Tamnougalt

Tamnougalt is a kasbah and date palm oasis in the Atlas Mountains, and located in the Draa River valley in Morocco, some 95 kilometers south of Ouarzazate. The village is close to Agdz and has a famous kasbah. The Jbel Kissane rises to the north dominating the landscape. It is the former capital of the Mezguita region and residence of former caïds. Its name means 'meeting point' in Tachelhit. Each year, in the first week of October the Moussem Ellama is held, a cultural and religious festival for all villages in the neighbourhood.HistoryThe history of Tamougalt is connected with that of the oasis Mezguita of which it was the capital. When it was built is unknown. Tamnougalt was possibly a garrison in the Saadian epoch. Its political and economic role began with the coming of the caid of Taleb El Hassan. He was made caid by the Alaouite sultan in the 18th century. His sons succeeded in keeping the reign over their territory (as far as the Dades and the Ksar Ait Hammou ou Saïd) until the independence of Morocco. In 1874 the caid of Mezguita was driven out of the territory of Ouarzazat by a new caid of a family of Telouet, the Glaoua Mohammed Ibibt. The Glaoua were to play a big role in the Draa region. In 1884 Charles de Foucauld visited Tamenougalt and observed that "it was the capital of the district, governed by the hereditary caid Abderrahman ben el Hassan" and that "it was exclusively inhabited by Draoua, like the whole Draa valley." In 1907, Si Mohammed, caid of Tamnougalt offered his troops of Mezguita to defend the sultan Moulay Hafid against his brother.