The Ait Ouriaghel (also written as ''Ayt Waryaɣar'' or ''Ayt Uryaɣal'' in

Tarifit Tmazight or Tarifit Berber, also known as Riffian ( rif, Tmaziɣt , ) is a Zenati Berber language spoken in the Rif region in northern Morocco. It is spoken natively by some 1,271,000 Rifians primarily in the Rif provinces of Al Hoceima, Nad ...

) is one of the biggest Riffian

tribes The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in part due to confli ...

of the

Rif The Rif or Riff (, ), also called Rif Mountains, is a geographic region in northern Morocco. This mountainous and fertile area is bordered by Cape Spartel and Tangier to the west, by Berkane and the Moulouya River to the east, by the Mediterrane ...

region of the north-eastern part of

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to A ...

and one of the most populous. Ait Waryagher means "those who do not back off/ those who do not retreat". They inhabit most of the territory around the city of

Al Hoceima Al Hoceima ( ber, translit=Lḥusima, label= Riffian-Berber, ⵍⵃⵓⵙⵉⵎⴰ; ar, الحسيمة; '' es, Alhucemas'') is a Riffian city in the north of Morocco, on the northern edge of the Rif Mountains and on the Mediterranean coast. It ...

. The Ayt Waryaghar speak the "Western-Tarifit" dialect of the

Riffian language Tmazight or Tarifit Berber, also known as Riffian ( rif, Tmaziɣt , ) is a Zenati Berber language spoken in the Rif region in northern Morocco. It is spoken natively by some 1,271,000 Rifians primarily in the Rif provinces of Al Hoceima, Nad ...

. The Ait Waryaɣar were the main group which participated in the Rif wars (see

Republic of the Rif The Republic of the Rif ( Tarifit: ''Tagduda n Arrif'', ''Jumhūriyya ar-Rīf''), unofficially The Confederal Republic of the Tribes of the Rif, also recorded as the Riff, was a short-lived republic in northern Morocco that existed between 19 ...

) against the

Spanish Protectorate in Morocco The Spanish protectorate in Morocco ; es, Protectorado español de Marruecos, links=no, was established on 27 November 1912 by a treaty between France and Spain that converted the Spanish sphere of influence in Morocco into a formal prote ...

at the beginning of 20th century. The

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

authorities considered it the nucleus of ''insumisión'' to the colonial authority in the Eastern zone of the protectorate (see

Battle of Annual The Battle of Annual was fought on 22 July 1921 at Annual, in northeastern Morocco, between the Spanish Army and Rifian Berbers during the Rif War. The Spanish suffered a major military defeat, which is almost always referred to by the Spanish ...

). During the Rif War of 1921-1926, the leadership of the Ait Waryaghar was concentrated in the Al-Khattabi family and, in particular, in Muhammad bin Abd el-Krim al-Khattabi. Its centre was the small locality of

Ajdir Ajdir ( Berber: ⴰⵊⴷⵉⵔ) is a small town in northern Morocco, on the Mediterranean coast, near Al Hoceima. It was the capital of the Republic of the Rif from 1922-1925 under the leadership of Abd el-Krim (d.1963) who born there in 1880. ...

in the bay of

. Muhammad bin Abd el-Krim al-Khattabi made an alliance with the tribesmen of the

Ait Touzine Ait Touzine (Variant forms Beni Touzine, Ayt Tuzin and Beni Tuzin) is one of the biggest Riffian tribes from the central Rif region in Morocco. The name Ait Touzine in its Berber original form is 'Ait Uzgn' meaning "The Children of the Half" p ...

tribe to stop the Spaniards at the

Nekor Nekor (Berber language: N'kor; ) is a historic site in the Rif region of Morocco near modern-day Bni Bouayach. It was founded by Idris ibn Salih, Emir of the medieval Kingdom of Nekor, between 749 and 761 AD. His son Sa'id I ibn Idris moved the ...

river in Temsamane.

History

Before modern times, few information was available concerning the tribe. Mr. Abd-el-krim Al Khattabi, leader of the confederation of the united tribes of the rif during the colonisation, was born in this tribe in the town of Ajdir. In account of the tribe, the Spanish military army has overgone its hardest defeat during the Anoual battle, causing the death of more than thousands people. The Ait Ouriaghel/Aït Wayagher tribe was the biggest and the more powerful one of the Rif. In 1958, during the Rif uprising asking for better living conditions, better health care and paved roads , the Ait Ouriaghel tribe has rebelled and was severely punished by the Morocco King Hassan II who sent the army to the Rif and ordered them to massacre as much as possible riffians. Since 1950s, the Al Hoceima province in which belongs the Ait Ouriaghel, have supplied an important continguent of emigrante worker for the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Spain as well as the town of Tanger.

