{{refimprove|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox settlement | official_name = Beni Maouche | native_name = بني معوش<br>At Wemeɛuc | native_name_lang = ar, kab | other_name = Aīt Maouche | settlement_type = Commune | nickname = | image_skyline = Ait maouche Beni maouche vue génerale.jpg | image_flag = | image_seal = | image_map = DZ 06 Beni Maouche.svg | mapsize = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Algeria | pushpin_label_position = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Algeria | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Bejaia | leader_title = | leader_name = | area_total_km2 = 94.86 | area_magnitude = | area_total = | area_land = | area_water = | population_as_of = 2008 | population_note = | population_total = 13,412 | population_footnotes = | population_density_km2 = 141km2 | population_metro = | population_density = | timezone = West Africa Time | utc_offset = +1 | timezone_DST = | utc_offset_DST = | postal_code = 06024 | coordinates = {{coord|36.28|4.38|display=inline}} | elevation_m = 1,000 | website = | footnotes = }}

'''Beni Maouche''' or '''Aīt Maouche''' (Kabyle: ''At Wemeɛuc''; Arabic: بني معوش) is a commune in northern Algeria in the Béjaïa Province. Its population as of 2008 general population and housing census was 13,412.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wilaya de Béjaïa : répartition de la population résidente des ménages ordinaires et collectifs, selon la commune de résidence et la dispersion |url=https://www.ons.dz/collections/w06_p2.pdf}}</ref> Agricultural products from the commune include olive oil and {{ill|Beni Maouche dried figs|fr|Figue sèche de Beni Maouche}}.

The commune borders Mecisna, Beni Djellil, Feraoun, Beni Mouhli, Beni Chebana, Beni Ourtilane, El Main, Amalou, Bouhamza, and Seddouk.

== History == The village was located in the lands of the Ath-Aidel clan before the French colonial era.

The French first renamed the village to ''El Caf Beni Kheyar'', before renaming the village to its current official name in homage to the village Caïd (chief) of the Maouche lineage.<ref>[http://www.babzmgsan.com/voyage-dans-letat-civil-algerien-aux-origines-des-noms-de-famille-suite-et-fin/ ''Voyage dans l’état civil algérien, aux origines des noms de famille'', Rachid Lourdjane]</ref>

The commune was under military administration. When the French shifted to civil administration in the 19th Century they incorporated Beni Maouche into Guergour mixed commune.

During the Algerian War more than 1,014 shaheeds from the commune were killed in combat. The commune was considered by the French as a stronghold of ALN and FLN resistance.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Meynier |first=Gilbert |title=Histoire intérieure du F.L.N: 1954 - 1962 |date=2004 |publisher=Fayard |isbn=978-2-213-61377-2 |edition=Réimpr. |location=Paris}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Stora |first=Benjamin |title=Histoire de la guerre d'Algérie: 1954 - 1962 |date=2011 |publisher=La Découverte |isbn=978-2-7071-4293-1 |edition=4. ed., nouv. éd |series=Repères |location=Paris}}</ref>

Many well known fighters came from the commune including

- Commander Si Hmimi Oufadhel

- Si Arezki l'aures

- Boukider Slimane

- Bourdouz Abderrahamane

- Ounas Arab

- Chellah Mohand El Mouloud

- Hilem Saad

There was a 4.5 magnitude earthquake in the commune on November 10th, 2000. The epicentre was in Béni Ourtilane District.

== Toponymy == During the French occupation, the "Bureaux arabes" forcibly renamed Kabyle toponyms to Arabic ones.

== Geography == The commune is made up of several villages including Tizert and Taourirt.

== Economy == The town of Letnayen has a market on Mondays which is considered one of the most important in the region.

The region is known for the Beni Maouche dried fig. The exporter Tamzali exported these figs until the Late 1960s to 14 European countries.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2020-11-10 |author1=ALGERIEnvironnement |date=2013-06-04 |title=La figue sèche de Beni Maouche, plus que bio, un produit naturel |url=http://www.vitaminedz.com/la-figue-seche-de-beni-maouche-plus-que-bio-un-produit-nat/Photos_383_119827_6_1.html |website=vitaminedz.com}}<!-- auto-translated from French by Module:CS1 translator -->.</ref> There is an area of nearly 1,000 ha in the commune specifically for cultivation of gigs. The annual harvest is estimated at 9000 quintals

The commune is dubbed as "first, in milk production" due to high abundance of milk.

