• The rivers and dams of water: Oued Abiod , dam Timgad , Oued Abdi, Oued el Ahmer, Oued Taga, dam Beniharoun Wilaya of Mila , Medghassen marsh, swamp Dra Boultif, Djendli Chott Chott Tincilt, El Oued Madher, etc..
• Mountains: Mount Chlia (2328 m) ( Batna - Khenchela ), Mount Bouarif ( Batna ), neck Telmet (peak of the Cedars) near Batna , Chechar ( Tbessa ) Belezma ( Batna ), Awras ( Batna ) Mahmel, Mahmed Wilaya of Batna (2321 m) Bouzina ) Nouacer, Col d'Ouled Ali, Col Tifrasin, Djebel Ouled Aisha, Djebel Ben Bouslimani, Djebel Ali (near Batna), etc..
• The Plains: NERD (Bouzina in the Wilaya of Batna)

The circular pool and fountain of Hot Hammam Essalihine

• Forests: Forests Belezma , forests Oudjnan Beni, Beni Amloul forests, forests of Ouled Yacoub, Bouarif forest, forest Legag, etc..
• Parks or protected areas: National Park Belzma
• Oases: El Kantara , Ghoufi , etc..
• Deposits and natural resources: cement, salt, mercury, iron, zinc, copper, silver, gold, lead, antimony, phosphate, oil, gas, wood, etc. .
• Hot Spring: The Fountain Hot Hammam Essalihine of Khenchela source of Batna (Kasrou), source of Biskra , the source of Guelma (Maskhoutine hamam), etc..

Climate

Boserdon of Mount (1690 m Hammam Essalihine

The winters are very cold, temperature sometimes reaches both -18 C without impact wetlands. Summers are very hot. The thermometer displays as 50 C in the shade. Temperature changes are very important in the region.

In the Aures, summer temperatures range from 30 C to 38 C.

The amount of rain indicates about 325 mm average annual level of large cities, but these amounts are substantially exceeded in the high mountains where prevailing micro-humid climates. Snow falls are waiting for you each year from the second half of November until early March. The mountains remain snow covered until April to see early May. However, heavy rains are found in the Aures. The damage is considerable.

Flora and fauna

The acorns of the holm oak is an important part of diet in the Aures

• Animals: the hyena , the hare , the fox , the eagle , the boar , the lizard , the tortoise Hermann (in the wilaya of Khenchela), the golden jackal , the stork white, the duck , the ganga and Lynx caracal etc.. The last lion was hunted in the nineteenth ^century near Arris.

Some species of fish inhabit the waters of rivers and streams near Timgad.

• Vegetation: several shrubs and conifers ( cedar , Aleppo pine , fir , oak green, etc.).. There are palm trees , the juniper , the Willow , the jujube , the tamarind , fruit trees ( apple , pomegranate , apricot , pear , fig , olive , almond , etc.).

History

The war Aures, land of rebellion, conquest and insubordination

The Aures and the tribe Chaouis have always been earth dlenchement revolts and conflicts since ancient times but in advance ^{, ,}

Historical accounts from ancient times to today

Medghassen the burial of kings Numidian and patriarch of Zenetes Ibn Kheldoun

Ruins of Timgad

Massinissa king of Massyles 206 - 203 and then king of Numidia 203 - 148. He helped the Romans to beat Carthage.

The mausoleum Medghassen in the Aures date 300 BC. AD It is a monument Numidian and represents the most ancient mausoleum of modern Algeria . The Aures have formed the nucleus of Zenetes ( Maghraoua , Ifren , Djerawa , Zianides , Merinids , etc..). According to the controversial hypothesis of Ibn Khaldun Medghassen be the patriarch of Zenetes .

The Romans founded Lambese to Batna as the capital of the Roman siege. Many towns and cities grow, Tobna , Timgad (Batna), Cirta and Tiddis to Constantine , Madaura and Bagha in Khenchela , Theveste to Tebessa , Diana ( Zana ) in Batna, Hippo in Annaba , Thibilis and Calama in Guelma , Nicivibus or N 'gaous in Batna , vetch Biskra , Djemila , Thagaste , birthplace of St. Augustine , Madaura ( M'daourouch ) in the Wilaya of Souk-Ahras , Sitifensium to Setif.

