The Kerkennah (rear RTL قرقنة), sometimes spelled Kerkenna or Kerkena , are a Archipel Tunisia N of the Mediterranean located at a score of kilometers at broad of Sfax. Administratively, it constitutes a delegation attached to the Gouvernorat of Sfax, composed of ten imadas, but also a municipality.

It is composed of six islands from which two are populated: Gharbi (or Mellita of the name of the village that it shelters) and Chergui (or Large Kerkennah). They are connected between them by a roadway existing as of the Roman epoch length a 600 meters. The single tarred road, which crosses the archipelago between Sidi Youssef (at the western end) and El Attaya (at the end is), measurement 35 kilometers. The perimeter of the archipelago exceeds 160 kilometers.

Population

Kerkennah have a population of: 14400 inhabitants (estimate of the National institute of the statistics in 2006) divided between a dozen villages (Mellita with Ouled Ezzedine 3556, Ouled Yaneg 660, Ouled Kacem 949, Remla or Erramla 2086, Kellabine with El Abbassia 763, Ech Chergui or Chergui 353, Ennajet or Najet 1242, Kraten 1153, El Attaya 3077, Ouled Bou Ali with Sidi Fredj 569). The settlement of the archipelago (or rather its repopulation after several centuries of fall) goes back to the 18th century thanks to the immigration of populations of the Tunisian South and the Libya. The limited resources of the archipelago and the migratory tradition of Kerkenniens have maintained the population on this level for several decades. During the summer, it multiplies by ten with the seasonal return of the emigrants of continental Tunisia (especially of Sfax and Tunis) but also from abroad (France or Italy): the archipelago counts then close to: 150000 inhabitants.

Geography

The archipelago, distant of Sfax of a score of kilometers, is characterized by a flat Relief and an quasi-arid medium. The maximum Altitude is of thirteen meters, this is why the archipelago is likely to disappear with the rise from the sea level. Kerkennah profit from less than 200 millimetres of Précipitation S per annum. The grounds are often very saline and part of the territory is occupied by Lagune S (Sebkha).

The typical tree of the archipelago is the palm tree: the palm plantation sheltering several hundreds of thousands of trees has a very sparse aspect because of the lack of water and very poor and saline grounds. Thus, the palm trees give Fruit S of quality poor being used as food for the Bétail whereas the palms and the trunks are used with the clothes industry of the material as fishing.

Sea-beds shelter with 50 kilometers with broad one of the most remarkable herbaria of Posidonie S of the Mediterranean.

History

Kerkennah are described by Hérodote at fifth century BC: “The Carthaginians affirmed that there was an island called Kyrannis close to Gyzantes (people) of: 12000 feet length, narrow in width, where one can go easily from the continent, covered with olive-trees and of vineyards…” the name of Kyrannis would be actually the result of an error in the copying of the manuscript, in fact the lapse of memory of the Greek letter K . Thus, the Romans, through the many descriptions made by Diodore of Sicily, Polybe, Tite-Live or Plutarque, named this group of islands Cercina . The oldest historical traces would go up thus at the time phenician. The climate having probably been more rainy, one retains the description of a place of agricultural production.

Thus, Jules César, in his fight against Pompée makes a halt in 46 av. J. - C. to supply its maritime Flotte. This representation contrasts with that contemporary of an almost unsuitable place to the culture, even if it is true that Kerkennah were used as grazing ground with important a Cheptel ovine and caprine in the previous centuries. It accommodated on its road of exile Hannibal Barca in 195 av. J. - C., after its defeat with the Bataille of Zama, which remains a few years there before joining the Phénicie of king Antiochus of Syria. In the same way, it is a prison during fourteen years for the lover of Julie, girl of Auguste, at the time of which a Roman city with the site occupied by the fort of Bordj Hassar is probably built (used by the Turks at the 18th century), only historical vestige places from there with a tower close to Mellita. Indeed, one found traces of tanks of salting and cisterns used at one time when the sea level was higher of 2 meters than its current level. Whatever the time, Kerkennah never remain with the variation of the evolutions of the continent because of the short distance from the coast sfaxienne and the facility from navigation. Attached in turn to the provinces of Africa proconsulaire, Numidie and Byzacène, it becomes an episcopal see at the 4th century and would have sheltered a Monastère in Erramadia.

At the 7th century, the archipelago becomes Moslem and takes as final name “Kerkennah”. It seems a stake in the competition between the powers of the Western Mediterranean, is conquered in turn by the Almohades, the troops of Roger of Sicily to the XII {{E}} and XIII {{E}} centuries, then by the Spanish and Othoman fleets at the 16th century. Finally, Kerkennah are definitively conquered by Sinan Pasha on behalf of the Othoman sultan Selim I {{er}} in 1574 and are used as a basis naval. Much Kerkenniens enters the navy commercial or military as from this time.

