Morocco’s Atlantic Coast for more than 2 years, supporting local non-profits, writing and becoming an expert on all things Swiri (ie. Essaouiran). She blogs at Maroc-phile.com and for other travel industry clients. You can contact Lynn at: lynn@maroc-o-phile.com

For more information about a Tour to Agadir or Berber Granaries 

Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.  We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Taroudant, Mini-Marrakech & Walled Berber City, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Thursday, April 11th, 2013

Tarodaunt Walled City

If you want a relaxing stay in an authentic walled Berber town look no further than the medieval town of Taroudant. It lies beside the High Atlas mountains in the Sous Valley in the southern part of Morocco and it has retained its authentic Berber character and roots. Taroudant is well placed as a base for exploring the region  to the east of  Agadir  and its beaches, it is on the road to Ouarzazate and the Sahara desert and adrive over the dramatic Tizi n’Test pass to Marrakech.

It is said to resemble a smaller version of Marrakech with its walls and ramparts surrounding the city. For a very short time Tarodaunt was indeed the capital of the Saadian dynasty  used as a base for attacking the Portuguese in Agadir. The Saadians then moved to Marrakech. Taroudant saw its golden age during the reign of Mohammed ash-Sheikh who constructed the city walls and built the great mosque and its minaret in 1528. Taroudant unlike the imperial cities of Fes, Marrakech and Meknes does not have a ville nouvelle, a modern part of town, which greatly adds to its authentic ancient atmosphere and charm. It has a population of around 70,000 but retains its small market town character.

Taroudant remains a traditional Berber fortified  town enclosed by its ramparts which are the best preserved in Morocco, nearly 6 kilometres long with bastions and nine gates that still remain intact. A perfect way to see the town walls is to take a horse drawn caleche or hire a bicycle. It was an important staging and trading post on the ancient camel trading route and there is still a small tannery outside the ramparts selling products made from camel hide such as leather bags,sandals and belts. The town is well known for its quality leather products.

Its souks are welcoming and relaxed and excellent value for discerning shoppers, especially for local crafts and Berber and Tuareg jewellery, for which it is renowned. Prices here are significantly less than in the big cities like Marrakec and Fes. There are souks near each of the two main squares, Assarag and Talmoklate.

There is also a weekly souk outside the city walls, near the new university district. Taroudant has always benefited from the diverse agricultural produce from the Souss  and remains a local market town  .The Berber market, called Jnane al-Jaami, sells spices and dried fruits but mostly clothes and household goods. The Arab souk, however, specialises in handicrafts such as terracotta, wrought iron, pottery, brass and copper, leather and carpets, rugs and jewellery. It is a place to gain a real insight into Morocco’s everyday culture and environment.

It has a very equitable climate in winter and in summer it is cooled by the current from the Canaries. It is therefore no surprise that Taroudant is home to some of the best hotels in the south of Morocco; they include the the exclusive haunt of the rich and famous, the Hotel Gazelle D’Or, which began as hunting lodge for a French baron in the 1920’s and was converted into a hotel after the  Second World War, it has superb grounds. Other well known hotels include the Dar Zitoun and the Hotel Palais Salam and there is a full range of hotel accommodation in town. The Riad al Hossoun also comes highly recommended and has a superb garden and views of the Atlas Mountains.

Activities outside Taroudant include visiting Berber villages in the foot hills of the High Atlas and Anti Atlas mountains and the Oases and experiencing the wild life and birds in the Souss Massa National Park The village of Tioute 36 kms from Taroudant has a Kasbah on a hill which has been partly converted into a restaurant area with a pool which is alluring in the summer heat. The ancient fortified village of Freija is 11 km from Taroudant also has a Kasbah, now the Riad Freija.

For More Information on a Tarodaunt Tour 

Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate
Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Tarodaunt Tour From Agadir, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Monday, July 23rd, 2012

Tarodaunt Walled City

Taroudant is a Moroccan city located in the Sous Valley in the southern part of the country. It is situated east from Agadir on the road to Ouarzazate and south from Marrakech. Tarodaunt can be easily visited as a day tour  from Agadir. Tarodaunt is called the “Grandmother of Marrakech” because it is a scaled down, slowed down town that resembles Marakech with its orange colored surrounding ramparts. Since Agadir is only one hour from  Tarodaunt a Tarodaunt Tour is the perfect way to spend an afternoon when arriving from a cruise ship at the Agadir Port.

Tarodaunt Souk

Tarodaunt has the feel of a small fortified market town on a caravan route and is known for its local crafts like like jewelry and carpet. On a Tarodaunt Tour from Agadir the city can be explored fully as a result of it’s intimate size. Unlike Marrakech, Taroudant contains almost the whole city within its ancient walls. Recently, however, a new area is being developed outside the city walls around the huge campus of a faculty of the Ibn Zohr university of Agadir.  Tarodaunt was occupied by the Almoravides in 1506. On a Tour of Tarodaunt you can explore the sites and sounds of this charming old city.

 Tarodaunt Tour from Agadir – Day Trip Itinerary

► Pick up at your Hotel or the Port in Agadir.

► By the roadside you will see Argan Trees, with their gnarled and twisted trunks. This tree is typical of south-west Morocco and produces nuts that are the source of a rich and tasty oil.

►See goats clambering along the knotted tree trunks and branches to feed on the leaves and fruit, and your vehicle will stop to let you take photos. Continue on to the beautiful walled city of Taroudant, former capital of the Saadian dynasty. Stop for photographs by the ramparts and then visit the Jnane Soussia restaurant for a refreshing cup of mint tea or a glass of soda.

► Visit an Argan Cooperative whereby you can see how Argan nuts, oil and butter are made from the Argan Tree.

► Afterwards explore the medina (the maze of narrow streets near the town center) and visit the excellent souks. The Berber market in Taroudant sells vegetables and spices and also clothes and household goods, while the Arab souk specializes in handicrafts such as terracotta, wrought iron, pottery, brass and copper, leather, carpets and rugs, and jewellery

►Visit the ancient walls of Tarodaunt that extend around the entire city and Place al Alouvine which is a large, central square and the heart of the medina. It plays host to a mini Djemaa El Fna most evenings. Storytellers and musicians are there.

►Have lunch at a charming cafe in the old city or at the Riad Zitoune restaurant with an interior palmary and gardens or Restaurant La Valla. If time allows stop in a Berber Village just outside of Tarodaunt for tea with a Berber family.

► Return to your Hotel or the Port in Agadir.

For more information about a Tarodaunt  Tours

For More Information About Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate
Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

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