Touda and wanders

Ait M'hamed Day 5

Abdellatif came at 9 and we finally met Touda this morning, the main female GDF community researcher and douar representative. She took us to one of the commune offices where they keep plants herbarium specimens and grain crops seeds. Was so neat to how many varieties they grow here and some botany in action. Apparently there are over 230 identified wild species of fodder in the hills/agdals in Ait M’hamed- will definitely be reviewing them! We got to interview her and another man from a more distant douar about the history, crops and animals and fodder in Ait M’hamed. We learned that the village centre of Ait M’hamed we are in is actually made of 3 smaller douars divided by the hills in which the main aggregates of houses are built. Malika’s house in the one called Haj.

After walking to the local government and disciplinary headquarters, we met some of the shepherds who were meeting with Touda and officials to hear about the agdal opening day. Luckily my papers and passport verification had all been done before or upon my arrival, but Abdellatif still needed to show his id for verification. In the office the official had a good map showing where Ait M’hamed is situated in the High Atlas and the major douars inside. He also pointed out the location of Igourdan- closer to the mountains, and informed us that the dours and bolded names were actually not accurate- merely chosen for elections several years ago so they could participate. Would be interesting to learn more about politics here. Abdellatif mentioned yesterday that he and many Moroccans boycott elections since every time votes take place the same people are in power and politicians get a lifetime salary so there is lost trust in democracy to a degree in some communities.

farmer by his barley field next to the river

After another lengthy wait we conducted a survey with the head shepherd representative, and then had an unstructured interview and got them make an importance ranking of sorts about feed for the goats and sheep (also cows and donkeys, but they are far less important here). A lot of similarities with Amslane, but the animals of importance and amount of bought feed and crops seems quite different so far.

Malika made another lovely lunch of smoothies and a lentil dish like dahl for lunch with fruit. I then showed Abdellatif the walk I’ve been doing to the hill road and river behind Malika’s house/douar. Spotting a man grazing sheep in a field by the river, we crossed to ask him some questions about the plants they ate and what he harvested. So many similar plants to the mountainsides of Amslane and some river plants- a few with the same names, so I’m gradually forming a list of what is used and similarities. We walked further down the river towards and discovered what I had mistaken for mills from a distance were actually water pumps for irrigation. There were also young walnut saplings growing in cages of burnt branches, to keep them safe from grazing according to Abdellatif. On the walk back I was struck by how green and beautiful the river valley was quite lush despite lack of irrigation.