Inzerki
 | This article, Inzerki, has recently been created via the Articles for creation process. Please check to see if the reviewer has accidentally left this template after accepting the draft and take appropriate action as necessary.
Reviewer tools: Inform author |
| This article, Inzerki, has recently been created via the Articles for creation process. Please check to see if the reviewer has accidentally left this template after accepting the draft and take appropriate action as necessary.
Reviewer tools: Inform author |
Inzerki
| |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country |  Morocco |
| Region | Souss-Massa |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Brahim Chtoui |
| Population | |
| • Estimate (2023) | 250 |
Inzerki (Arabic: إنزركي; Tachelhit: ⵉⵏⵣⵔⴽⵉ) is a village in the rural commune of Argana, in the Sous valley of Morocco.[1] The village is located 82 km north of Agadir.[2]
The village is known for having the oldest and largest apiary in the world.[3][4] Built in 1520, the apiary is composed of over 3,000 beehives.[5][6]
History
The apiary was built in 1520 using wood, rock, and adobe by a Shilha beekeeper seeking barakah (blessings) and counsel from a Sufi Sheikh, Sidi Mohamed ben Lahoucine in the nearby village of Tafilaft.[6][7][8] The Sheikh prayed for the beekeeper's success, and advised him on scouting a location to lay the first beehive.[6] Once he harvested honey from the hive, he visited the Sheikh's zawiya to gift the honey to the Sheikh.[6] The Sheikh divided the honey amongst his students at the zawiya and made further prayers for Allah to give barakah upon his beekeeping efforts.[6]
After visiting the hive, the Sheikh suggested to the beekeeper that he build an adobe hut to house multiple hives.[6] Upon hearing news of the Sheikh's visit, local villagers were eager to settle and construct their own huts to participate in the enterprise.[6]
The apiary was renovated in 2005 in collaboration with USAID and UNESCO, after two floods in 1990 and 1995 that nearly destroyed the apiary.[9][1] There currently are plans by the Taddart Inzerki Association to restore the apiary further.[9]
Demographics
Inzerki is inhabited by around 250 Berber villagers, many of them predominantly Shilha.[6][8] Eighty families work at the apiary.[9][1]
References
- ^ a b c "Secrets du Maroc: le plus grand rucher traditionnel au monde se trouve dans le Souss". Le 360 Français (in French). Retrieved 2023-07-07.
- ^ Hekking, Morgan. "Discover the World's Largest Traditional Bee Yard at Morocco's Inzerki Apiary". Morocco World News. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
- ^ "Au Maroc, les abeilles du plus vieux rucher du monde meurent « à un rythme vertigineux »". Le Monde (in French). 2022-04-04. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
- ^ "Maroc : le plus vieux rucher du monde menacé par la sécheresse". France 2 (in French). 2023-05-15. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
- ^ "The Honey Road". Moroccan National Tourist Office. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Chafik, Salah (2023-04-06). "Plan Bee: The Case of an Islamic Honey Cooperative in Morocco". Halduskultuur. 22 (1): 4–26. doi:10.32994/hk.v22i1.288. ISSN 1736-6089.
- ^ Rhoul, Faiza. "Nomad #89 : Rucher d'Inzerki, le plus grand des plus anciens ruchers collectifs au monde". Yabiladi (in Arabic). Retrieved 2023-07-07.
- ^ a b Rucher d'Inzerki, un trésor patrimoine berbère, Medi1 TV, 2017-11-24, retrieved 2023-07-07
- ^ a b c "Inzerki, the Largest Apiary in the World". Visit Agadir. 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2023-07-07.