History of the town of Mostaganem

It would be useless to seek in the Arab books the etymology of word “MUSTAGHANIM” no historian or Arab geographer does not make known in a precise way the direction or the reasons of this name. On the other hand several tests of explanation are variously preserved at the local populations: Mostaghanim would be composed of two distinct terms: Machta (Winter Station) and Ghanem (Rich stockbreeder of sheep). Mostaghanim: Marsa ranem, i.e. the port of the spoils. Mostaghanim would come from Misk Al-Ghanem: abundance for the herds. Finally for the few historians of antiquity, it is rather with a Port Romain “MURUSTAGA” that Mostaganem owes its etymology. The coast of Tenes with Arzew was well-known phenicians sui had established counters there: Small-port and Ouillis in Dahra and Kharouba meadows of Mostaganem. The city would have been founded at the Average Age, some allot its foundation to the almoravides which, during XIème century were the Masters about 1082. Youcef Ibn Tachfine, the Founder of Almoravides Dynasty would have been satisfied to build a “Bordj” on a hill in the north of the current agglomeration. The true importance of Mostaganem seems to be due to the establishment of a great number of Andalusian families which were attracted by the fertility of the Ground. They then founded farms which made the fame of the area. Thanks to this working population and many, the area covered splendid villages. About 1580, the city was opulent and lived in the luxury, the taxes paid with Turkish of Algiers of it are the proof. The Arabs and later the Turks have creates many centers, such as Kallaa of Blessed-Rached, Mazouna which disputed in Mostaganem its role of metropolis. The area of Mostaganem gave great names to the history; let us quote for memory the writers poets “SIDI BENHAOUA”, “SIDI LAKHDAR BENKHLOUF”, “CHEIKH-EL MAZOUNI”, “CHEIKH-BOURAS” and so much of others.

Mystical turning with Sidi Lakhdar

Sidi Lakhdar Benkhlouf, bards poet and holy man, gave his name to a village located at forty kilometers of Mostaganem. And which since is the guard of the piles spirit. While leaving for Algiers, it is necessary to forsake the principal road and to engage on that which curves near to the coast. It is one of the areas wine of the country. Here, the stock again takes again root to offer its grapes to a nectar maintained and cultivated by softness of the moderate climate and the impregnation of environments of the desert transported by the Sirocco. Then in the prolongation of the fertile grounds which skirt the coast, Sidi Lakhdar appears. Only the principal crossroads indicates the direction to be taken to join the mausoleum dominated by a strange palm tree. At the end of the rise, shaded by eucalypti, it does not remain that a few meters to make to reach the last residence of the marabout. Mohamed, guard of the place, will not hesitate to discuss about Sidi Lakhdar which would have lived a hundred and twenty-five years, roughly between 1530 and 1650. During August a festival is organized to celebrate Sidi Lakhdar. The program follow one another during three days, Fantasia (parade equestrian) and concerts of chaâbi (music and popular songs).