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, N ...

) 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 confl ...

of the Rif 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 ...

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. I ...

. 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, Na ...

. The Ait Waryaɣar were the main group which participated in the Rif wars (see Republic of the Rif) 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 protect ...

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, Ca ...

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 a ...

). 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. Th ...

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" ...

tribe to stop the Spaniards at the Nekor river in

Temsamane Temsamane (Tarifit: Temsaman, ⵜⴻⵎⵙⴰⵎⴰⵏ, Arabic: تمسمان) is a commune in the Driouch Province of the Oriental administrative region of Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost ...

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

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 accum ...

and Ait Itteft. *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 accumu ...

. *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 accum ...

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

(3500 residents) *

beni Hadifa is a Japanese R&B singer, who debuted in 2004 under the Avex Trax label. In 2008, Arashiro left Avex Trax and transferred to Universal Music Japan where she started to perform as simply Beni (stylized as BENI). She was initially best known f ...

(3000 residents) *

Tamassint Tamassint is a village in Al Hoceïma Province, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea ...

(1800 residents)

Famous people from the Ait Wayagher

Abd el-Krim Muhammad ibn Abd al-Karim al-Khattabi (; Tarifit: Muḥend n Ɛabd Krim Lxeṭṭabi, ⵎⵓⵃⵏⴷ ⵏ ⵄⴰⴱⴷⵍⴽⵔⵉⵎ ⴰⵅⵟⵟⴰⴱ), better known as Abd el-Krim (1882/1883, Ajdir, Morocco – 6 February 1963, Cairo, Egypt) ...

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

Ali Lamrabet Ali Lmrabet (born 1959) is a Moroccan journalist and a member of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights. Early life Ali came from a modest Berber family, was born in a small village called Adouz near Al-Hoceima in north Morocco. He was sc ...

, award-winning journalist and magazine editor currently banned in Morocco. * Jamal Ben Saddik, Belgian-born Moroccan kickboxer *

Nasser Zefzafi Nasser Zefzafi (Tamazight: ⵏⴰⵚⴻⵕ ⵣⴼⵣⴰⴼⵉ, born on November 4, 1979, in Al Hoceima) is a Moroccan political activist, who has been described as the leader of the protest movement in the Rif and the city of Al Hoceima, commonl ...

, 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 Mohammed Mrabet (real name ''Mohammed ben Chaib el Hajam''; born March 8, 1936) is a Moroccan author, artist and storyteller of the Ait Ouriaghel tribe in the Rif region. Mrabet, mostly known in the West through his association with Paul Bowle ...

, storyteller *

Abdelkader Ouaraghli Abdelkader Ouaraghli (1943 – 7 October 2022) was a Moroccan football goalkeeper who played for Morocco in the 1970 FIFA World Cup. He also played for Wydad Casablanca Wydad Athletic Club ( ar, نادي الوداد الرياضي, ) common ...

, 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