The Moroccan village of Ait Kine is proud to have preserved one of the last collective storerooms
The guard of the Ait Kane warehouse, El Hassan Boutirane, walks inside the historic warehouse in southern Morocco
The village of Ait Kine in southern Morocco preserves one of the last collective warehouses, an ancient tradition in the kingdom that is rare today, but "traditions disappear everywhere except with us," says Hussein in Ibrahim, One of the village elders is proud.
The village is located about 50 kilometers from the city of Tata in the southeast of the country, at an altitude of more than a thousand meters, and its inhabitants speak Amazigh. It is like a window on a part of the country's traditional heritage amid olive and palm trees, leaning on a rocky plateau.
One of the most prominent elements of this heritage is the collective store called “Agadir” in the Amazigh language, which is mainly used to store supplies, and its construction is likely to date back to the eighteenth century, while it was restored in 2012, and is still in service until now.
In addition to its economic role, it is also a fortress to protect the village, and a witness to an ancient social system that is heading towards extinction.
"We grew up with this tradition," Hussein Ibrahim tells AFP. "Grains, dry fruits, oils and valuables are stored here."
"We still respect this tradition," the septuagenarian, who wears an indigo blue robe, proudly added.
Many residents of the village share this sense of pride in this "landmark", which "expresses our collective spirit," says Abdul Ghani Sharia, a 60-year-old trader who has returned to reside in his ancestral land after living outside it for years
The communal warehouse in Ait Kine, in southern Morocco
Protection and security
The "Agadir" was built of mud in the center of the village, surrounded by a high wall that was almost impossible to climb, and topped by a watchtower. It is divided into 76 cells on three floors, and in the middle there is a courtyard open to the sky, in which a reservoir built of stones and designated for water was placed.
And his guard, Al-Hassan Buteran, says, "63 families in the village are still using the box designated for them, while the others have left, but they keep their archives here."
The population stores supplies such as barley, dates, and almonds, but also documents such as marriage or birth contracts, various contracts, religious texts, and even magical treatment recipes written on palm leaves.
Sharia explains that "the storehouse was a guarantee of security, especially in times of 'siba', i.e. the rebellion of local tribes against the central authority."
Archeology researcher Naima Kadan, who specializes in the architecture of the Lesser Atlas Mountains, explains that these stores are considered sacred places that do not violate their sanctity. They were used, according to local customs, in the past to preserve crops during periods of drought or when they were attacked.
"Given all the history it stores, it is important for us to maintain a link with this place that testifies to the genius of our ancestors," says Alhassan Butiran. Buteran has been working as a security guard at the Ait Kane store for years.
"Solidarity Foundations"
This type of collective warehouse is still found in other Maghreb regions, such as the Aures Mountains in Algeria, southern Tunisia, or the Nafusa Mountains in Libya, but they are more numerous in Morocco, although most of them are no longer used.
The Kingdom includes more than 550 "equidars" (the plural of Agadir) in different regions, most of them in the center and south, according to the Ministry of Culture, which is preparing to request its inclusion as a world heritage on the UNESCO list.
Ikidars are built on various geometric shapes, which enhance their heritage value, and include warehouses inside caves, at the edge of cliffs, or at the top of hills or valleys.
"It is important to preserve collective warehouses in Morocco, especially since they have almost disappeared in Algeria, Tunisia and Libya," says Salima Naji, an architect and researcher in anthropology.
Passionate about these "solidarity institutions", Naji has initiated the restoration work of the Ait Kane warehouse, which today attracts researchers but also tourists.
While accompanying Italian tourists to the place, the tour guide Emmanuel Mesbouli says, "We tour the region's warehouses. They are wonderful places that testify to the historical richness of the Moroccan oases."
Tourists were taking pictures against the background of the warehouse gate, carved from wood and surrounded by iron inscriptions. "It's a magical place," says tourist Antonella Dalla, expressing her admiration for the historical landmark.
Source : websites