Kutama

The Kotama (Ikutamiyene in Berber) are a Berber tribe inhabiting "Babors" of Kabylia ,region of north-eastern Algeria and currently ranked among the confederation of the Bavarians. The tribe was known as Ukutamanorum under the Romans, then Ucutamani under the Byzantines.

The tribe has had an important role during the medieval period (909 - 1171) in the center of North Africa. They founded, alongside missionaries and imams such as Abu Abd Allah ash-Chi'i and Ubayd Allah al-Mahdi, the Fatimid dynasty against the Aghlabids Arab emirate from the tribe of Banu Tamim from Khorasan (Persia), Abbasid Caliphate and vassal of controlling Ifriqya (800-909).

The Kotamas will also be the source of the first Islamic dynasty run by indigenous Berber Maghreb, the Zirids (972-1148) led by General Kutama, Bologhin ibn Ziri

Origins of the Kutama

The Kutama are a sub-branch of Ulhaca. The Ulhasa tribe find their origin from a branch of the great nomadic Berber tribe, the Nefzaouas, and are also Zeneta .

In his book published in 1867 Ernest Mercier mentions the presence of Oulhaça in the vicinity of Annaba in Algeria today. The group of eastern Algeria is located at the border terminals Wilayas of Bejaia and Constantine and the borders of the Aures .

The Zedjala are part of Ulhassa in the Medjana,plain bordered by the Aures. They are installed near the Aures mountains Eiad.

Today, representatives of this branch lived in the neighborhood of Wadi Tafna west of modern Algeria in the wilaya of Ain Temouchent. The Kutama have also settled in the Rif (in the Fatima Dynasty), this is why we find in the Rif region of Morocco tribes akin to that dynasty

An anecdote explaining the origins of the term “Kutama” is recounted by the tenth-century Ismaili jurist, al-Qadi al Nu‘man in his work entitled Iftitāḥ al-da‘wa, in which a preacher by the name of Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Shi’i encountered a group of Shi’i Kutama on the pilgrimage at Mecca in 893 CE. Upon meeting him, this particular group of Kutama pilgrims became convinced of the Ismaili faith and brought Abu ‘Abd Allah along with them back to their country of origin. Along the way, Abu ‘Abd Allah asked the pilgrims about a region called the Valley of the Pious (fajj al-akhyār). The Kutama were astounded that he knew of this place and asked how he came to hear of it. Citing a prophetic tradition (hadīth) of Muhammad, Abu ‘Abd Allah replied that in fact this place was named after the very Kutama themselves: “The Mahdi shall emigrate far from his home at a time full of trails and tribulations. The pious (al-akhyār) of that age shall support him, a people whose name is derived from kitmān (secrecy).” He explained that it was to the Kutama that the tradition referred and on account of them that the region was named the Valley of the Pious.

History of the Kutama

In the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Muslim era, that his fame was the largest.

The area is the historic home of the great Berber tribe Kutama, who played a considerable role in the Middle Ages and the Islamic Maghreb, mainly because it was behind the creation of the Fatimid empire in the tenth century the One of the greatest empires of Islamic history, which extended from Morocco to Saudi today.

Unlike other Muslim authorities, the Fatimids accepted in their administration, not on criteria of tribal, ethnic or even religious, but primarily on merit and competence. The Berbers were attracted by this dogma, they held up the Nile.

In the early tenth century Kutama formed a coalition with the Fatimids against the Abbasids. Because they were In rivalry with the Aghlabids who ruled Ifriqiya. Its members became the fiercest protectors of the young state and also constituted the main strength of his faithful army.

Abu Abd Allah ash-Chi'i, Shiite missionary meets the Kutama and paves the way for his master Ubayd Allah al-Mahdi, a Shiite Ismaili from Syria presented as the Mahdi Abu Abdullah ash-Chî'î and whose dream is to topple the Sunni power in place in Baghdad in favor of the dynasty chiite4.

In the 903 Kutama, now converted to Shiism, but also to the ideology of al-Mahdi, the uprising began. March 19, 909, they destroy permanently Aghlabids dynasty installed by the Abbasids in Ifriqya near Laribus. Six days later, they enter their capital Raqqada then founded the capital of the new Fatimid caliphate in Mahdiyah5.

The Fatimids, with their Kutama army conquered Egypt in 969 under the command of General Jawhar al-Siqilli (the Sicilian) who came to Al-Fustat in 972 countries in a disorganized and starving. They base, near the Sunni town, a new capital he named al-Qahira (Cairo), meaning "the Victorious" 4.

The Kutamas installed a military camp near Cairo, forming a formidable military power in the service of the Fatimid Caliph. They lead later expeditions to Damascus against the Abbasids. The district Kotama "El-Hai Kotamiyine" in Cairo and the Maghreb area of ​​"Al-Harat Maghariba" in Damascus, still testify to the influence of this tribe whose members were, during different periods, being repressed by the Abbasids and their allies, including Egypt Saladin, who will make the Abbasids in 1171. The Siwis, Berbers of Egypt, are Kutama4.

Subsequently, the Fatimids forsook the Maghreb and settled the general Kutama Bologhin ibn Ziri Ifriqiya governor and founder of the dynasty Zirids.

Kotamas in the XXie century

The Kotamas are located in the province of Bejaia, Jijel, Skikda, Mila and Annaba. Kotama culture is still relatively present, the "fish couscous" seksou bel'hout, Popular in this region and in northern Tunisia is home Kotama6.

From a cultural standpoint, the inhabitants of this region keep track of their identity Kutama, but most tribes have been assimilated to the Kabyles (Bejaia), Chaouis (Skikda, Setif), Arabs (Annaba) and the Kabyles el hadra (Jijel, Mila).

In language point, the Kutama's dialect, has been Arabized (Jijel) or diluted with other Berber dialects (Bejaia). The Sunnis had took rule, after the end of the Fatimid dynasty and were part of the Kingdom of Bejaia Hammadid for over 200 years. The challenge, therefore, to resist to the dominant tribes, such as Sanhadja, the Almoravids or the Hilaliens,was difficult.

There are also descendants of Kutama Siwis in Egypt which is Arabized talked to 60%

References

• Virani, Shafique N.. "The Way of the Seeker." Chap. 7, In The Ismailis in the Middle Ages: A History of Survival, A Search for Salvation. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.

See also

Banu 'Ammar