Ait Attab

Ait Attab (Arabic: ايت اعتاب, Central Atlas Tamazight: ⴰⵢⵜ ⴰⵜⵜⴰⴱ, also known as Aït Attab) is a large agricultural river valley on the northern edge of Azilal province in Morocco. Its population is divided into a multitude of hamlets called douwars in Darija, the largest one being Al Garage, which is also referred to as Ait Attab Center, or more simply as Ait Attab.

Geography

The geography of Ait Attab valley is dominated by the flow of the river Oued el Abid. The valley has a mid-valley ridge that is the shape of an enormous right foot approximately 25 km (16 mi) in length.

View of Ait Attab

History

Ait Attab valley is locally well known for its influence prior to, and resistance against French colonization. It is rumored in Azilal Province that the dam upstream at Bin el Ouidane was built by the French as a means of countering the valley's influence by controlling its water supply.

Present day

Today, Ait Attab is regionally known for the quality of its olive oil and almond harvest. It is also a common stopping point for tourists on their way to the waterfalls at Ouzoud. Nearly all Attabis speak the Moroccan dialect of Arabic. Furthermore, because of the area's Berber heritage, many Attabis speak the valley's dialect of Tamazight, similar to the kind spoken downstream at Bzou.

The population of the Aït Attab tribe are of Amazigh descent from the infamous Sanhaja tribal confederation. While some of them do speak Arabic as a language, their ethnicity and heritage remains the same. Their dialect is most similar to the Tashelhit Dialect found in the Anti-Atlas. A great amount of present day Attabis have migrated to the middle Atlas, especially to Ifrane in the 20th century following World War II, during what is commonly known as "The year of hunger" (Arabic: عام البون,Central Atlas Tamazight: ⴰⵙⴳⴳⵯⴰⵙ ⵏ ⵎⵉⴹⵕⵓⵚ), in which they have settled with their families.