Bounaamane is a small town and rural commune in

Tiznit Province Tiznit is a province in the Moroccan economic region of Souss-Massa. Its population in 2004 was 344,831. The major cities and towns are: * Tafraout * Tiznit Subdivisions The province is divided administratively into the following municipalities ...

of the

Souss-Massa-Drâa Souss-Massa-Drâa (; ber, ⵙⵓⵙ ⵎⴰⵙⴰ ⴷⵔⴰ) was formerly one of the sixteen regions of Morocco from 1997 to 2015. It covered an area of 70,880 km² and had a population of 3,601,917 (2014 census). The capital is Agadir. One o ...

region of

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...

. At the time of the 2004 census, the commune had a total population of 12,112 people living in 2,158 households. The area is predominantly

Amazigh , image = File:Berber_flag.svg , caption = The Berber ethnic flag , population = 36 million , region1 = Morocco , pop1 = 14 million to 18 million , region2 = Algeria , pop2 ...

. The town has a library, Dar Talib, Dar Taliba, and several associations. There are also several cafes, small food and clothing stores, and a driving school. The Dar Saniaa is a local women's association that offers sewing, Arabic, and English classes. There is a centrally located mosque and many in surrounding neighborhoods. The mosques also offer women's literacy courses. Several small businesses and cooperatives producing olive oil and argan oil are located in Bounaamane and the surrounding villages.

History

A well-known Koranic school was founded in Bounaamaane in between the 14th and 15th century (7th and 8th Hijri centuries) and is still functioning today. During

French colonialism The French colonial empire () comprised the overseas colonies, protectorates and mandate territories that came under French rule from the 16th century onward. A distinction is generally made between the "First French Colonial Empire", that existe ...

, a mountain on the outskirts of Bounaamane served as a garrison. Bounaamane is also home to religious and cultural activities, such as tbourida during

Ashura Ashura (, , ) is a day of commemoration in Islam. It occurs annually on the 10th of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. Among Shia Muslims, Ashura is observed through large demonstrations of high-scale mourning as it marks the ...

and special occasions.

Geography

Bounaamane is situated 23 kilometers south of

Tiznit Tiznit or Tiznet ( ar, تزنيت, Tiznīt; ber, ⵜⵉⵣⵏⵉⵜ, Tiznit) is a town in the west coast of the Moroccan region of Souss-Massa, founded in 1881 by the Sultan Hassan I. It is the capital of Tiznit Province and recorded a populat ...

and 90 kilometers south of

Agadir Agadir ( ar, أݣادير, ʾagādīr; shi, ⴰⴳⴰⴷⵉⵔ) is a major city in Morocco, on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean near the foot of the Atlas Mountains, just north of the point where the Souss River flows into the ocean, and south ...

. It is in a valley surrounded by hills and mountains. A river once ran through the outskirts of Bounaamane but has dried up in the 21st century. This ongoing drought has severely impacted the area. Argan and olive trees are indigenous to the region and grow abundantly in the area.

Demographics

Like much of the Souss-Massa region, Bounaamane is predominantly Amazigh, with a small number of Arabs and Sahrawis. Many from Bounaamane are a part of the Ait Brayim tribe.

Government

The commune of Bounaamane is located on the main street. The day-to-day running of the commune is the responsibility of the commune president, whereas the Caid is responsible for security.

Transportation

Bounaamane is located south of

along Route P1903. Bounaamane is served by grand taxis and by a local bus. Construction is ongoing near Bounaamane to build a highway between Tiznit and

Guelmim Guelmim (in ber, Agʷelmim, ⴰⴳⵯⵍⵎⵉⵎ, in ar, ڭلميم, also spelled in European sources: Glaimim, Goulimine or Guelmin), is a city in southern Morocco, often called ''Gateway to the Desert''. It is the capital of the Guelmim-Oued N ...

Education

Bounaamane's public school system consists of an elementary school and Ibn Khaldoun High School. There is also a

Koranic school The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , sing ...

which is well known in the area. Students from outside of Bounaamane can board at the Dar Talib and Dar Taliba in town. The Dar Talib and Dar Taliba can accommodate several hundred students, and each comprises dormitories, a cafeteria, computer lab, library, a front office, football terrain, and classrooms. Both have football teams that have had national success.

Points of Interest

* Tigoudern, a prominent mountain located on the outskirts of Bounaamane in the Imougni Oufella neighborhood. It is a short but steep hike to the top, where a small structure and the remnants of several others can be found. The mountain was previously used as a garrison. * Souk – Friday mornings through late afternoon.

References

Rural communes of Souss-Massa Populated places in Tiznit Province {{SoussMassaDrâa-geo-stub