Massinissa , born around 238 BC. AD in the tribe Massyles (Last Island) and death in early January 148 BC. AD , unify the Numidia. Several kings succeed to him.

Several Berber leaders revolted then in the Aures. Tacfarinas (first half of the ^first century AD) ), battle the Roman Empire during the reign of Emperor Tiberius. Faraxen in the year 253 AD. J.-C , from the Djurdjura , attacks Numidia Roman , with the help of five tribes, and Babar and Quinquegentiani tribes originating in the Aures, southern and Hodna. It will be captured Lambese , 10 km from Batna to 260 AD. J.-C. The inscriptions indicate that his capture by the Romans are Lambse. One can also cite the name of Yabdas king of Aures, about 536 .

The Vandals and the Byzantines will influence the region. Several revolts are recorded by historians including Zenetes. According Corripus Johannide in the cavalry Zenetes whose Ifren or Ayth Ifren was invested in the war against the Byzantines and Berbers between 547 and 550 at the time of John Troglita.

Then the Muslims arrived to Islamize the region. Koceila and Dihya will prevail in the region and throughout eastern North Africa.

In ^the seventh century , according to Ibn Khaldun , the Aures were mostly inhabited the Aurbas tribe of Koceila , the Zenetes Djerawa tribe of Queen Kahina -Dihiya, and Houara . Tribes Aurbas are also described as originating in the current Libya . In his book The Muslim conquest and settlement of North Africa and Spain (book freely available on the net), the author Abd al-Wahid Dhannn Taha, based on several literature sources including those of Ibn Khaldoun, explains on page 26 of his book presence, before the Islamic conquest of the Maghreb, tribes Aurbas in present Morocco .

The political and administrative unity of East and Central Barbary was largely accomplished by Kusayla who had converted to Islam. Therefore, a conflict erupts between the Berber leader and army chief Umayyad. Kairouan was taken by Koceila, the latter having converted to Christianity. Oqba Ibn Nafaa kills Koceila. Dihya , called Kahina, became head of the resistance. After the tribe Djerawa , a tribe Zenata implanted in the Aures as were several kings (agellid, plural igelliden) Berber Numidia, she was elected or appointed to that office by the council of the confederation of tribes. Dihya kills Oqba Nafaa Ibn Ibn Khaldun, avenging Koceila.

Dihya and proceeded to the reunification of many tribes of North Africa and South East. Dihya twice defeated the great army of the Umayyad through the provision of jumpers Ayth Ifren. She will reign over all the Ifriqiya for five years. Dihia will be defeated in a final battle against the Umayyads. It will be the only woman in history to combat Umayyad Empire. After the defeat of Kahina population Aures region straddling the modern Algeria and Tunisia and Libya part of the current (ie the Province of Ifriqiya ), adhered to the principles of Islam.

Ibn Khaldun wrote that the commander Musa bin Nusayr increase its military contingent by requiring 12,000 Berbers Ifriqiya (which was part Aures) rislamiser for other populations located west of the province (Ifriqiya) must specify in Arabic in the West or the West Country or the sun will say Maghreb as indicated in the translation of the writings of Ibn Khaldun by Baron de Slane. It is also necessary to remember both that the Islamization of North Africa had already begun under his predecessor Oqba and, secondly, there are thousands of miles between the Aures of medieval Kairouan (the provincial capital of Ifriqiya of Musa bin Nusayr ) and Tangier , which implies that time of month of march (on foot or on horseback) and many other Berber tribes to convert or reconvert as mentioned by Ibn Khaldun . Ibn Khaldun writes that at no time required 12,000 men served in the conquest of Andalusia , Spain or the Christian West. Ibn Khaldun wrote that after the conquest of the Maghreb by troops from Musa bin Nusayr , Tariq (Tarec written in the book), governor of Tangier, stationed there with 12 000 newly converted Berber accompanied by 27 Arabs responsible for their Koranic education, without any further detail, particularly on the origin of these ethnic groups . Only after finding Islam entrenched in Morocco that Moussa Ibn Noar Ifriqiya returned whence, by letter, he sent in 711 Tariq ibn Ziyad stationed in Tangier to conquer Spain ^, .

