Postcard from Testour: How pomegranates became a symbol of Tunisia's Andalusian heritage

Muslims and Jews fleeing persecution in Spain in the 17th century have given the city a unique culture

A stall owner waits for customers at the annual pomegranate festival in the Tunisian city of Testour. Ghaya Ben Mbarek / The National

After years of drought that turned verdant mountainsides pale yellow, the hills surrounding the Medjerda river in Tunisia’s north-west are coming back to life in a reminder of why the popular romantic poet Nizar Qabbani referred to this North African country as “the green Tunisia”.

With a climate and water resources favourable for agriculture, the north-west region has attracted settlement throughout Tunisia's history, particularly so Testour. The city of about 13,000 people, standing 70 to 90 metres above the Medjerda and surrounding meadows and natural springs, is known for a rich history that reflects Tunisians’ complex identity.

Originally named Tichilla – meaning green grass – by the Romans, the city and its agriculture flourished following the arrival in the 17th century of the Moriscos, Muslims and Jews from Spain's Andalusia region who fled after King Philip III attempted to force their conversion to Christianity.

At least 80,000, both Muslims and Jews, chose to relocate to Tunisia where the ruler under the Ottoman Empire, Othman Dey, allowed them to choose where they wanted to settle. As the majority were farmers they chose the north-west, particularly Testour, as their new home.

The minaret of the Great Mosque in Testour, one of the examples of Andalusian architecture in the city. Ghaya Ben Mbarek / The National

Testour is now a landmark of Tunisia’s Andalusian heritage, which is visible in its architecture, malouf music, food, clothes, family names and even the fairer skin and eye colours of some residents.

But it is the pomegranate, called the “fruit of heaven” by locals, that has been adopted as the symbol of the city's pride in its heritage. Pomegranate farming thrived with new strains and cultivation methods brought by the Moriscos. To celebrate the harvest season, the city holds a festival every last week of October and first week of November that draws Tunisians from across the country,

Farmer Rachid Soussi, 80, a local municipality official who was involved in launching the festival in 2016, said the people of Testour see the pomegranate as a symbol of resilience and beauty.

“When Andalusians came to Testour in 1609, they brought lots of their local agricultural produce, particularly pomegranate due to the resistance of its peel to external factors,” Mr Soussi told The National.

A pomegranate statue at the heart of Testour highlights the fruit's symbolism for the city's residents. Ghaya Ben Mbarek / The National

Mr Soussi said he considers the pomegranate a national agricultural asset that deserves to have a festival in its honour. “This festival is at the same time agricultural and cultural for the lively atmosphere it gives to the city every harvest season,” he said.

The festival usually coincides with schools' winter break – perfect timing for parents wanting to take their children on a trip.

Besides strolling along the dozens of pomegranate stalls set up along the narrow streets of Testour's centre, visitors can explore the alleyways of the old quarter and enjoy the many surviving examples of Andalusian architecture, such as the city's Great Mosque. They can watch boxing and taekwondo matches held in front of the mosque, in a nod to the bullfights that the Moriscos organised there hundreds of years ago, and enjoy malouf performances by Tunisian musicians from across the country.

Visitors sample the wares at Testour's pomegranate festival. Ghaya Ben Mbarek / The National

Although Tunisia's north-west has not featured heavily in the government's tourism promotion plans it has become a popular destination thanks to events such as the pomegranate festival. Almost 300,00 people attended this year, according to authorities, which Mr Soussi said was a success and motivation for the younger generation to ensure its continuity.

Among the visitors was Wajih Fadhlaoui, who sees the festival as a chance to teach his children about their country's rich history. Originally from the nearby city of Tibar, he now lives in the capital Tunis but makes a point of visiting Testour with his family.

“It is a good chance to both have a taste of this region’s famous fruit and most importantly to teach the kids about their country’s Andalusian history and monuments, which whether we like it or not is an indivisible part of our history,” he told The National as he bought his three-year-old daughter Ranim a cup of pomegranate juice.

“Pomegranate is a fruit that children generally like and once we tell them that there is a city in Tunisia that celebrates it every year, a door opens for them to become intrigued about where it came from, its origin and what kind of significance it has in the country’s history.”

Fathia, a farmer's wife, prepares pomegranate juice at the stall her family sets up at the Testour festival every year. Ghaya Ben Mbarek / The National

Fathia, the wife of a farmer, said she has been coming to the festival every year with her family to sell pomegranate fruit and products such as juice and jam that she makes.

“It was inevitable for our family to work in this field,” Fathia told The National as she squeezed out juice for a customer, describing pomegranate cultivation as “the craft of the ancestors”.

Her nephew Mouadh, 20, said he boasts about the quality of Testour's pomegranates wherever he goes.

“This is the best pomegranate in our country,” he told The National as he gestured to passers-by to come and sample the family's produce.

“I have a passion for this craft and I always make sure to be present from the moment the harvest starts in our fields until this festival ends.”