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The Mehdia Casbah A memory that lingers in time

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The Mehdia Casbah A memory that lingers in time

The Mehdia Casbah is a timeless reminder of the glorious past of the western Gharb region. Situated by Lake Sidi Boughaba, 8 km west of Kénitra and 32 km north of Rabat, on a rocky hill on the left bank of the Sebou River estuary, the Mehdia Casbah has a spectacular vista ever mavelous countryside.

The Mehdia Casbah, which was decreed part of the national patrimony in 1916, is an important element in the abundant archeo: logical and natural attractions that make the region a leading destination for cultural tourism. The Gharb region has everything: pre-Islamic sites (Tamusida, Banasa, Brigha, and of course, the Mehdia Casbah); tsïamic attractions (including El Basrah and Ouazzane); superb naturel reserves (the Sidi Boughaba Reserve and Lake Merja zarqa); and remarkable reminders of the colonial period (especially Kénitra).
Historians suggest that the Phoenicians first explored the mouth of the Sebou River, and geographers place the Casbah on the site of the city of Thymiaterion, founded by King Hanno of Carthage during his famous voyage.

However attractive these theories may be, however, there is no tangible evidence to support either. Moreover, in « Natural History, » pliny wrote of the sebou River which flowed near Banasa without mentioning any other nearby cities. There are also no traces of Roman settlements at the site because the Romans had commercial trading relations with cities like Tamusida and Banasa that were on the Sebou River and did not bother exploiting the estuary.
The Casbah, or AI Maamora as described by Charif Idrissi in « Nouz’hat al mouchtaq fi khtiraq al afaq, » proved a safe harbor for naval shipyards during the period of Abdelmoumen Ben Ali Almoravide. In « wasf Ifriquia, » Mohamed Ben Hassan Ouazzane descrlbed it as a small city built at the mouth of the Sebou River to protect it from invaders.

In the beginning of the 16 th century, Maamora was occupied by the Portuguese who renamed it « San loao da Mamora. » Their conquest only lasted 46 days because the Moroccans quickly regrouped and counter attacked, inflicting heavy losses on the invaders as they drove them out.
Although they occupied the port of Maamora, the Portuguese never achieved their principal objective of building a fortress because of the ferocious resistance from local Moroccan fighters. We are still unsure of the exact location and architecture of any buildings the ëortuguese did construct in spite of numerous foundations that oral tradition attributes to these invaders. Although these ruins are found at the foot of the hill on which the Casbah Mehdia is perched, there is still no evidence of Portuguese activity in the actual Casbah itself.

THE « CORSAIR REPUBLIC OF MAAMORA »

After the Portuguese were repulsed, the port of Maamora witnessed a period of decline that was reversed only with the arrival of pirates from different countries, namely England and Holland. During the 17 th century, the port became infamous among seafaring nations. under the rule of Captain Henry Mainwaring it even renamed itself the « Corsair Republic of Maamora. »
As their notorious activities expanded, the pirates wreaked such havoc on the maritime trade routes to lndia that the large European powers decided to take punitive action against them. The Netherlands Parliament; among others, enlisted the help of the Moroccans under regime of Moulay Zidane to try to neutralize them, finally, the Spanish sent a large military expedition to occupy Maamora and they succeeded on taking the port on August 6, 1614. Under the Spanish occupation, the region changed its name to « San Miguel Ultramar » (Saint Michael overseas). We are certain that the Casbah situated on top of the hill was built during this Spanish conquest. The large walls surrounding the Casbah and most of the interior buildings were constructed during the reign of Moulay Ismael.
The Spanish occupation lasted 67 years, during which period there were continuous attempts to expel the invaders. The resistance was led either by the followers of layachi, who founded of the principality of Salé, the Mauresques of Salé, or the dilayines. Victory was finally achieved under Moulay Ismael, the great Alaouite Sultan who entrusted Omar Riffi with the military operation.
Under the reign of Moulay Ismael, the Casbah took on the shape and colour of traditional Alaouite casbahs. The walls were entirely reconstructed and a great number of public buildings were completed. The remnants of these important works are still visible today, notably:
- dar El Makhzen, the military headquarters of Omar Riffi. The eastern section bas entrance halls, galleries, shops, ammunition storage, a prison, and wells with water storage;

The western part of his compound that served as a sumptuous living quarters built in the traditional Alaouite style;

- The masque, the baths, a school, a public building in which many rooms were used to stock merchandise,
and a small market near that building where traders exchanged goods either imported from or destined for Morocco’s international trading partners,

- The West Gate, which is among the most beautiful found in western Islamic countries, It was built to take pressure off the Fes-Salé Bridge that was the eastern entrance to the Casbah. The original eastern access faced inland while this West Gate, which was built during the Spanish era, looks out to the sea.

At the same time, Moulay Ismael also improved the facilities at the port of Mehdia. The increase of sea trade further amplified the Casbah’s importance and both its population and number of buildings dramatically increased.

Suddenly, in 1795, the Casbah’s prosperity dried up as Moulay Slirnane closed the port as a pre-emptive measure to keep out foreign countries that wanted to add Morocco to their expanding empires.

At the beginning of the 20 th century, French forces occupied the Casbah and evicted all its inhabitants who took refuge in the eastern section nearby the Casbah. It was this area that observed American troops landing on African shores on November 8, 1942.

After the French left; the Casbah became a tourist destination that still conjures up a long and fascinating past in spite of extensive damage to many of its buildings. Fortunately, the mosque has survived intact and is stilt used for daily prayers.

