Rediscovering the memory of water in the Mediterranean

REMEE is the name of a EU-funded project implemented under the framework of Euromed Heritage IV program, that aims to promote the preservation of vernacular heritage linked to water management in Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria.

Samira Safadi - Tunis, Eurojar

Throughout their history, Arab Mediterranean civilizations succeeded in improving their water management systems to meet their societies’ needs. Consequently, this has led to “the establishment of efficient water infrastructures, which constituted essential pillars of Northern African civilizations, from the time of Phoenicians up to the time of Romans and the Islamic civilization”, says Tunisian historian Dr. Mohamed Hassan.

Among these water infrastructures, the Aqueduct of Carthage, 82 Km long and 10 meters high, built to carry water from Zaghouan to ancient Carthage before Islam. And all around the city of Kairouan, enormous water tanks were developed; today, they represent a major historical site. It was then the turn of Morisks (Arabs expelled from Andalusia) to design during the 16th and the 17th centuries efficient irrigation systems and drinking water and industrial water supplies. Thus, in the suburb of El Battan located in the Northern neighborhood of the capital Tunis, they succeeded to create textile industry thanks to an effective hydraulic infrastructure that allows the use of Mejrada basin water resources.

The Andalusians at Hammamat
Unfortunately, most of these water infrastructures do not exist anymore, in large part due to economic expansion and high population density. The city of Hammamat (located about 60 Km South of Tunis) is one of the country’s main agricultural and tourist regions. Known for its water resources and its farmlands fertility, the city was occupied by the Andalusians who brought their agricultural techniques with them.

The Andalusians were also the ones who introduced new agricultural products to the city, such as orange trees and tomatoes. Starting the middle of the 20th century, the city of Hammamat witnesses massive immigration from Tunisian provinces following the tourism boom that occurred at that time. Geographer Hafez Setham says immigration and tourism are the main causes of present scarcity of water resources. Consequently, it was difficult to meet the increasing water needs, which raised pressure on the agricultural sector, notably on oranges scattered all over Hammamat’s neighboring areas and on vineyard production in the city of Kelibia. Not to mention that urban and hotel industry development has strangled the agricultural sector, harming the irrigation infrastructures.

In this context, the European Union is contributing to the funding of a development project that aims at promoting water heritage and raising awareness among local population and young people on the importance of safeguarding this heritage. Entitled REMEE (in Latin, nostalgia for the past), the vernacular heritage addresses water management and arboriculture related know-how that are not reproducible today.

Funded under the framework of Euromed Heritage IV, REMEE is implemented over 30 months period. The head of project Mathieu Guary says this initiative is of great importance, notably in a context of lack of water and loss of traditional irrigation methods that proved to be highly efficient during the past several centuries. According to Mathieu Guary, the project aims to shed light on water heritage in the form of wells, irrigation canals, small lakes, and water tanks... In urban areas, the project focuses on fountains, Turkish baths and holy places where water plays a crucial role. Contrarily to historical sites that benefit from special attention and that are permanently entertained, local immaterial heritage is often neglected, although it constitutes essential pillar of the Mediterranean collective memory. The Europeans hope that this project will shed light on the fragile environment of agriculture in the contemporary context. This is the reason why the project team is working on implementing water-related local development projects involving residents and civil society actors in order to promote and improve the practice of arboriculture among local populations. “Our objective is not to build a museum but to ensure the longevity of water heritage in order to attract investments by the end of the project (30 months)”.

Bashir Rayyan is a sociologist at the University of Tunis. He says this project is expected to help safeguard orange plantations that are in danger within the current context of urbanization. Project activities are carried out by a group of volunteers enlisted to assist the farmers; activities include the establishment of an ecological-Museum and an entertaining garden. After participating in an international workshop that brought together landscape painters, architects, agricultural engineers, cultural tourism specialists and designers from Tunisia, France, Spain, Turkey and Switzerland, a group of volunteers came up with a series of suggestions for the establishment of an ecological museum and an entertaining garden. Another group of volunteers was invited to set up a “pilot garden” in the Park of Hammamat Cultural Center. According to Mathieu Guary, this activity proves that arboriculture is still relevant today. In this context, the Institute of Agricultural Sciences of Tunisia is conducting a feasibility study on the use of traditional irrigation methods.

REMEE in Algeria and Morocco
Within the framework of REMEE, many activities were implemented in the region of Tipasa, Mount Chenoa in Algeria, such as the creation of a water heritage guide and itinerary though water-related infrastructures in Chenoa. In the Medina of Marrakech, in Morocco, the project included the setting up of an inventory of fountains and Turkish baths. In the rural area of Al Haouz Province, an eco-museum for local water heritage was established. In each targeted country, activities are implemented around a specific theme related to water heritage. In Marrakech, the project focuses on the profession of water carrier and in Algeria on water-gathering methods. More than 1000 young people were invited to participate in many activities implemented in Southern Mediterranean countries.

According to Mathieu Guary, the project aims to raise awareness among youth on the importance of rediscovering and protecting their water heritage and ensuring its durability, as they’re meant to be the guardians of water heritage. The project includes the establishment of a documentation and resource center for water heritage in the Mediterranean as well as a website: www.remee.com.

It is to be noted that law does not protect water heritage. Five decades ago, in Marrakech, there used to be one hundred fountains. Today, all that remains is the half of this valuable heritage. Guary says that awareness is the only way to protect this patrimony and to keep it alive among future generations.

Refer to the projects fact sheets:
Euromed Heritage 4 (Tunisia)
Euromed Heritage 4 (Algeria)
Euromed Heritage 4 (Morocco)