The expedition diaries Tunisia (15-28 April 2003)                                     If you want to have photo or video materials about Tunisia - write us a letter.

The Berbers capital Matmata, troglodytes The following point of our stop-off was the capital of Berbers, the town of Matmata. This enigmatic ancient tribe had settled down in the North of Africa from time immemorial. It remembers a lot. Phoenicians, Romans, Barbarians, Osmans, Turks, Frenchmen - you can hardly enumerate all of them. The Berbers had time to live in cities built by invaders on their territory. Then they left these cities for moving back in caves when the Turks tried to charge them with excessive taxes. Some of them reside there till now. Apart from the caves, there existed also fortresses - ksars, a shelter against enemies. In spite of persecutions and wars, the Berbers kept their language, habits and traditions, having survived the thriving state and falling of several civilizations. The official data reveal that they make up only 1% of the Tunisian population. The young people use to flow into large cities. But you can find among the representatives of the older generation those who stay till now in troglodytes' houses (caves) in the century of the Internet and space flights. However, we were very surprised to see a big sun battery and TV-antenna close to the cave. The Tunisian government takes a good care of all its citizens. So, some underground Berber's houses were provided with electricity. This is a country of harmony where the most different cultures, way of life, religions and mentality get on under the same African sky quietly. On the way to Aisha, a true indigenous Berber woman, we managed to lose the way many times. And we were being accompanied by a guide, this Berber woman's acquaintance. The houses (caves) are perfectly hidden and barely visible among the hills as they were designed for escaping from a wide range of aggressors. Other similar dwellings come into sight next to the road to the city. Although, as we found out, there live "actors" disguised as Berbers. They make their living at showing their way of life to travelers. Climb the hill inside which there is a troglodytes' house and look down. You'll observe a big square hole at about 8-10 meters depth. This is an interior courtyard. It connects the house with the outside world through the dug multimeter narrow exit to the basis of the hill. Underground houses can be one-storeyed and two-storeyed ones. The hole walls hold the doors at the level of the floor. They lead to the rooms of the house - bedroom, living-room, kitchen, storeroom. On the way to the entrance we pass by a well, a hearth, where the mistress of the house bakes bread, and a small pen with a hen and chickens. The door carries a number of drawn symbols - fish and prints of Fatima's palm protecting from bad envious eyes and bringing prosperity to the house. On knocking at the door the hostess Aisha emerges, inviting us to come in. Cool and fresh air in the cave as compared with the heat outdoors. We have been observing for a long time canisters and shell-cases in the courtyard remained from the Second World War. Vegetables and grain in the storeroom. Simple utensils in the kitchen. A TV-set in the living-room. Aisha confesses, that her son is fond of watching football. We question Aisha about her life helped by an interpreter of the Berber language. She is a 50-year-old widower and keeps four children. The son is a bachelor. The beautiful daughter is eighteen years old; two younger children go to school. In the morning they wait for a bus on the roadway that gets them to the distant "maktab". The house includes "no more than" 8 rooms. According to her words, to live there is trouble-free, not cold in winter and not hot in summer. "Nobody builds such houses nowadays", - the woman complains. "And earlier", she goes on, "when a young man was getting married, all his relatives gathered together helping to dig a new hole in sandstone. To say nothing of arranging the dwelling for the young couple". Aisha deals with subsistence farming - beans, wheat grow in the kitchen garden. Moreover, she has hens and goats that live nearby. All around us there is a whole Berber settlement invisible with half an eye, we may come across her relatives' house (just hard by). Aisha is a wise and a very religious woman. The overwhelming majority of the Tunisian population relate to Moslems - Sunnites. "We should follow the precepts of Allah. Then people will be keeping in mind your name even after your death", - she repeats over and over again. Thanking Aisha, we leave her welcoming cave making our farewells. And she goes to the hearth in a usual manner and lights a fire. The habitual daily routine starts. The children are on the point of returning from school. They will ask to eat. Next: >>>  The Berbers Ksars

e-mail:	Update: 20 March 2004	Support TV company "Svoy Krug"