Algerian Traditional Clothing

Although there is an increasing tendency for both men and women in Algeria to wear western-style clothing, the Algerian population continues to wear some traditional outfits.  These garments are mostly worn at special events such as weddings and important family or social gatherings.  There are a few traditional clothing shops in Oran that sell this kind of outfits.

I have taken a few images of women’s dresses during my visits to this country.  An organisation called Diamantine offers the modern Algerian women a choice of amazingly ornate and magnificent outfits.  I have also included some images from one of their catalogues.

The shop keepers are most accommodating and always happy to serve new clients.  You are always most welcome to browse their selection of garments and try some on if you like.  A wonderful way to feel like a queen for a short while. 

Festive Dress 1 - Image Courtesy Diamantine Fashions

 

Festive Dress 2 - Image Courtesy Diamantine Fashions

 

Festive Dresses 1 

Festive Dress 3 - Image Courtesy Diamantine Fashions

Festive Dress 4 - Image Courtesy Diamantine Fashions

Festive Dress 5 - Image Courtesy Diamantine Fashions
 

Festive Dresses 2



Festive Dresses 3

 

The Beaches

Some of the most vivid memories I have of my life in Algeria revolve around going to the beach. 



Ain-el-Turck Beach

During the warm months of the year – generally May to October, going to the beach was a weekly event for almost everyone living there.  In those days;  (First half of the 20^th century), people didn’t travel much or take holidays far away from their home.  The beach was the place where everyone went to cool down, enjoy water activities, meet friends and have great beach parties. 



Bouzedjar Beach

Then as now, the many beaches lining the coast west of Mers-el-Kébir offer the locals and the increasing number of Algerian tourists, an almost uninterrupted choice of white sandy beaches one can choose depending on which direction the wind blows from. 



Les Andalouses Beach
 

Although half a century has passed since I left Algeria, each time I return there, I still get an immense pleasure in revisiting the many places where I spent so much time during my childhood and early teens. 

Fishermen by the Sea at Les Andalouses beach




Les Corales beach will always a special significance for me as it is the place where I learnt to swim when I was a young boy.  Each time I go back to that very spot, this significant event in my life comes back to me very clearly.



Les Corales beach
 


I recently discovered Madere and Sbiat beaches.  These are located some manageable distance from Mers-el-Kébir but in the Fifties, my family considered these beaches a bit too far to drive to.  I have to admit that we had such a great choice closer by that we never felt the need to drive that much further to enjoy a great day by the sea.  I am glad however that I have discovered these spots as they are truly magnificent and certainly worth the drive. 

Madere beach



The other side of Madere beach



 

Sbiat Beach

 

 



 





 

 

 

 

 

 

 




 








My Algerian friends

In 2010, after 43 years, I returned to Mers-el-Kébir and caught up with many of my Algerian friends I hadn’t seen since 1967.  I revisited the house where I lived and grew up, my Primary School and many other places filled with the memories of my early years there.  Since 2010, some members of my family have also returned to the old country with me and they too rekindled many relationships long interrupted since the sixties.

It is most comforting to realise that in spite of all the years spent apart from each other and without any contact, the relationship, the closeness and the feelings between my friends and me had remained as strong as they were all these years ago.  The hospitality I receive and the welcoming I am shown from my old friends and the new ones I have made each time I return there is simply overwhelming.

I met Alilou; my friend Kader's nephew in 2010 during my first trip to Algeria.  We somehow connected straight away and our friendship has continued to grow ever since.  Like my father, Alilou is a keen spearfisherman and we exchanged many fishing stories and the best spots to catch groper among other fish.  He gave me the cross which I am holding in the photo.  Alilou found that cross while diving one day and was waiting to meet someone to whom he could give his find.  I was that person and that gift touched me immensely. 



Alilou, an Exceptional Man and a Keen Spearfisherman 



Ryad is another of Kader's nephews.  He is married to Nawel and has two delightful daughters; Ella holding his Dad and Farah.  I spent three unforgettable days with this gorgeous family during the 2014 "Aid Festival" celebrations.  This festival is one of the most important events in the Muslim calendar and they shared this private and most special time with me.  I was very touched and honoured by their gesture and welcome.  Nawel is holding a bowl of savoury couscous which we enjoyed shortly after this photo was taken.

