Ait Atta
Encyclopedia
The Ait Atta are a large Berber tribal confederation of North eastern Morocco
, estimated to number about 130,000 as of 1960. They are divided into "five fifths" (khams khmas), all said to descend from the forty sons of their common ancestor Dadda Atta: these "fifths" are the Ait Ouallal, Ait Ouahlim, Ait Isfoul, Ait Yazza and Ait Ounbgi. They speak Central Atlas Tamazight.
The Ait Atta originated as a political entity in the Jbel Saghro region in the 16th century with the founding of their traditional capital Igherm Amazdar. They subsequently expanded first northwards, becoming rivals of the Ait Yafelman
, then southwards, taking control of oases in Tafilalt
and the Draa River
. By the 19th century their raids went as far as Touat in modern-day Algeria
. They resisted the French entry into Morocco until 1933.
At each tribal level, the head was traditionally elected according to the principles of rotation and complementarity: each lineage took turns to occupy the position, but when it was a particular lineage's turn to hold the office, only members of other lineages could choose the candidate. In ordinary circumstances, power traditionally rested mainly with local councils of family heads, the ajmu`, who decided cases according to customary law, izerf. In the oases they conquered, the Ait Atta originally dominated a stratified society, where the haratin
who worked the land were often forbidden from owning it, and needed a protection agreement with an Ait Atta patron; this stratification has considerably receded since Moroccan independence with the establishment of legal equality.
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...
, estimated to number about 130,000 as of 1960. They are divided into "five fifths" (khams khmas), all said to descend from the forty sons of their common ancestor Dadda Atta: these "fifths" are the Ait Ouallal, Ait Ouahlim, Ait Isfoul, Ait Yazza and Ait Ounbgi. They speak Central Atlas Tamazight.
The Ait Atta originated as a political entity in the Jbel Saghro region in the 16th century with the founding of their traditional capital Igherm Amazdar. They subsequently expanded first northwards, becoming rivals of the Ait Yafelman
Ait Yafelman
The Ait Yafelman are a large Berber tribal confederation of the eastern High Atlas of Morocco, with their capital at Imilchil. They consist of four tribes: Ait Morghad, Ait Haddidou, Ait Izdeg and Ait Yahia. These tribes created the alliance in the 17th century to counter the expansion of their...
, then southwards, taking control of oases in Tafilalt
Tafilalt
Tafilalt or Tafilet is a region and the most important oasis of the Moroccan Sahara; it is also considered one of the largest oases in the world, the oasis is entirely located along the Ziz River. The oasis is ten days' journey south of Fez, across the Atlas Mountains...
and the Draa River
Draa River
The Draa is Morocco's longest river . It is formed by the confluence of the Dadès River and Imini River. It flows from the High Atlas mountains south-ward to Tagounit and from Tagounit mostly westwards to the Atlantic Ocean somewhat north of Tan-Tan...
. By the 19th century their raids went as far as Touat in modern-day 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...
. They resisted the French entry into Morocco until 1933.
At each tribal level, the head was traditionally elected according to the principles of rotation and complementarity: each lineage took turns to occupy the position, but when it was a particular lineage's turn to hold the office, only members of other lineages could choose the candidate. In ordinary circumstances, power traditionally rested mainly with local councils of family heads, the ajmu`, who decided cases according to customary law, izerf. In the oases they conquered, the Ait Atta originally dominated a stratified society, where the haratin
Haratin
Haratin are oasis-dwellers in the Sahara, especially in southern Morocco and Mauritania, who make up a socially and ethnically distinct group of largely sedentary dark colored workers speaking either Berber or Arabic...
who worked the land were often forbidden from owning it, and needed a protection agreement with an Ait Atta patron; this stratification has considerably receded since Moroccan independence with the establishment of legal equality.