View source for Inzerki

{{Short description|Moroccan village and apiary}}
{{Infobox settlement
| native_name        = {{unbulleted list
|{{native name|ar|إنزركي}}
|{{native name|shi|ⵉⵏⵣⵔⴽⵉ}}
}}
| image_skyline      = Inzerki3.jpg
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{MAR}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[Regions of Morocco|Region]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[Prefectures of Morocco|Prefecture]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Souss-Massa]]
| population_est     = 250
| pop_est_as_of      = 2023
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Brahim Chtoui
| established_title  = Founded
| established_date   = 1520
| pushpin_map        = Morocco
| coordinates        = {{coord|30.7990|N|9.1913|W}}
| coor_pinpoint      = Inzerki
| pushpin_image      = Morocco relief location map.jpg
}}
'''Inzerki''' ({{langx|ar|إنزركي}}; {{langx|shi|ⵉⵏⵣⵔⴽⵉ}}) is a village in the [[List of municipalities, communes, and arrondissements of Morocco|rural commune]] of [[Argana]], in the [[Sous|Sous valley]] of [[Morocco]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Secrets du Maroc: le plus grand rucher traditionnel au monde se trouve dans le Souss |url=https://fr.le360.ma/lifestyle/secrets-du-maroc-le-plus-grand-rucher-traditionnel-au-monde-se-trouve-dans-le-souss-159827/ |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=Le 360 Français |language=fr}}</ref> The village is located 82&nbsp;km north of [[Agadir]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hekking |first=Morgan |title=Discover the World's Largest Traditional Bee Yard at Morocco's Inzerki Apiary |url=https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2020/01/291510/inzerki-apiary-morocco |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=Morocco World News |language=en}}</ref>
The village is known for having the oldest and largest [[apiary]] in the world.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-04-04 |title=Au Maroc, les abeilles du plus vieux rucher du monde meurent " à un rythme vertigineux " |language=fr |work=Le Monde |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2022/04/04/au-maroc-les-abeilles-du-plus-vieux-rucher-du-monde-meurent-a-un-rythme-vertigineux_6120476_3212.html |access-date=2023-05-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-15 |title=Maroc : le plus vieux rucher du monde menacé par la sécheresse |url=https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/afrique/environnement-africain/maroc-le-plus-vieux-rucher-du-monde-menace-par-la-secheresse_5826635.html |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=France 2 |language=fr-FR}}</ref> Built in 1520, the apiary is composed of over 3,000 [[beehive]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Honey Road |url=https://www.visitmorocco.com/en/suggested-tours/honey-road |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=Moroccan National Tourist Office |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Chafik |first=Salah |date=2023-04-06 |title=Plan Bee: The Case of an Islamic Honey Cooperative in Morocco |url=http://halduskultuur.eu/journal/index.php/HKAC/article/view/288 |journal=Halduskultuur |volume=22 |issue=1 |pages=4–26 |doi=10.32994/hk.v22i1.288 |s2cid=258754667 |issn=1736-6089}}</ref>
== History ==
The apiary was built in 1520 using wood, rock, and [[adobe]] by a [[Shilha people|Shilha]] beekeeper seeking [[barakah]] (blessings) and counsel from a [[Sufism|Sufi]] [[Sheikh]], Sidi Mohamed ben El Hussain in the nearby village of Tafilaft.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rhoul |first=Faiza |title=Nomad #89 : Rucher d'Inzerki, le plus grand des plus anciens ruchers collectifs au monde |url=https://www.yabiladi.com/articles/details/71642/nomad-rucher-d-inzerki-plus-grand.html |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=Yabiladi |language=ar}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Citation |title=Rucher d'Inzerki, un trésor patrimoine berbère |date=2017-11-24 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfOHfjB9_QM |access-date=2023-07-07 |publisher=[[Medi1 TV]] |language=en}}</ref> The Sheikh prayed for the beekeeper's success, and advised him on scouting a location to lay the first beehive.<ref name=":0" />
Once he harvested [[honey]] from the hive, he visited the Sheikh's [[Zawiya (institution)|zawiya]] to gift the honey to the Sheikh.<ref name=":0" /> The Sheikh divided the honey amongst his students at the zawiya and made further prayers for [[Allah]] to give barakah upon his beekeeping efforts.<ref name=":0" />
[[File:Inzerki2.jpg|thumb|View of the apiary, 2010]]
After visiting the hive, the Sheikh suggested to the beekeeper that he build an adobe hut to house multiple hives.<ref name=":0" /> Upon hearing news of the Sheikh's visit, local villagers were eager to settle and construct their own huts to participate in the enterprise.<ref name=":0" />
The apiary was renovated in 2005 in collaboration with [[United States Agency for International Development|USAID]] and [[UNESCO]], after two floods in 1990 and 1995 that nearly destroyed the apiary.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2022-03-24 |title=Inzerki, the Largest Apiary in the World |url=https://visitagadir.com/en/destinations/inzerki-the-largest-apiary-in-the-world/ |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=Visit Agadir}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> There currently are plans by the Taddart Inzerki Association to restore the apiary further.<ref name=":3" /> As of 2013, the Inzerki apiary contained 2,160 hives on three floors.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2013-07-22 |title=قرية شمال أكادير تحتضن أكبر المناحل التقليدية في العالم |url=https://www.hespress.com/%D9%82%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%A3%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%AA%D8%B6%D9%86-%D8%A3%D9%83%D8%A8%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%AD%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84-135059.html |access-date=2023-12-30 |website=Hespress |language=ar}}</ref>
== Demographics ==
Inzerki is inhabited by around 250 [[Berbers|Berber]] villagers, many of them predominantly [[Shilha people|Shilha]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> Eighty families work at the apiary.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" /> The apiary contains approximately 50,000 bees.<ref>{{Cite web |title="انزركي" المغربي.. أقدم منحل تقليدي في العالم يقاوم الاندثار |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/ar/%D8%A3%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A7/%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%B2%D8%B1%D9%83%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%BA%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A-%D8%A3%D9%82%D8%AF%D9%85-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%AD%D9%84-%D8%AA%D9%82%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85-%D9%8A%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%AB%D8%A7%D8%B1/2882530 |access-date=2023-12-30 |website=www.aa.com.tr}}</ref>
== References ==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Apiaries]]
[[Category:Beehives]]
[[Category:Rural communes of Souss-Massa]]
[[Category:Populated places in Taroudannt Province]]