The Ait Waryaghar or Ait Ouriaghel (

Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–196 ...

: ⴰⵢⵜ ⵡⴰⵔⵢⴰⵖⴻⵔ) is one of the biggest Riffian

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

s of the

Rif The Rif (, ), also called Rif Mountains, is a geographic region in northern Morocco. It is bordered on the north by the Mediterranean Sea and Spain and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean, and is the homeland of the Rifians and the Jebala people ...

region of the north-eastern part of

Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...

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 () is a city in the north of Morocco, on the northern edge of the Rif Mountains and on the Mediterranean coast. It is the capital city of the Al Hoceima Province. The city is a known tourist destination despite its small size. It has ...

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

Riffian language Tarifit (, ; ), also known as Riffian is a Zenati Berber language spoken in the Rif region in northern Morocco. It is spoken natively by some 1,200,000 Riffians, comprising 3.2% of the population, primarily in the Rif provinces of Nador, A ...

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

Republic of the Rif The Republic of the Rif ( ''Jumhūriyyatu r-Rīf'') was a confederate republic in the Rif, Morocco, that existed between 1921 and 1926. It was created in September 1921, when a coalition of Riffians and Jebala led by Abd el-Krim revolted in ...

) against the

Spanish Protectorate in Morocco The Spanish protectorate in Morocco 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 protectorate. The Spanish protectorate consisted of a norther ...

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 countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

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, Morocco, Annual, in northeastern Morocco, between the Spanish Army and Rifians, Rifian Berbers during the Rif War. The Spanish suffered a major military defeat, which is almost always ref ...

). 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 (Arabic: أجدير) is a small town in Morocco near Al Hoceima. It was the capital of the Republic of the Rif from 1922-1926 under the leadership of Abd el-Krim (d.1963). The town lies in the territory of the Ait Waryagher tribe. See also ...

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 p. 36.) is one of the biggest Riffian tribes from the central Rif region in Morocco. History 13th century In the early 13th century, the Zenata Amazigh Marinids entered the Rif ...

tribe to stop the Spaniards at the Nekor 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 like other large Berber tribes in Morocco were traditionally segmented into ''khams khmas'' ("five fifths"): Khoms I: * Ait Yusif w-'Ari ** Ait Ughir Izan * Ait 'Ari ** Isrihan Khoms II: * Ait 'Abdallah ** Ait 'Aru Musa ** Ait Tmajurth Khoms III: * Ait Bu 'Ayyash ** Ait Bu 'Ayyash ** Ait 'Adhiya Khoms IV: * Ait Hadhifa ** Ait Bu Jdat ** Iraqraqen ** Ait 'Arus ** I'Akiyyen Khoms V: * Imrabdhen (Intrusive group) ** Imrabdhen n-Dara (Upper Imrabdhen) ** Imrabdhen n-Waddai (Lower Imrabdhen) 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 is a town in Al Hoceïma Province, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, Morocco. According to the 2014 census, Targuist has a population of 13,390. Geography The geographic and climatic context of Targuist is that of North Africa with a Mediter ...

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 accumu ...

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 accumu ...

. *eastern: Temsamane and

. *northern: Ibaqouyen. *southern: Igzenayen 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 accumu ...

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

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

Imzouren Imzouren (Tarifit: Imzuạn, ⵉⵎⵣⵓⴰⵏ; ) is a town in the north of Morocco. It is located near the city of Al Hoceima and now stretches almost to the town of Bni Bouayach. The inhabitants of Imzouren are Riffians. The February 2004 Al ...

(34.000 residents) *

Bni Bouayach Bni Bouayach is a city in Al Hoceïma Province located in the region of Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, Morocco. Bni Bouayach is the third largest city in Al Hoceima province. The inhabitants are of Riffian-Berber (Amazigh) origin. At the 2014 census, ...

(18.000 residents) *

Ait Youssef Ou Ali Ait Youssef Ou Ali is a small town and rural commune in Al Hoceïma Province of the Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate region of Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlin ...

(5.000 residents)

Famous people from the Ait Wayagher

Abd el-Krim Muḥammad bin ‘Abd al-Karīm al-Khaṭṭābī, better known as Abd el-Krim (; 1882 or 1883 – 6 February 1963), was a Moroccan political and military leader and the president of the Republic of the Rif. He and his brother M'Hammad led a ...

, military leader and president of the anti-colonial Rif Republic *

Nasser Zefzafi Nasser Zefzafi (Berber language, Tamazight: Naṣer Ezzefzafi, born on November 4, 1979, in Al Hoceima) is a Moroccan political activist and human rights activist. Known as the "Moroccan Gandhi" or "Moroccan Pasionaria" for his nonviolent protest ...

, 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 * Mohamed Mrabet, storyteller * Abdelkader Ouaraghli, former international goalkeeper *

Mounir El Hamdaoui Mounir El Hamdaoui (; born 14 July 1984) is a former professional association football, footballer who played as a Forward (association football), forward. Born in the Netherlands, he represented Morocco national football team, Morocco internati ...

, Dutch-born Moroccan football player

References

Bibliography

External links

Waryaghar information bank
{{Franco-Spanish conquest of Morocco Berbers in Morocco Berber peoples and tribes Moroccan tribes Rif