Couscous at my Friend Ryad his Wife Nawel and Daughters Farah and Ella
 

These are some of the children who live and play in Kader's street.  I am here showing them some of the video footage I was taking of them at the time and their fascination for what they were watching was very touching. 

Daniel & the Neighbourhood Children
 

My friend Kader and I standing by the main entrance of the high School we both attended in Oran.  Going back there and revisiting the place was a very emotional experience.  

Kader by the Entrance of the High School we Both attended
 

Rahmouna comes from a very large family and has many sisters and brothers with whom I am also very friendly with.  She however was my favourite of the lot and our friendship now goes back more than sixty years.  I never fail to go and see her each time I go back to the village and we always have lots to talk about and reminisce.

My Childhood Friend Rahmouna

Fatima is another dear friend of mine from that same period and it is always a great pleasure to catch up with her and her husband Basha who is also a very good friend.

My Friend Fatima

I met Mohamed in 2014.  Mohamed owns a seafood restaurant and specialises in assorted fried seafood platters and his unique seafood paella.  We have shared many wonderful moments together and his hospitality is second to none.  I will definitely go back to see him this year.

My Friend Mohamed at his Restaurant with one of his Cooks

My other friend Mohamed is a school teacher who lives in Kristel; situated a few kilometres East of Oran.  We met in 2012 and we have become very close ever since.  Mohamed's mission in Life is to provide as many educational and cultural opportunities as possible to his students and I truly admire his dedication and commitment to his people.  We are currently working on a project which we hope will soon bring some assistance and benefit to his students.

My Friend Mohamed the School Teacher

This photo was taken at Mohamed's house in Kristel.  His daughter and wife are the sweetest people you could ever wish to meet and each time I visited there, I was treated to a fabulous feast and the warmest of welcomes.  Thank you ladies for your delicious food, your wonderful smiles and your beautiful hearts. 

My Friend Mohamed's Wife and Daughter

Youcef is a very dear friend of mine and it is always a pleasure and a rare treat to catch up with him each time I travel to Algeria.  Youcef works at the Mers-el-Kébir City Council and I always enjoy my time with him.  He is a very educated, sensitive and most caring young man who always have time for me and my family when we travel there.

My Friend Youcef Chouchelamane

I took this photo of Rahmouna on the left and her sisters Farida - (centre) and Fatima in 2014.  My cousin Gyselaine and her husband Jean-Louis came to Algeria that year.  Gyselaine had been to Primary School with Fatima and wanted to catch up with her after having lost touch for 52 years.  

My Friend Rahmouna on the left and her sisters - Farida and Fatima

Moufida is my friend Farida's granddaughter who lives at Farida's along with her sister.  Quite often, couples who struggle with the upbringing of their children are helped by the grandparents in this task. 

With Moufida - My friend Farida's Granddaughter







 




Tlemcen

Tlemcen is a city in north western Algeria with an actual population of approximately 200,000 people.  It is located sufficiently inland to avoid the humidity of the coast but near enough to receive cooling sea breezes in summer. 



The City of Tlemcen - View from the Observatory




Until the independence from France in 1962, Tlemcen was a vacation spot and retreat for French settlers in Algeria, who found it to be far more temperate than Oran or Algiers.



Some of the Ornate Architecture in Tlemcen
 

The city boasts a prosperous leather, carpet, and textile industry, and it exports these goods to many parts of Algeria and neighbouring countries.  Centuries of a rich history and culture have made Tlemcen the centre of a unique blend of music, art and architecture.  The Great Mosque at Tlemcen was completed in 1136 and is said to be the most remarkable remaining example of Almoravid architecture.


Shady Street in Tlemcen

Tlemcen was founded by the Romans in the 2nd century as a military outpost. During the Middle Ages, Tlemcen served as a trading city connecting the "coastal" route across the Maghreb with the trans-Saharan caravan routes.  It also housed a European trading centre which connected African and European merchants.  At the peak of its success, in the first half of the fourteenth century, the city became the principal intellectual centre of the central Maghreb.  Tlemcen has more buildings dating from the 12th to the 15th century than any other town in Algeria. 