Then, several conflicts between Berbers and Arab dynasties ( Umayyads , Fatimids , Abbasids ) are reported by historians in the Aures region as Al Bakri and Ibn Khaldun.

Abu Yezid of the tribe of Banu Ifren overthrow the Fatimids with the help of tribes Zenetes Aures but it will be defeated by the Zirids , allied to the first time the Fatimids.

The Banu Hilal win the battle against the Berbers / A>. There will be an arrangement between two parties. The Banu Hilal came with their families will live with the Berbers with occasional tensions between the two. It follows a period of unification with the dynasty Almohad (Berber dynasty). After the Hafsids (Berber dynasty) took the entire region until the arrival of the Ottomans.

In the nineteenth ^century the region is semi-conquered by the French. Several revolts ( Ahmed Bey , the Zaatcha , the Algerian nationalist movement) took place against the French occupation until the outbreak of the War of Algeria. The Aures territories that will be home to more than 20 thousand guerrillas. The heart of the Algerian revolution is to men and women who sacrificed so much Aures in Algeria to be free and independent. The French Army will have its greatest defeat after the Indochina on the floor of the Aures.

Because of their geography, Aures were difficult to access for foreign forces. However the reason for the Islamization has steep terrain. The French army would have known fighters of the Aures, the invisible men. But the infighting will devastate the entire region and in the Algeria during the War of Algeria and the beginnings of Algeria independent.

The western part of the Aures will present Algeria after independence in 1962.

Population

This region is home to tribes Chaouis ^Culture

A culture two millennia

The region has a vast cultural potential and the term 'culture' is extensive. And "culturally" speaking, one can evoke certain personalities among all those from the Aures:

• Koceila , Berber prince of the seventh century Aures
• Kahena , Zenata Berber warrior queen who fought the Aures Umayyads during the Islamic expansion in North Africa in the seventh century
• Mostefa Ben Boulaid (1917-1956), one of the historic leaders of the National Liberation Front (FLN) during the war Algeria , dubbed the Father of the Algerian Revolution
• Larbi Ben M'Hidi (1923-1957), soldier and hero of the War of Independence

Cultural practices in the region of the Aures

The circumcision is an old practice in the Aures and still perpetuated in an almost identical since its existence .

Craft

Cup of Aures (circa 1970)

Decorated pottery of the Aures (circa 1970)

Bird Pottery Aures (circa 1970)

Pottery

According to several historians, pottery Aures appear in the specificities of their plastic incised and streamlined shapes, as the closest of the earliest forms of art Berber.

Origins

"As Roman colonization despite Lambese , the Berbers Chaouia remained away from the mainstream "external" one can assume that this ornamentation in relief (indentations, ribs, bumps, etc..) pottery is characteristic of genuine Berber , say primitive. , "Writes Arnold van Gennep . Checking this setting in relief camps Gabriel observes that "only aurassienne pottery is distinguished, inter alia, by the multiplication of conical nipples on the belly and on the handles, decoration contributes greatly to its archaic." Assuming it "an original Sicilian - italics , "he thinks that this scene, having spread to the Chalcolithic over a region extending from the sides of Tunisia until the Aures, and has gradually disappeared before the progress of the painted pottery, "will be held in the bastion aurassien" .

Features

Decorated with reliefs or engravings, pottery Aures are coated with a lacquer red or dark brown, the "louq", makes resins "cooked, pressed, dyed and shaped into sticks that harden when cooled, passed on pottery still hot after cooking . This practice is both ornamental and waterproofing pottery, utilitarian. The "tarbout, plate or dish, cup and streamlined profile are often decorated with symbolic designs.

The "tarbout" presents an original profile, the rounded edge thereof, without a flat, sloping slightly outward in four opposite points, often highlighted with notches . These are found on the edge of cups and pots to be milked.

The "fan", but holds to bake the cake, but is not painted reliefs decorated with dotted lines and red circles.

Other pottery, which may be based on toys are molded into shapes of animals (including birds).

Weaving

Weaving Aures region Ghoufi (circa 1970)

The technique of high-wool carpet is not local, they are weaving, "trellis", blankets, pillows and bags for grains that are characteristic of the style of the Aures. A wool is often mixed with goat hair.

