Historical Migration Patterns in the Eastern Rif Mountains

The eastern Rif mountains are among the most densely populated regions of Morocco. This is not a recent development but one that can be first related to political and military events at the end of the 15th century: Iberian attacks on the Moroccan coast and the retreat of the urban population from the coastal cities to the countryside, immigration from Andalusia, and the struggle against the Spanish conquerors of Mellila. The severe physical environment, with mountainous topography and scarce and irregular rainfall, is not favorable to agricultural production, and the paradox of this factor and the density of population has provoked several different hypotheses. However, little attention has been given to the impact of emigration, which has been a tradition in this area long before the flow of workers to Western Europe increased significantly in the 1960s. Emigration from the Rif to the region of Tangiers began with the arrival of the Mujahidin (faith fighters), originating from the tribes in the eastern Rif during the second half of the 17th century, who helped to liberate Tangiers from English rule. This Rifian influx became more important at the end of the 19th century and during the severe drought of 1944-45. The patterns of seasonal or temporary emigration towards western Algeria are more recent and, thus, are better known. They probably began around the end of the last century but increased in the 1930s, then ceased after the independence of Algeria in 1956. The Rifian emigration to the Zerhoun mountain area, also beginning in the 19th century, is less well known although it contributed to the peopling of the northern side of the mountain. Emigration from the Rif from early times until present has functioned as a security valve and helped to prevent demographic catastrophes at times when harvests are poor; this is especially so because it is a seasonal or temporary movement. Moreover, although it is the men who seek employment outside the region, the birthrate has not been affected and demographic pressure has been a constant feature. RESUMP Modes de migration historiques dans les montagnes de l'est du Rif Les montagnes de l'est du Rif ont depuis la fin du 15eme sie'cle fait partie des regions les plus densement peupl6es du Maroc. A cette 6poque, les attaques des Iberes sur les c6tes du Maroc ont provoque la retraite de la population urbaine vers l'int6rieur du pays, les immigrants en provenance de l'Andalousie sont arrives et les conflits avec les conqufrants espagnols de Melilla ont sevi. L'environnment physique difficile, avec sa topographie montagneuse et les chutes de pluie irregulieres, ne favorise guere la production agricole; le paradoxe de ce facteur et la densit6 de population a donne lieu a plusieurs hypotheses diff6rentes. N6anmoins, l'impact de l'6migration traditionnelle qui a commenc6 bien avant que le flux de travailleurs vers l'Europe occidentale n'augmente considerablement au cours des ann6es 60, n'a pas reu l'attention qu'il merite. L'6migration des habitants du Rif vers la region de Tanger a commenc6 au moment de l'arrivee des Mujahidin (combattants de la foi) au cours de la seconde moitie du 17m ceux-ci ont aide 'a liberer Tanger de la domination anglaise. Cet influx de population rifaine s'est amplifi6 ea la fin du 19%me siecle et pendant la terrible sc und immer nur eine saisonaloder zeitlich begrenzte Aktion war. Obwohl es die Manner sind, die sich Arbeitsplatze auBerhalb des Gebietes suchen, wurden die Geburtenziffern davon nicht betroffen und der demographische Druck ist unverindert

Geography · Physical geography · African Studies and Geopolitics · Geology

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