Ruins of an old agadir (guard post) in the Aït Bougoumez Valley ( village Agouti), Morocco
Wikipedia: The Aït Bougoumez Valley (also Aït Bouguemez Valley ) is a mountain valley on the north side of the High Atlas in the province of Azilal in the region Beni Mellal-Khénifra in Morocco . Because of its fertility - two harvests are possible depending on the winter snow or rainfalls - and because of its balanced climate, it has been nicknamed vallée heureuse 'happy valley' The Aït Bougoumez valley, which is about 1800 m to 1900 m high, begins about 30 km southeast of Azilal and stretches for another 25 km in a southerly direction to Agouti and Tabant or Ibakliwin . A few kilometers further south rises the elongated, over 4000 m high Jbel M'Goun massif. The approximately 14,000 inhabitants of the valley are almost exclusively of Berber descent and live in more than 30 villages; the largest town and administrative center is Tabant, where there is also a weekly market. The regional dialect of the Central Atlas Tamazight is spoken , but also Moroccan Arabic and a little French. For centuries the economy of the remote but fertile valley was geared towards self-sufficiency and self-sufficiency; Markets were simply too far away and donkeys were the only means of transport. A system of strict controls ( agdal ), which was strictly based on the availability, individual needs and the common use of natural resources (water, soil, wood, etc.) enabled the inhabitants of the high valley to survive successfully and sustainably. Despite the lack of written records, it can be assumed that the high valley has been inhabited for centuries, although in earlier centuries there must have been a constant conflict between migrating cattle nomads and settled farmers about food resources, which was certainly often only resolved by force. In the early 20th century, the residents were still largely cut off from the outside world - a situation that only changed with improved transport options and increasing tourism. However, in many respects the valley is still quite pristine.
Size: 4000px × 6000px
Location: Agouti, Aït Bougoumez Valley, Morocco
Photo credit: © Bert de Ruiter / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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