Imilchil
| Imilchil ⵉⵎⵉⵍⵛⵉⵍ |
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| Basic data | |||||
| State : |
 Morocco
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| Region : | Drâa-Tafilalet | ||||
| Province : | Midelt | ||||
| Coordinates | 32 ° 9 ′ N , 5 ° 38 ′ W | ||||
| Residents : | 1,364 (2004) | ||||
| Height : | 2119 m | ||||
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Imilchil ( Central Usage Tamazight ⵉⵎⵉⵍⵛⵉⵍ ) is an exclusively of Berbern inhabited Bergoase with about 1,500 inhabitants in the region Drâa Tafilalet in the Atlas mountains in Morocco ; at the same time, it forms the center of a rural community ( commine rurale ) comprising several villages with around 8,500 inhabitants. Imilchil is known beyond the borders of Morocco because of the moussem that takes place every year at the end of August or beginning of September with an attached 'marriage market', which has now taken on the character of a music or folklore festival.
location
Imilchil is located on the Assif Melloul mountain river, which has more or less water all year round, about 150 km (driving distance) south of Khenifra or about 125 kilometers north of Tinghir at an altitude of about 2120 m . The seclusion of the high valley probably contributed significantly to the development of traditions that are otherwise largely unknown in the Islamic world.
population
The inhabitants of the place are almost without exception Berbers from the Aït Yassa or Aït Haddidou tribe , both are subgroups of the Aït Yafelman who - besides Arabic - mainly speak their regional dialect, a slight modification of the Central Atlas Tamazight .
economy
The inhabitants of Imilchil traditionally live from sheep and goat breeding; chickens are also kept. In addition, grain and vegetables are grown in the fields near the shore. Tourism has also played a role for some years: For Moroccans, the climate is pleasantly cool in the summer months; foreign tourists come mainly for the mousse in September.
history
As in all Berber villages, information or legends about family and local history were only passed on orally in Imilchil. It can be assumed that for a long time the valley was only used as summer high pasture for cattle nomads ( transhumants ), whose settling down did not begin until late (i.e. around 1500 AD).
Attractions
- The place has no structural attractions; the well into the 20th century existing houses or residential castles ( tighremts ) - with small stones and some straw interspersed - rammed earth are largely new buildings in recent decades hollow blocks given way with stairs and ceilings made of reinforced concrete. Only ruins remain of the old residential castles.
- Walks along the small fields on the river bank or hikes on the mountain slopes compensate a little for the otherwise hardly impressive townscape.
- In the vicinity of Imilchil minerals ( drusen ) are found, which are sold in the village, but also elsewhere.
- About 5 km north and 12 km northeast are two idyllic mountain lakes ( Lac Tislit and Lac d'Isli ), the formation of which has been traced back to meteorite impacts around 40,000 years ago.
Festivals
The famous 'marriage market' (today more of a fair with music groups from a radius of 150 km), which takes place near the village of Agda (approx. 20 km south), is closely linked to a pilgrimage festival and market day in honor of the local or tribal saint Sidi Ahmed Oul Marhni . According to a legend, the two lakes in the area were created by the tears of two lovers whose family or tribal heads did not consent to the wedding - the two cried each other to death and out of sadness and remorse, it was decided every year to organize a festival for young people The men and women of the tribes living in the near and far surroundings were able to get to know and, if necessary, marry. In reality, the 'marriage market' is more likely to be traced back to the sparsely populated area, which gave rise to such an event, where parents could introduce their sons and daughters to others. The fact that such an event occurred at the beginning of the cooler season but before the onset of winter rains is likely to have something to do with the lower workload in autumn and winter.