The "trellis" are generally composed of bands of color, but sometimes it will be adorned with a border or some copper lines. Large dark records, which seems decor embroidered, sometimes cut the bottom consists of bands united. Diamond-shaped medallions, themselves composed of networks of fine diamonds, can also be nested over the entire surface of the "trellis".

The same diamond can be found on the tapes blankets or cushions the surfaces .

Jewelry

Chaouis Jewelry, Museum of Man at an exhibition dedicated to Germaine Tillion

Sculpture

• Demagh Mohamed (born 1930)
• Mohamed Bensaid Nadjib is founder of the association prisma and artist and sculptor to Batna .

Painting

Orientalist Painters

Many European painters and especially French, usually orientalists have painted during their stay in the Aures landscapes and portraits, including Gaston Bouchinet (Castelsarasin, 1898 - Verdun-sur-Garonne, 1966), Eugene Deshayes (Algiers, 1862 - Algiers, 1939; three works at the Museum of Fine Arts of Algiers, a Museum of Oran), Paul Fenasse (Algiers, 1899 - New Braulnfeg, Texas, 1976), Eugene Girardet (Paris, 1853 - Paris, 1907), Louis Granata (Grand Spezzano, 1901 - Salon de Provence, 1964), Edward Herzig (Neuchatel, 1860 - Algiers, 1926, two works at the Museum of Algiers), Roger IRRI (Bordeaux, 1884 - Aix-en-Provence, 1957 ), L. (Leonie?) Lebas, Constant Louche (Algiers, 1880 - Grenoble, 1965) Fritz Mller (Blida, 1867 - Algiers, 1926; a work to the Museum of Algiers), Maxime Noire (Guinglange, Moselle - 1861 - Algiers 1927) who worked for many years and was nicknamed "the bard of the Aures" for his views known as "pink" (four works at the Museum of Algiers), Jules Van Biesbroeck (Portici, Italy, 1873 - Brussels, 1965) .

Algerian contemporary painters

Many artists are born, as Jeballah Bellakh , and live in the cities of the Aures. Some died as Abdou Tamine and Sheriff Merzougui. Other artists have migrated to the Europe as Houamel Abdelkhader who lives in Italy.

In the Aures, there is no art gallery or museum of fine arts. However, the cultural centers of Batna , in Khenchela of Biskra , etc.. organize art activities such as exhibitions, meetings, etc. ..

In 2007, during the festival Algiers the capital of Arab culture, several activities took place in regions of the Aures .

Music

Folklore is diversified in the regions of the Aures. Traditional music is well represented by many singers aurassiens. The first singers who have enjoyed international success Jermouni Aissa and Ali Khenchela . The style of music Rahaba is specific to any region of the Aures. In addition, several styles of music exist as the style Arab-Andalusian , one of the singers chaouis Hallali Salim. Several singers were inspired by Aures this style as Youcef Boukhantech.

Women may have their place on the national scene. Algerian television broadcast songs THELJA (Ya Saleh) and Beggar Hadda in the 1970s. Also, Houria Aichi made several albums in France , as well as the famous singer Dihya (named after the Queen of the Aures), supported by Messaoud Nedjahi , one of the best composers and lyricists Chaoui. One of his best albums entitled Dzaier assa

Another kind of modern music has become chaoui in the region. This music is an unusual mix of inspirations from rock , to blues , to folk and Rai Chaoui language and Arabic. Some singers and musicians aurassien (ne) s are illustrated in this genre such as Belbeche , Katchou and Nacerdine Hora , who started all language Chaoui , to name a few. Other, younger, use only the language chaoui. Thus the Group Tafert , Youba etc.. Some musical instruments are peculiar to the region as Gasba , etc. and others such as Zorna are specific to the whole of Eastern music (Cf in Turkey ). Wrongly, many people attribute to such a designation "Staifi" because due to the use of Arabic as the music, itself, is chaoui.