Khmas system

The Ait Waryaghar are with the Ikeräiyen the only Riffian tribes that make use of the Khmas system. A khams (singular for Khmas) is a sort of independent tribe inside a tribe, with their own qaid (tribe-leader). These are the five Khmas of the Ait Waryaghar: * Khams of the Ait Youssef Ou Ali * Khams of the Ait Bouayach * Khams of the

Imrabten Imrabten is a small town and rural commune in Al Hoceïma Province of the Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate ( Berber: ⵜⴰⵣⴰ ⵜⴰⵖⵣⵓⵜ ⵜⴰⵡⵏⴰⵜ, ar, تازة الحسيمة تاونات) was formerly ...

* Khams of the Ait Abdallah * Khams of the Ait Hadifa After the independence of Morocco in 1956 there was a national board regime implemented, while the previously applicable khmas system became discontinued.

Geography

The tribe of the Ait Waryaghar covers a large area in the center of the

. The Ait Waryaghar borders on the following tribes: *western:

Targuist Targuist (Tarifit: Targist, ⵜⴰⵔⴳⵉⵙⵜ; Arabic: تارجيست) is a town in Al Hoceïma Province, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghre ...

Ait Mezdoui An ait (, like ''eight'') or eyot () is a small island. It is especially used to refer to river islands found on the River Thames and its tributaries in England. Aits are typically formed by the deposit of sediment in the water, which ac ...

and

Ait Itteft An ait (, like ''eight'') or eyot () is a small island. It is especially used to refer to river islands found on the River Thames and its tributaries in England. Aits are typically formed by the deposit of sediment in the water, which ac ...

. *eastern: Temsaman and

Ait Touzin An ait (, like ''eight'') or eyot () is a small island. It is especially used to refer to river islands found on the River Thames and its tributaries in England. Aits are typically formed by the deposit of sediment in the water, which ac ...

. *northern: Ibaqoyen. *southern: Igzennayen and

Ait Ammart An ait (, like ''eight'') or eyot () is a small island. It is especially used to refer to river islands found on the River Thames and its tributaries in England. Aits are typically formed by the deposit of sediment in the water, which ac ...

. These are the cities that belong to the tribe of the Ait Waryaghar: *

(107.000 residents), southern part of this city is situated on Ait Waryagher territory. *

Imzouren Imzouren (Tarifit: Imzuạn, ⵉⵎⵣⵓⴰⵏ; ar, إمزورن) is a town in the north of Morocco and has an approximate population of 30,000 people. Imzouren is in the Rif mountains, near the city Al Hoceima and has nearly grown to the vill ...

(28.000 residents) * Ait Bouayach (17.000 residents) *

(3500 residents) * beni Hadifa (3000 residents) *

Tamassint Tamassint is a village in Al Hoceïma Province, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima ( ar, طنجة - تطوان - الحسيمة, ṭanja - tiṭwān - al-ḥusayma; ber, ⵟⴰⵏⵊⴰ ⵜⵉⵟⵡⴰⵏ ⵍⵃⵓⵙⵉⵎⴰ ...

(1800 residents)

Famous people from the Ait Wayagher

* Abd el-Krim, military leader and president of the anti-colonial

Rif Republic The Republic of the Rif ( Tarifit: ''Tagduda n Arrif'', ''Jumhūriyya ar-Rīf''), unofficially The Confederal Republic of the Tribes of the Rif, also recorded as the Riff, was a short-lived republic in northern Morocco that existed between 19 ...

* Ali Lamrabet, award-winning journalist and magazine editor currently banned in Morocco. *

Jamal Ben Saddik Jamal Ben Saddik (; born October 3, 1990) is a Belgian-Moroccan professional kickboxer. He is a former two-time Glory Heavyweight Championship challenger and 2018 Glory Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament winner. Combat Press ranked him as a top ...

, Belgian-born Moroccan kickboxer * Nasser Zefzafi, Political activist who was sentenced to 20 years in prison * Omar Khattabi, surgeon and political leader tortured during the 1970s. * Mohammed Ziane, Politician and lawyer. *

Nordin Amrabat Noureddine "Nordin" Amrabat ( ar, نورالدين أمرابط, ber, ⵏⵓⵓⵔⴷⴷⵉⵏ ⴰⵎⵔⴰⴱⴰⵜ; born 31 March 1987) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for Greek Super League club AEK Athens. Amrabat played ...

, Dutch-born Moroccan football player * Mohamed Mrabet, storyteller * Abdelkader Ouaraghli, former international goalkeeper * Ibrahim Affelay, Dutch-born Moroccan football player *

Mounir El Hamdaoui Mounir El Hamdaoui ( ar, منير الحمداوي; born 14 July 1984) is a former professional footballer who played as a forward. Born in the Netherlands, he represented Morocco internationally. He played for clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur, ...

, Dutch-born Moroccan football player *

Saïd Boutahar Saïd Boutahar (born 12 August 1982) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He made one appearance each for the Netherlands U18 national team. Club career Born in Rotterdam, Boutahar played alongside the likes of ...

, Dutch-born Moroccan football player

External links

Waryaghar information bank

Bibliography

* David Montgomery Hart, The Aith Waryaghar of the Moroccan Rif (Tucson, Arizona, 1976) {{Franco-Spanish conquest of Morocco Berbers in Morocco Berber peoples and tribes Moroccan tribes Rif