Tazenakht

Tazenakht (Arabic: تازناخت ) is an oasis city with approximately 9,000 inhabitants in the province of Ouarzazate, Souss -Massa -Draa in southern Morocco.

Location

The approximately 960 m above sea town Tazenakht lies in a hollow of about 1500 to 1800 m high mountains of the eastern foothills of the Anti-Atlas Mountains. It lies at the intersection of the N10 from Taroudant ( about 200 km to the west ) and Ouarzazate ( about 90 km north-east ) with the R111 to Foum - Zguid ( about 85 km south) and the R108 to Agdz ( about 88 km east).

Population

The population Tazenakhts consists almost exclusively of members of different Berber tribes of the area. Most are - due to lack of rains in their home villages, but also socio-cultural reasons ( hope of finding work, improvement of material living conditions and health care, better opportunities for school education of children etc.) - migrated to the cities since the 1970s.

Economy

In earlier centuries, the self-sufficiency was at the center of economic activity. Only after completion of several in Tazenakht crossing slopes ( paved roads ) during the French colonial period, the food produced in the Dattelpalmenoase could also be placed on regional or national markets. Same time, new vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, etc.) came to the area, enriching the diet. Even today, the oases dominated the lives of most residents; are produced primarily dates, olives, pomegranates and figs, as well grain (barley, wheat, corn ) and vegetables ( broad beans, carrots, tomatoes, etc. ) is possible. About the Department of Agriculture addition, a number of small enterprises in the craft, business and service sectors have developed.

History

Missing on the history of Tazenakht any written held tradition As with all Berber villages. However, one can assume that the palm oasis already discovered by early hunters and gatherers and was used many centuries later by nomads to feed their livestock. Over time, some nomads settled down permanently and started with agriculture (barley, broad beans, etc.) and with the planting of trees ( pomegranate, figs, almonds). However, the remaining animals ( donkeys, sheep, goats, chickens) could no longer roam free, but had to be kept in pens or stalls, causing the stock significantly reduced. In the phase of settlement support recurring and often violently ending conflicts between the residents and the oasis still wandering cattle nomads were not rare. Until well into the 20th century Tazenakht was a small Berber village which developed into a small town only in connection with the increased mobility of the inhabitants of the south.

Attractions

Apart from the impressive surrounding landscape ( palm oasis in rocky mountains ) offers Tazenakht no historical or cultural attractions.