As visitors walk through the Casbah today, they understand why researchers accord this site a major importance in Moroccan history in particular and European history in general. The Casbah was one of the earliest combatants in the struggle to defend the country, and she can assure that Morocco takes her rightful place among the great nations who have the power to regulate international relations, especially in maritime affairs.

A visit stirs one to imagine the Casbah’s tumultuous history, a past that knew periods of prosperity and decline, and a history that witnessed the waves of inhabitants who filled its watts to the brim and then left it abandoned. Even though the Casbah Mehdia is still an almost inaccessible citadel that has suffered from time and neglect, a visitor will still be charmed by her unique architecture and spectacular views. The Kasbah is close to Media’s sparkling beaches, which are the happy playgrounds of summer fun seekers and a favorite fishing spot alt year long. Moreover, no visitor will want to miss the impressive lake Side Brouhaha and the nearby forest reserve that glues refuge to migrating birds during their north-south voyage .

Imilchil festival – Wedding engagements

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The moussem of wedding engagements at Imilchil is one of the finest popular gatherings in Morocco, at 2500 metres altitude, in a high valley of the Atlas mountains. It is in this region of wild and tranquil beauty, a few kilometres from the village of Imilchil, a name that rings like three notes of music, that takes place each year in the middle of September, the great festival that gathers’ together the peoples of the province of Errachidia, and in particular the Ait Haddidou tribe.

Access to the moussem is not easy, along a dirt-track, but the beauty of the scenery with autumnal shades of beige and green melding together, the feeling of having reached the end of the world in this valley cradled by legends, the very theme of the fes¬tival, are enough to make this moussem an important event.

The Imilchil engagements festivities bear witness to Morocco’s intense and living folklore which has been passed on from genera¬tion to generation and which is one of the nanon’s finest riches. Indeed, what can be more authentic than this survivor of a culture over a thousand years old, where people sing about love and the end of the summer, as if celebrating an ancient pagan feast ?However, the great festival takes place in a holy place, around the marabout (shrine) to Sidi Ahmed Quld Mrhani.

Young men and women are free to mix here with a view to getting engaged: this is the whole point of the festival. It is important to know that matrimonial laws are not strict in this region, and that a woman can get divorced several times and’ remarry. Divorcees or widows, free of wear a conical hair-style which distinguishe~ them from young girls.

The men wear wool « burno” and the women the « handira » sort of rectangular cape, with wide stripes, worn over a lighter tu Right It the beginning of festivities,the young women colourfully made up like flow with beautiful stylized drawings their cheeks or forehead. special art is carried out natural colours. The result unusual and oerfectly lovely .

During the moussem it surprising to see men and women mixing together freely, yet with certain reserve as they get to know each other in public, before going to seal their union before « adoul (notary) which will lead to marriage. The couples hold hands and the looks they exchange the discussions they have both lively and langorous, are full hope for their future together ..

The Agdoul is the special place for future fiancés to meet. For young girls, the procedure is a little different: Contacts have been made between families long before. indeed, all sorts of things have to be organised, in particular the dowry {between 1500 and 3000 dirhams) which firms up the alliance between the families. The i signing of the contract will take plaçe at the Agdoul where the notary sits throughout the moussem.

Seated at a table in the open air, he writes the names on a register wile the fiancés show their agreement by placing their right hand one on top of the other. In this way, couples who are ready to become engaged or who have decided to do so may sign their ,marriage contract on the spot at the moussem : this is the peculiarity of is great gathering.

. Besides, the moussem at Imilchil is also a mountain fair where people living in the surrounding area come it to sell or buy. A whole village of tents neatly lined up is formed for a few days. Each street, thus demarcated, has its own particular function just as in the ‘medinas’ : here the restaurants, there sellers of carpets and material.further on the barbers. elsewhere the handicraftsmen.

Around the moussem lies the cattle souk where people come to look at the animals before buying. There are endless comings and goings between the moussem and neighbouring villages. Lorries comme all the way down the deep-rutted dirt-track , spilling out men and goods. Thus, for several days a roaring trade is carried on during the festival of engagements.

For the tourist. both Moroccan or foreign, this is a chance to collect unforgettable memories of one of the finest mousse ms in the Atlas. It is also the time to buy beautiful Moroccan handicrafts, made by the Aït Haddidou tribe. lndeed, the finly embroidered woof-blankets or the carpets offer an extremely interesting variety of colours and designs and it is unusual to see such a varied market, as the mountain- dwellers have come from afar to sell their handiwork.

For the past ten years or excursions ta the moussem ha’ been organised by tour-operators but the moussem has maintained authenticity even if, here and there a few cameras are pointed at tl fiancés.

Each year. the Imilchil moussem concluded with an official event assembling men and women who perform the famous Aït Haddidl dance. First the men beat their drums in. rhythm, raising their voices in a song which is both wail and a call resounding right from the cradle of time. This is t prelude to a « Ahldous », the dance everyone has been waiting for close the festival in• this late summer. The dancers, men al women huddled together shoulders to shoulder, gradually come to life swaying tneir whole bodies then bending their knees in rhythm, their heads held solmnly high. The rhythm finally ends. to be taken up again by another troupe.

The dances and songs are thus repeated for hours on end, but it the final show that is certainly the finnest, for it assembles the young men and women who have just become engaged and they sing together a grand jubilant hymn to life.

Soon, all that will remain of t moussem in the mountains will remain of the moussem in the mountains the memory. Nevertheless, up above, a few kilometres away, two lakes bear witness to the ancient legend which so they say changed two fiancés into the large stretches of water that a beautiful as love and which bear the name of Tislit an Isli ..