Strange regulations apply in 5 ancient cities in the largest country ‘black continent’.
Located between Morocco and Tunisia, Algeria is the largest country in Africa and the 10th largest in the world. 4/5 of the country is covered by the Sahara – the hottest desert in the world. This is a desolate, barren land full of rocks… Hardly anyone lives here. 
Despite the harsh terrain, there are settlements on the northern edge of the Sahara. This place is also known as historic 5 ksours. These are the centuries-old ancient cities of the M’Zab valley. These cities include El-Atteuf (the oldest, founded in 1012), Melika, Bounoura, the holy places of Beni-Isguen and Ghardaïa. 
A tourist board was established to preserve these 5 ksours. They set quite strict regulations for tourists and Algerians. According to the BBC, the council advises Algerians and tourists to visit the ancient cities only when accompanied by a local guide. In addition, some other behaviors are also prohibited when coming here such as smoking, immodest dress, using mobile phones and taking selfies. 
Khaled Meghnine, a local guide, said: “We are all friendly and visitors are welcome to come here. However, they must respect the way of life of the people of this area. It is our home. , not the backdrop for a social media post. Nobody here wants that.” 
Since the 8th century, the Mozabites, a semi-nomadic people with a distinct language Tumzabt, have explored the land. 5 ancient cities are the unique cultural crossroads of the indigenous people of North Africa, the Islamic faith of Ibadi… Currently, the population of these cities is about 360,000 people. “It’s unbelievable how they developed society in this harsh land. That’s why we need to cherish this culture. It’s been around for 1,000 years,” Meghnine said. 
The roads in these cities are quite narrow, just enough for a donkey to carry cargo. The main road is bigger, enough for the camel to move. The houses are made of stone with a boxy texture. They usually raise a goat for milk and to deal with leftovers. Electricity started appearing here in 1950 and also changed people’s lives more or less. 
However, many principles remain the same from the old days. For example, when queuing at water pumps, children will be first, then women, then men. The walls of the house are often painted blue to create a feeling of coolness and repel mosquitoes. 
In Ghardaïa (pictured), the installation of modern signs or billboards is prohibited. This is how they keep the old city intact. Local regulations require that people in small streets specialize in only one product, for example carpets, fruit, vegetables or gold. The merchants here are not very competitive. Instead, they unite and create strong communities. Bargaining is also “implicitly forbidden” because of the respect between the seller and the buyer. Both parties will agree on a reasonable price from the beginning based on honesty. 
Another issue of concern for people living in these cities is water. To them, water is more precious than gold. There is a committee dedicated to overseeing the use of water resources. Here, they have penalties for people using more water than is common in society. In fact, from 2008-2017, the M’Zab valley did not have a single drop of rain. That’s why they take the regulations seriously.
You must log in to post a comment.