historical background of oasis Remlia

The position of the oasis is historically important. It is on the banks of both Ziz and Ghris “oueds” (rives) like the first commercial town of the Moroccan kingdom, Sijilmassa. The Rough Guide to Morocco refers to this area as the Berber kingdom. (Ellingham, Mac Weigh & Grisbrook, 1993, p.421).
The oasis of Ramlia is the origin of the Ait Khabbash tribe. They were the nomads living around Ziz and Ghris Rivers, which were known for their fertility.
However, the area also has undergone decades of drought. Therefore, the nomads, were obliged to settle near a permanent source of water.
Another point that is worth mentioning is that the oasis is rich in sources of water. During the thirtieth of the 20th century, the nomads started building the old “khettara” to irrigate the present oasis. It is still the only “khettara” which is not affected by drought. This fact makes people call Ramlia Aghbalou, meaning a oasis with perpetual water sources. That is why many people include the word aghbalou when naming their auberges, such as “Aghbalou Ramlia”.
The “Sugar Route” is constructed in this area and the French colonizers used it to control both Morocco and Algeria. It is necessary to mention that the French were facing strong resistance in this area. It was not until the 1930s that the French managed to bring the region under their control.
To help with the water of the “khettara”, and to give importance to agriculture, the farmers dig wells to irrigate their crops. However, the oasis of Ramlia face many changes. The first is that the wells of water became salty; secondly, the area began to know decades of drought as well as the sickness of palm trees caused by “ilbayound”
Because, of this situation, the local people began to give importance to tourism because they were certain that the natural characteristics were sufficient to attract tourists to visit this oasis. As a result, some investors started projects to provide tourists with accommodations, traditional food, and entertainment.