Literature

• Several writers have written in both languages, Arabic and French, in the case of Kateb Yacine.
• Oral poetry, tales and legends are the subject of study by specialists in literature and linguistics.
• Mohamed Hamouda Bensa (1902-1998) was an essayist and philosopher .
• The great Swiss writer Isabelle Eberhardt (1877-1904) lived Batna Zmelas in the neighborhood.
• Several authors have written books Batnens as El Hachemi Saidani (died 2005), Mohamed Nadir Sebaa (born 1956), Abderezzak Hilal (born 1951), Beida Chikhi , Ph.D. and professor at the Sorbonne , etc..
• Several authors of French origin have also written books that deal with themes related to the Aures and the city of Batna as Jean-Pierre Marin, Jean-Noel Pancrazi (born 1949), Liliane Raspail , Jean and Eugene Delessert Fathers, etc..
• Claude Pierre Hypoplyte Polain, historian, died March 17, 1876 in Batna .
• Anna Greka (1931-1966) was a writer and activist in the cause of the National Liberation Front (Algeria) .
• The authors like Redha Malek (born 1931), Mustapha Bekkouche (born 1930), Amar Mellah (born 1938), Mrard Mostefa Bennu, Ali Merouche have written books and historical documentaries.
• Arabic poetry: the poet Lad Mohamed Al-Khalifa (1904-1979), Mohamed el el Akhdar Saihi , Mohamed El Ababsa Akhdari , have written several poems about the city of Batna and the Aures.
• Messaoud Nedjahi wrote several novels in French on the lives of chaouis ..
• Andre Gide (1868-1951) visited the Aures. He was a friend of Mohamed Hamouda Bensa (1902-1998).
• Liliane Amri (born 1939), married to a Chaoui, is the author of the novel Life at any price. His book is an autobiography and a book describing the life of the Aures, especially women during the 60 to 90. She speaks perfect chaoui and contributed to the development of the Aures region.
• Germaine Tillion (1907-2008) stayed in the Aures for years. She did a great scientific work on the Aures region ^, . She sent letters to the French government to defend the cause of Algerians during the war Algeria.
• In his book, Matha Gaudry describes the lives of women Chaouis, habits and customs of this region especially in the colonial period of 1929. It traces the history of Kahina .
• Bashir Rahmani, doctor and writer, he wrote A priesthood in the heart of the Aures.
• Saleh Bezzala poet chaoui language.
• Nassira Belloula, born in Batna and author of several novels, stories and essays as The Revenge of May, Visa for Hate, Rebel in any home, or The Beautiful Djemina Algerian.

Dance

Clothes chaouis ( bunting ), the horse, rifle and dinghies are part of the dance aurassiens.

Filmography

• Mohammed Lakhdar-Hamina , Le Vent des Aures , 1966
• Ren Vautier , be twenty years in the Aures , 1972
• Amor Hakkar , Timgad, life in the heart of the Aures, 52-minute documentary, France 5 , 2002
• Ahmed Rachedi , Ben Boulaid , shot in 2006 and 2007 as part of the event "Algiers, Capital of Arab Culture 2007 ', produced in collaboration with the Ministry of the Mujahedeen, the Ministry of Culture and Enterprise Maysan Balkis movies , 2009 .
• Amor Hakkar , The Yellow House , a film that deals with the office in the Aures, 2008 .

Actors

• Athman Ariouat , from Barika , played in several films Algerian historical, social, comedy, drama or fiction: Carnaval fi Dachra (1994), Chronicle of the Years Pub , Sheikh Bouamama , etc. .
• The Yellow House , director Amor Hakkar also plays alongside Aya Hamdi and Tounes Ait-Ali .

Notes

Related articles

• Geography of Algeria
• Berber
• Chaouis
• Chaoui

Bibliography

Sources used for this article

• History of the Berbers, Ibn Khaldun, translated, William MacGuckin Slane, Ed Berti, Algiers 2003 ( ISBN 9961-69-027-7 )
• Leon Souguenet Julia Donia: Missions in the Aures (1915-1916), Renaissance Book Publishing , 1928.
• Ernest Mercier, History of North Africa (Barbary) since the earliest times until the French conquest (1830) 1868, Volume 1, p. 188 .
• Gabriel Camps , Monuments and protohistoric burial rites, The Origins of Barbary, Paris, Arts and Crafts Graphics, 1962 (630 p.) References

Leave a Reply

Frequently Asked Questions