The commune is renowned for its car mechanics, where there are "no less than 100 regular repairers".

== Climate == The territory of the commune is generally very steep with tall mountains with ridges where villages are located. The highest point is Ouchtoug - 1376 metres above sea level.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-21 |title=Node: Azrou Ouchtoug (4377707140) |url=https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/4377707140 |access-date=2026-04-09 |website=OpenStreetMap |language=en}}</ref>

The Southern boundary of the commune follows the Bou Sellam River, in which several streams flow into off the hillside.

The communes climate is semi arid due to irregular rain.

== Culture == The first Kabyle film ''La Colline Oubliée'' (1997) was filmed in the commune. The film stars Djamila Amzal, Mohammed Abbes and Kamal Abderrahmane.<ref>{{Cite web |title=La Colline Oubliée |url=https://www.imdb.com/fr/title/tt0190312/ |access-date=2026-04-09 |website=www.imdb.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=La Colline oubliée {{!}} Les Inrocks |url=https://www.lesinrocks.com/cinema/la-colline-oubliee-38868-01-01-1997/ |access-date=2026-04-09 |website=Les Inrocks |language=fr-FR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Seguret |first=Olivier |date=1997-02-21 |title=Film Miraculé |url=https://www.liberation.fr/culture/1997/02/21/arts-film-miracule-le-scenario-date-de-1968-la-colline-oubliee-finit-par-sortir-i |access-date=2026-04-09 |website=Libération}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Films {{!}} Africultures : Colline Oubliée (La) |url=https://africultures.com/films/?no=5591 |access-date=2026-04-09 |website=Africultures |language=fr-FR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Dupont |first=Joan |last2=Tribune |first2=International Herald |date=1997-03-14 |title=Movie Guide : La Colline Oubliee |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/14/style/IHT-movie-guide-la-colline-oubliee.html |access-date=2026-04-09 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=14676.html |title=La Colline oubliée |last=AlloCine |language=fr |access-date=2026-04-09 |via=www.allocine.fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=La colline oubliée |url=https://dzawaya.com/film/la-colline-oubliee/ |access-date=2026-04-09 |website=DZAWAYA |language=fr-FR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=SensCritique |title=La colline oubliée - Film (1994) |url=https://www.senscritique.com/film/la_colline_oubliee/443529 |access-date=2026-04-09 |website=SensCritique |language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://mubi.com/fr/us/films/the-forgotten-hill |title=La Colline Oubliée (1997) {{!}} MUBI |language=fr |access-date=2026-04-09 |via=mubi.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Videau |first=André |date=1997 |title=La colline oubliée Film algérien en langue amazigh d'Abderrhamane Bourguermouth |url=https://www.persee.fr/doc/homig_1142-852x_1997_num_1207_1_2977 |journal=Hommes & Migrations |volume=1207 |issue=1 |pages=146–147}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=La Colline oubliée |url=https://www.premiere.fr/film/La-Colline-oubliee |access-date=2026-04-09 |website=Premiere.fr |language=FR}}</ref>

== Famous residents == • Commander Si Hmimi Oufadhel, of Aguemoune. Head of the security of the Soummam Congress in 1956.

• Arezki Laures, of Tala N'Tinzar. Member of Mostefa Ben Boulaïd's group in the Aurès.

• Boukider Slimane, of Tiwel, fighter.

• Bourdouz Abderrahmane, of Tagounith-Ighil, politician. Named after in the cadet school in Béjaïa.

• Battache Ali, of Aguemoune, historian and writer.

• Akli Kebaili, of Tiwel, writer and Berber activist

• Lamari Idris, of Aguemoune, Berber activist, and one of the detainees of the Berber Spring on April 20, 1980.

• Cherif Hamia, of Ait-Adjissa, boxing champion, who won the Golden Gloves on June 16, 1953 in Chicago.

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Portal|Algeria}}

{{Bejaia Province}}

{{coord|36.478051|N|4.638441|E|type:city_region:DZ_source:frwiki|display=title}}

Category:Communes of Béjaïa Province

{{Béjaïa-geo-stub}}