With the installation of the French Protectorate in Tunisia, relations of voyage are written and describe Kerkennah and Kerkenniens in terms very positive close relations of the natural ideal of Jean-Jacques Rousseau: “Of all the Eastern ones that it was given to us to see and study, the islanders of Kerkennah are those which appeared to us to have less the defects of their race. ” In 1945, Kerkennah collect a man in departure for an exile in Egypt: the nationalist leader Habib Bourguiba. It is in 1946 that Kerkennien founds the Syndicat UGTT which takes part in the nationalist movement at the sides of Bourguiba: Farhat Hached . The large central trade-union of independent Tunisia, the Tunisian General union of work, will on thereafter the occasion to count among its leaders of Kerkenniens like Habib Achour and Abdessalem Jerad.

Economy

The principal economic activities are activities of subsistence. The first of them is fishing. It is practiced on an extensive mode and according to secular traditions. If Kerkennah have, with: 2000 boats, the two-thirds of the fishing fleet of the governorship of Sfax, fished volumes represent less than one twelfth of the regional total.

The archipelago is surrounded by high funds of extremely low depths (between one and two meters) with limited fishing resources, which influences techniques of particular fishings: the Charfia. Thus, since the 18th century, part of the sea is cut out in pieces whose hiring is put at the Enchère S each year before the beginning of the season of fishing. The principal products of the sea are the fish (pataclets or sbars , mules, Dorade S, etc) but also the sponges, various Coquillage S such as the Clovisse S, and the Poulpe which is the animal emblematic of the archipelago.

Its seasonal fishing spreads out between at the end of October and at the end of April and is done by posing a receptacle (Gargoulette, other Poterie or Parpaing) which are used to outside trap the cephalopod which is captured, struck, cleaned then dried during several weeks. The fishermen use boats with Lateen sail, commonly called Felouque S ( flouka ) or loudes, and more and more of engine boats. One can raise small a Agriculture of subsistence which must face the climatic and pedological constraints. Cereal S (mainly of the Barley), olive-trees, Vine S, Fig tree S and market-gardening plants remain dependant on a minimal contribution of water. The Artisanat is turned towards fishing with the braiding of cord S, the grid of nets and the use of Alfa for the baskets carried out in residence. A center of weaving exists in Ech Chergui.

The Tourisme is a recent activity going back to the Années 1960 and falling under a national dynamics. But it always kept a modest dimension, which is probably due to the enclavement and the limited resources of the archipelago. The “authentic” image of Kerkennah became the sales point principal of the European tour operators (mainly English). Lodging Hôtel ier is concentrated in the small tourist area of Sidi Fredj where was the unloading dock of the ferry until its replacement with Sidi Youssef (Western point of the archipelago). It are there Plage S of Sable, sites exceptional on a littoral in general rock.

Water with broad of Kerkennah belongs to an important field of gas prospection says “Cercina field” exploited by the company British Gas.

Culture

Inheritance

  • the Museum of the Mediterranean insular inheritance located at El Abbassia, village of the island of Gharbi, is a private Musée opened at the end of the Années 1990 under the aegis of the Cercina Center for research on the Mediterranean islands directed by the academic Abdelhamid Fehri. In a traditional house, he proposes a course emphasizing the history of the archipelago, his artisanal productions even some curiosities (thus a Squelette of Cétacé failed mysteriously on the shore) through objects, reconstituted scenes and architectural decorations.

  • the folk troop of Kerkennah made up of 4 musicians and singers, equipped in white and red traditional behavior, occurs at the time of the ceremonies in particular of Mariage S. They presents a Chorégraphie of group and practices the reduced ( midh ) within the framework of Chanson S of the Terroir.

Festivals

  • Festival of the octopus
  • Festival of the siren

Gastronomy

The specialities kerkenniennes develop the local Poisson (Pataclet, Mulet, Dorade, etc), the barley crushed, the Datte S and the dry grapes with a particular place for the Poulpe fished and dried on the spot.

They are easily preservable local productions in Jarre S which were the subject of an exchange of Troc with the tradesmen of Jerba. The arrival of the electricity in the archipelago since a score of years which makes it possible to cool as well as the multiplication of the Supérette S present in all the villages widens the range of the food products. Paradoxically, the fish becomes rarer because it is a product with strong Added-value and all Kerkenniens can be allowed to consume some also often only before.

Clothes

The tarf is a Tapisserie embroidered with the bright colors with dominant red.

Craft industry

The local resources of Esparto and palms are used to manufacture net S, Chapeau X, etc

Religion

The patron saint of the archipelago is Sidi Ali Khanfir (originating in Khénifra to the Morocco). There exist 25 marabouts correspondent with tomb X of Saint S which appear partly in the local Toponymie (Sidi Youssef, Sidi Fredj, etc).

Personalities

Photographs

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