Rif
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223441234
2008-07-04T02:31:35Z
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/* Tribes */
{{otheruses4|a region in Morocco||RIF (disambiguation)}}
:''For the Eleventh Century Talmudist, see [[Isaac Alfasi]]''
[[Image:RifMountainsInTheChefchaouenProvince.jpg|thumb|200px|Rif mountains in the province of Ashawen]]
The '''Rif''' ([[Berber language|Berber]]:[[Image:Arif tifinagh.svg]]) is a mainly mountainous region of north [[Morocco]], from [[Cape Spartel]] and [[Tangier]] in the west to [[Ras Kebdana]] and the [[Moulouya River]] in the east, and from the [[Mediterranean Sea]] in the north to the river of [[Ouargha]] in the south. It is part of the [[Cordillera Bética]] that also includes the mountains of Southern [[Spain]]. The Rif mountains are not part of the [[Atlas Mountains]] but belong to the [[Gibraltar Arc]] or [[Alborán Sea]] geological region. The region's name comes from the Berber word ''arif''.
The people of the Rif are [[Berber people|Berbers]].
[[Image:Chauen.jpg|thumb|200px|A view of the Rif mountains around Ashawen]]
{{Portal|Berbers|Flag of the Kabyle people.svg|35|boxsize}}
Major Rif cities include [[Tangier]], [[Tetouan]], [[Chefchaouen]], [[Ceuta]], [[Melilla]], [[Nador]], [[Al Hoceima]] (Also called [[Biya]]), [[Azghenghan]], [[Selwan]], [[Ajdir]], Tawrirt, [[Taza]], and [[El Jebha]].
The region is also known for its geographic diversity: mountains, sea, rivers, hills, and the like.
== History ==
For many centuries before Christ, the Berbers inhabited the Rif. The region was later invaded by [[Phoenicia]]ns since the 3rd century BC, founding cities such as Tetouan, Melilla, and later Tangier in the 5th century BC, which later became the capital city of the kingdom of [[Mauretania]]. The cities were later invaded by [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] and then [[Byzantines]]. [[Image:Atlas-Mountains-Labeled-2.jpg|right|thumb|350px|Map showing the location of the Rif Mountains across North Morroco.]]
In 710, [[Salih I ibn Mansur]] founded the [[Kingdom of Nekor]] in the Rif and converted most Berbers to Islam. Arabs then established more cities. By the 15th century, many Spanish [[Moors]] were exiled from Spain and most of them lived in the Rif, bringing their culture, [[Andalusian music]], and even establishing Chefchaouen. Since then, the Rif had suffered a lot of battles between Morocco, Spain and Portugal. In 1415, Portugal invaded Ceuta, and in 1490 Spain invaded Melilla. There was period of peace after, but war [[Spanish-Moroccan War (1859)|between Spain and Morocco]] arose again in 1859 in Tetouan where Morocco was defeated. The Spanish-Moroccan conflicts didn't end. In the 20th century, under the leadership of [[Abd el-Krim]] El-Khattabi, the Moroccan [[guerrilla]] leader, The Riffian Berbers [[Rif War (1920)|struggled against Spanish rule]] and aimed to free Morocco from French and Spanish colonization. Abd el-Krim later established the [[Republic of the Rif]] in 1921. The region was returned to Morocco after its independence in 1956.
== Tribes ==
Traditionally, the principal Rif tribes of the region are:
* [[Aith Ouriaghel]] near [[Ajdir]], around Oued [[Ghis]] ([[Abd el-Krim]]'s tribe)
* [[Gzennaya]], near the source of Oued Bayu, east of the [[Metalsa]]
* [[Galiya]], in the region of [[Melilla]]
** Mazuza
** [[Aith Shisher]] / Ait Shiker
** [[Aith Sidal]]
** [[Aith Bu Ifrur]]
** [[Aith Buyafar]]
* [[Kebdana]], along the coast next to Oued [[Moulouya]] near the [[Algeria]]n border
* [[Aith Said]], west of Oued Kert
* [[Oulad Stut]], an originally [[Arab]] tribe, south of the [[Kebdana]]
* [[Aith Bu Yahi]], along Oued [[Moulouya]] south of the [[Oulad Stut]]
* [[Metalsa]], east of the [[Aith Bu Yahi]]
* [[Aith Ulishk]], southwest of [[Temsaman]]
* [[Tafersit]], southwest of [[Temsaman]]
* [[Aith Tuzin]], south of [[Temsaman]]
* [[Temsaman]], around the town of that name, east of [[Al Hoceima]]
* [[Aith Amart]], south of [[Aith Ouriaghel]]
* [[Targuist]], southeast of [[Aith Ouriaghel]]
* [[Bokoya]], in the west of [[Aith Ouriaghel]] at [[Al Hoceima]]
* [[Aith Itteft]], east of [[Bades]]
* [[Aith Bu Frah]], east of [[Aith Itteft]]
* [[Mestassa]], east of [[Aith Bu Frah]]
* [[Mtiwa]], between [[Mestassa]] and Oued [[Ouringa]]
* [[Beni Guemil]], west of [[Aith Bu Frah]]
== Environment ==
The Rif mountains are not part of the Atlas mountain range. The Rif mountains are home to the honeybee ''Apis mellifera major''.
== See also ==
* [[Heads of State of Rif]]
* [[Heads of Government of Rif]]
* [[Nekor]]
== External links ==
*[http://www.agraw.com/modules/Music/Rif-Music.php Rif Music]
*[http://www.agraw.com/modules/xcgal/thumbnails.php?album=1 Rif Photos]
*[http://c.1asphost.com/imazighen/rifains/algeria.htm Pictures Of Rifains]
* http://www.let.leidenuniv.nl/talengids/rifijns2.htm
* http://www.gosahara.org/rb.html
* http://weecheng.com/morocco/chef/map-rif.gif
* [http://www.geopium.org/Photos/Maroc_Rif2005/Maroc_Rif2005.htm Photos of cannabis cultivation in Morocco (Rif) on www.geopium.org]
* [http://www.geopium.org/Chouvy-JIR-NOV2005-Morocco_said_to_produce_nearly_half_of_the_worlds_hashish_supply.html Recent paper on kif cultivation and hashish production and trafficking in the Rif Mountains of Morocco]
* [http://image.nadorama.com/ Pictures of Rifland]
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[[Category:Berber]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Morocco]]
[[Category:History of Morocco]]
[[Category:Rif| ]]
[[af:Rif (Atlasgebergte)]]
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[[es:Rif]]
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[[nl:Rifgebergte]]
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