Nefta

Nefta

Nefta (an aw spelt Nefta; 33°53′N 7°53′E) is a toun an oasis in Tunisie, close tae the Algerian border, an juist north o the Chott el Djerid.

Releegious significance

Nefta is considered bi maist Sufis tae be the spiritual hame o Sufism, a mystical branch o Islam; mony releegious biggins are locatit in the destrict El Bayadha. 10 mile past Nefta, towards Algerie, is a daily mercat that sells Tunisian "desert roses", crystalline formations o rock that resemble roses in shape.

Nefta is a pilgrimage center tae which pilgrims traivel throughoot the year. Thare is a Fowk Festival in Aprile an a Date Festival in November/December.

Nefta is the releegious centre o the Bled el Djerid, the "Land o Palms", wi maire than 24 mosques an 100 marabouts. The marabouts still attract pilgrims frae aw ower soothren Tunisie an even frae Algerie. This great veneration o the marabouts reflects the continuin vigor o Sufism, the movement which grew up in the 12t century aroond Sufi Abu Madian (d. 1197). The name o the Sufis came frae the semple ooen garment (suf) thay wore. Thay believed that the adherents o Islam, a releegion o the desert, shoud show parteecular modesty o behaviour an asceticism, an wur muckle gien tae mysticism, the veneration o holy men, spiritual contemplation an meditation. Sufism is an aa merked bi releegious forms taken ower frae the pre-Islamic, animistic releegions o the Berber population which orthodox Islam seeks tae repress - belief in spirits, witchcraft, fortune-tellin, the efficacy o amulets, etc. Regional variants o Sufism wur propagatit bi holy men, who frequently foondit thair awn britherhuids, wi centers for the teachin o disciples. Thay are creditit wi numerous miracles an revered for thair holiness, an thair tombs (marabouts) are places o pilgrimage, attractin varyin nummers o pilgrims accordin tae thair reputation. In the past thir holy men wur an aa appealed tae as judges in the conflicts which frequently occurred atween the nomadic tribes an the settled population o the oases. Nefta is the last stranghauld o this Sufism, an is whiles cried, wi some justification, the "Kairouan o the Sooth". The marabouts veneratit here are scattered aboot throughoot the auld toun o Nefta an the oasis.

The toun

Nefta is dividit intae twa pairts bi a smaw oued an a depression at its northren end. Tae the east o the oued is the new toun, wi the auld souk quarter at its soothwastren corner; tae the wast, on the slopes o a hill, is the auld toun. The main road frae Tozeur runs throu the new toun as Avenue Habib Bourguiba, which then crosses the oued an skirts the auld toun. At its wastren end a street branches aff on the richt, ascends the hill, goes roond the auld toun an the sand-bowl, an returns tae Avenue Habib Bourguiba. Nefta is a toun o cube-shaped, flat-roofed hooses huddled closely thegither, wi Tozeur-style decoration. In some o the streets the upper stories o the hooses, borne on roond- heidit airches, project ower the street, formin a kynd o tunnel which affers pertection frae the sun. It is planned tae restore the auld toun in the vera near future.

History

Nefta oasis (1900)

The history o Nefta reaches far back intae the past. It is believed tae hae been settled oreeginally bi shepherds who came frae the kinrick o Napata. The Romans an later the Byzantines biggit forts in the oasis (Nepte) tae provide pertection against raids bi desert nomads. In Byzantine times Nefta an Tozeur wur Episcopal Sees. In the mid-7t century Nefta wis conquered bi the Arabs an, in spite o fierce resistance, convertit tae Islam. In subsequent centuries it prospered as an important stagin-pynt for caravans (for a time the maist important in Tunisie). Its decline began in the 15t century as a result o mair frequent raids bi nomadic tribes an the general fallin aff in the caravan tred. Wi the coming o the French in 1881, housomeivver, Nefta experienced a renewal.

Access

Nefta lies on GP 3 (Gafsa-Nefta), 25 km/16 mi soothwast o Tozeur (airport; regular services tae an frae Tunis, Monastir, an Djerba) an 113 km/70 mi soothwast o Gafsa. Frae the bus station (Gare Routière) in Avenue Habib Bourguiba, thare are regular bus services tae Tozeur an Gafsa an a ance-daily service tae Douz an Hazaoua, the frontier post for the crossin intae Algerie. The 4 km/2.5 mi frae thare tae the frontier must be done aither on fuit or in a louage (communal taxi). Frae the Algerian frontier post thare are buses tae El Oued.

Freemit airtins

• NEFTA: Oasis o mony tombs Archived 2010-11-24 at the Wayback Machine at lexicorient.com