 

Located in Tlemcen itself, the ruins of the Mansourah are a vestige of an ancient city dating back to the thirteenth century.  Today only partial ruins of this magnificent citadel stand and this place has become one of the main tourist attractions of the city.  Walking through this historic site gives you a real feeling of its glorious past history.  



The Entrance of the Mansourah Citadel



The central tower at the Ruins of the Mansourah Citadel



The Walls of the Mansourah Citadel
 

During the early years of the French occupation, a broad coalition of natives at Tlemcen continued to resist the latest invaders and the great Berber leader Abd el Kader, fought with incredible valour.  His defeat in 1844 temporarily ended the dream of an independent Algeria.



A more recent building, the Abou Bekr Belkaid university has eight faculties and ranks among one of the best in the country.  Long considered as the centre for the Arts and Culture, the university attracts a large number of students from all over the country.   



The Entrance of the Tlemcen University
 

The Plateau Lalla Setti rises over 700 feet to the south of Tlemcen and overlooks the whole city.  The architecture, the view of the city below and the many fountains all make this place a must to visit.   





The Tlemcen Observatory tower at the Plateau Lalla Setti

 

Cable Car Arriving at the Observatory





 

 

 



 



 

 









 

 

 



 



 













 



 



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Oran

Oran is a major city on the north-western Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.  It is located 432 kilometres from the capital Algiers.   It is a major port and the commercial, industrial, and educational centre of western Algeria.  The city has a population of about a million people and a regional population of approximately double that amount, making it the second largest city in Algeria.



General View of Oran
 

The name Oran comes from the Arabic word "Wahran" meaning two lions.  The legend says that around the 10^th century, there were still lions in the area.  The last two lions were hunted at a mountain near Oran now called "La Montagne des Lions (Lions Mountain"; hence the presence of two lion statues outside the city hall in the Place du 1er Novembre.



The Lions' Mountain in the background



The Lions at the Entrance of the City Council Building



The City Council Building 

During the Roman Empire, the area of Oran was a small settlement, which disappeared after the Arab conquest of the Maghreb.  Oran was founded in 903 by Andalusian merchants as a base for trade with the North African hinterland.  It developed its commercial potential owing to its sea connections with Europe.  It was captured by the Spanish in 1509 and that sovereignty lasted until 1708, when the city was conquered by the Ottomans. Spain recaptured the city in and sold it to the Turks in 1792.  The Ottoman rule lasted until 1830, when it fell to the French.

During French rule, until 1962, Oran was the capital of the département of Oranie.  Before the Algerian War, (1954–1962), Oran had one of the highest proportions of Europeans of any city in North Africa.  Shortly after the end of the war, most of the Europeans living in Oran fled to France.  In less than three months, Oran lost about half its population.


The Famous "Boulevard Front de Mer" facing the Port of Oran
 

Oran was one of the principal objectives in the Allied landings in North Africa and was occupied by U.S. forces on 10 November 1942.  At the time of the Algerian independence in 1962, Oran’s naval functions had gradually lapsed in favour of commercial ones.



The Commercial Port of Oran
 

The city is the setting for the French writer Albert Camus’ Novel’s novel “La Peste” (The Plague) written in 1947.  Yves Saint Laurent was born there in 01 August 1936.

Oran's Opera House was built in 1908 and restored in 2008.  It was modelled on the one in Paris and during the French occupation, it hosted some of the biggest French and foreign entertainment acts.  Now as then, the opera has retained its function as the entertainment centre of the city and the region.  Located on the Place du 1er novembre; formerly the Place d'armes, the opera has retained all its majesty.  I was able to visit that place in 2014 and marvelled at its architecture and grandeur.  

The Opera House in Oran



Inside the Opera 

Another imposing building in Oran is the former cathedral; now the city's library.  A number of churches in Algeria were reconverted to mosques after the 1962 independence but the Oran cathedral became a library instead because it was not facing in the direction of Mecca.  



The Cathedral - Now a Library

This is the high school where I studied for 5 years before leaving Algeria.  Going back there brought back a lot of memories of my youth and all the friends I had made during those years.  I have kept in touch with some but lost touch with most of them.



The High School I Attended