Do you know the oasis of Todgha?
Todgha Gorge - Morocco - Part. 1
When you ask people about the most beautiful places in Morocco, they usually mention the Todgha oasis in the Tinghir province. An ecological site par excellence that attracts thousands of tourists around the world. Where is the oasis of Todgha and what are its advantages?
oasis of Todgha
Oasis History:
The Todgha oasis is located within the soil area of the Tinghir province, which is geographically located in the southeast of Morocco, which is located between the provinces of Ouarzazate and Errachidia, approximately 130 km away.
The history of the region dates back to the sixteenth century AD, which at that time was the focus of greed and struggle between the Wattasids, Alawites and Dalais in the Middle Atlas that ended with the control of the Alawites over the region until the French colonizer handed it over to the leader, Al-Tuhami Al-Kalawi, as a worker in the region of Marrakesh and the southeast in general.
Label:
The area was called “Todgha” or “toddget”, which is a distortion of the word “Todart”, which means “life” in English, and it is the name of the girl of a mountain resident who came to the oasis to water his livestock, so the girl escaped from him and started calling her by her name “Todart” and then this name was given to the area. As for the name Tinghir (the city), it came from (Tin Aghir). And Eger is the shoulder in English , so the name was changed from Tin Egir to Tinghir ⵜⵉⵏⵖⵉⵔ, an abbreviation and plural of the two words Tin and Eger.
Tinghir location on the map
Oasis Geography:
Todgha Oasis is located in the southeast of Morocco, between the High Atlas Mountains and the Anti-Atlas Mountains. rise above sea level.
It is about 1300 square metres, and its population is about 240,000, according to the 2015 census.
The oasis extends over a distance of 30 km, in the middle of it is the Todgha valley, which is largely due to the beauty of the oasis and its attractive splendor.
However, what the region is most famous for is the Todgha straits, which are visited by tourists all over the world. These straits are high rocks, about 300 meters high, in the middle of which is the source of the Todgha valley.
According to geologists, the area was covered by the sea during the second geological era, which led to the formation of sediments rich in marine fossils, and later the emergence of the Atlas Mountains led to the retreat of the sea and the distortion of the layers of rocks. It was called Al-Madaiq, and the valley expanded in turn until the shape of the oasis in its current form.
The charming Todgha fjords
Economy of the region:
The economy of the region depends on agriculture, trade and services related to tourism, as well as the remittances of the immigrant community to Europe.
Because of the continuous flow of the valley throughout the year, Todgha Oasis produces some types of grains such as wheat, barley, corn and some vegetables in addition to the fruits of palm trees and olives. The population also engages in trade and traditional industry services such as goldsmithing and making robes and jewellery, especially since the region has the largest silver mine in Africa. Also, tourism services flourish during the year due to the geographical location of the Todgha Oasis, the beauty of its mountains, its magnificent fjords, and its ancient kasbahs. The region receives annually important tourist migrations from all continents.
However, the most important resource on which the region depends is the remittances of the Oasis’s children abroad. Since the sixties and seventies, the region’s youth migrated to the homeland and abroad due to the lack of job opportunities, the absence of industrial facilities, and the state’s neglect of these areas.
We wish the responsible authorities more care and attention to such areas of international renown, strengthening the infrastructure of the area, encouraging tourism services, and including an oasis that is a national heritage, why not a world heritage.
Oasis of Tinghir
https://www.tamazghapeople.com/2021/09/do-you-know-oasis-of-todgha.html