TheImprovement ofTropical and Subtropical Rangelands

THE BENI MGUILD OF MOROOOO 231
their seuonal cycle south of Itser, while the larger Ait Ougadir (the
Ait Quebel Lahram and Ait Ali) are strung out along a series ofsmall
streams descending the steep eastern face of the Middle Atlas. 1 • The
remaining two subtribes, the Ait Bougueman and the Ait Messaoud,
are spread out widely in the wedg~shaped portion of the Upper
Moulouya on both sides of the river and in the gorges of the ancient
Massif of Aouli. 16
October is taken as the starting point of the yearly cycle both
for convenience and because it marks the end of the Beni Mguild's
agricultural activities. 18 In October, the various Beni Mguild sections
can be found in the Upper Moulouya attending to their cultivated
flelds on the steppe. Once the harvest is completed and stored in
fortified granaries, it becomes necessary to move to the Azaghar
Plateau, as pasturage in the Upper Moulouya is insufficient for all
the flocks. This move to the Azaghar begins about the first of
November and continues throughout most of the month. Movement
is slow and follows a regular order from the southeast toward the
northeast with one group of tents packing up and leaving only to be
followed immediately by another douGr, or village of tents, moving
successively into the abandoned pasturage. 17 The nomads always
travel in substantial groups, or caravans, to prevent any interference
with their progress by other nomads or by sedentary villagers along
their route.
The Ait Lias go flrst, travelling through the pass at Tizi Zad
(on the main Meknes to Midelt road) to their traditional pastures
around Azrou and Ifrane,18 although some have been reported as
far west as al-Hajeb. 10 Slightly later, the Ait Ougadir Cl088 the first
mountain barrier at Tizi-n 'Rechou and at a point somewhat farther
north before turning northeastward up the synclinal valley of the
Wadi Serrou. After skirting Jabal Tamarakoit, Jabal Hayane, and
the slopes around Aguelman~Azigza, they pass through Ain-Leuh
on the way to their winter pastures in the Plateau of Tellt between
Wadi Beth and Wadi Aguennor. 20 A similar route is also followed
by the Ait Bougueman and Ait Messaoud, who have long taken the
same path as the Ait Ougadir. They also winter on the Plateau of
Tellt as well as in the plains of Messouar and Guertila and on the
Plateau of Ment. At one time, various sections of the Ait Bougueman
and the Ait Messaoud seem to have fallen under the authority of the
Zaiane tribe to their immediate south, thus permitting them to take
slightly more southerly routes to their traditional pastures,21 but this
evidently represented a departure from the more normal pattern.