Participatory mapping in Sidi Bounouar

11th December 2024

Beatrice Ferlaino

The work done during the fieldwork in Sidi Bounouar was visualized in two maps. I developed these maps through focus groups, photo elicitation, ethnographic walks, and walking interviews with local residents. The maps are in French to make them more accessible to the people who participated in their creation - since those who speak a foreign language in Sidi Bounouar prefer French. The selected places are combined with images in order to convey their meaning also through visual methods.

The first map shows the context of our research. It captures how everyday life is connected to larger changes in the area. These include changes in the local ecosystem, agricultural practices, water management, and the growing influence of tourism. This map attempts to connect the different dimensions of change affecting the Sidi Bounouar region.

The first level (Lieux de la convivialité) explores the "places of conviviality" through the different recipes I discovered during the many moments of sharing and eating together in Sidi Bounouar. Food serves as a tool for connecting people, and the places where food is shared—such as the mosque, the women's cooperative, and private homes—hold significant social and cultural meaning. Through food, I gained a deeper understanding of the social dynamics in the village. By observing who shares meals with whom and the occasions on which food is shared, I was able to better comprehend the relationships between families, individuals, and the roles they play within the community

The second level (Vie au village) focuses on the places that the people of Sidi Bounouar involved in the research recognize as central to their daily lives. The headquarters of the Amoud association, the garbage dump, the school, ..... These and other places can become clues to understanding people's priorities, the social organization in which they live, and their strategy for accessing food.

The third layer (Pêche) shows the fishing places that are frequented and meaningful to Sidi Bounouar people. The "caves" (informal houses for fishermen), the harbors and the beaches are the places through which it is possible to understand where and how foot fishing is practiced. The images help to understand how these practices are adapted to the environment : where there are rocks, the work is very different from where there is sand.

The fourth layer (Ensemblement) represents one of the main issues that causes problems to the people of Sidi Bounouar: the progressive growth of the sendbank in many beaches all along the coasts. In fact, many places that 20 years ago were rich in rocks - and therefore in seashells and fish - are gradually covered by sand. This is due (according to the people of Sidi Bounouar) to the fact that the port of Agadir has grown over time, blocking a current that used to move the sand. The accumulation of sand in the lower part of the coast is therefore a problem for fishermen. This section of the maps shows how the port of Agadir has grown, which currents are considered to be affected, and how the places concerned by this problem look today.

The fifth layer (Agriculture) shows the traces of the former subsistence agriculture and the places that are now involved in the new project for the development of export-oriented production. This map shows how the drought has affected the region and how production is currently centralized in specific areas that have access to irrigation.

The sixth layer (Eau) offers a panorama of the different water management strategies in the region (from ancient wells to modern desalination plants and the offices of the Office National de l'Eau potable). It shows the different ways in which this resource is - and has been - managed and how these methods have changed their meaning over time. It also shows how the government's desalination strategy has affected the fishing, agricultural and tourist sectors, providing water for the former two and draining all along the coastline.

The seventh and last layer (Tourism) represents the impact of the touristification process on the territory. It combines the different types of tourism - "slow" (in houses and organized by local people) and "intensive" (resorts, aquaparks,...) - and shows how many construction sites will soon become tourist sites. It shows how much the region of Sidi Bounouar is affected by this "development" model. Tourism, especially "intensive" tourism, has a profound impact on natural resources and changes the meaning of local habits and practices, it also changes the food system, affecting prices, supply and the use of natural resources. This layer also includes the attractions that the people of Sidi Bounouar consider interesting for them and for their idea of tourists.

There is also a second map I am working on, based on a focus group of experienced fishermen (mainly men, with one woman). Through participatory mapping, they traced changes in the marine ecosystem, highlighting the evolution of their fishing practices over time and the spaces important to their traditions. The elaborations of this work will be shared on this website as soon as they are ready to be disseminated.

Page updated

Report abuse