The Hyayna () or Banu Hayyan () is an Arab tribe that lives in an area north-east of Fes, east of the Sebou river, in Morocco. They are nomadic Bedouins descended from Banu Hilal. The confederation is composed of three fractions: Awlad Amran, Awlad Alian and Awlad Riab.
Tribal Division
Hyayna are divided into 3 branches, based on a old legend about "Hayyan and his 3 sons" In first we have :
Awlad Amrane
There are at the north of Hyayna territory and he is divided in many clan : Al-Shafanah : al-Jaafrah, Awlad Bin Aainah, Awlad Amarah, al-Rashashin, Awlad al-Sultan, Jiahna, al-Hrarsha, Awlad Ghanim (Al-Amrani al-Hayani). And Awlad Youssef : Awlad Boushta (Al-Amrani), al-Mahrarin, Awlad Jamouh, Awlad Aissa (al-Amrani)
Awlad Alian
There are at the Middle of the Territory, and they are divided in many clans : Awlad Ali (al-Aliyani),Awlad Ajanna (with the Family of "al-Jannati), Awlad Tkhil (al-Aliyani) (descendants of an anciens Qaid, the Qaid Tkhil from the time of Hassan Ist, and there is a great Family of this clan named Awlad Massoud al-Tkhili al-Aliyani, descendants of Massoud al-Tkhili al-Aliyani, with this family name : [al-]Massoudi, Salili, Morjektan, al-Ghandour, al-Abd), Sedrana (with the al-Sedrati Family), al-Duama, Awlad Malouk/Malik, Awlad Hamoun, Awlad Aziz, Awlad Aaja, al-Jiahna, Awlad Hassan (al-Aliyani), Zouama, Awlad Jabr
Awlad Riab
And the Awlad Riab at south, divided in : Awlad Yahya : al-Shaashaa, al-Gharaba, Awlad Alid, and Awlad Bnikhal : al-Ghual, Awlad Hilal, al-Habarja, Bani Satitine, Awlad Abd al-Karim, al-Shababat, and Bani Khalifa
History
Early history
Spanish historian Luis del Marmol Carvajal, who traveled the country in the mid-sixteenth century (precisely in 1540), spoke of a rich agricultural tribe which had 25 villages and provided four thousand combatants to the Saadi dynasty.
In the seventeenth century written mention for the first time the word "Hyayna". The installation of this tribe northeast of the city of Fez seems to be in the middle of the sixteenth and the beginning of the seventeenth century, made up of Hilalian Arab guich tribes from eastern Morocco. Initially allied with the Zayyanids, they rallied to the Saadian army, and it seems they have accompanied the Saadi dynasty in their conquest of Morocco against the Wattasids, conquering Fez in 1549. Indeed, in order to close the corridor of Taza to Ottoman invaders from Algeria, Saadians implemented guich tribes (tribal soldiers) in this militarily strategic area to defend Fez. The Hyayna contributed to the Moroccan victories in the Battle of Wadi al-Laban against the Ottomans and the Battle of al-Kasr al-Kabir against the Portuguese, playing a leading role in Moroccan politics from the 16th century. During the 'Alawid era, the Hyayna participated in the Battle of Tetouan of the Hispano-Moroccan War of 1859.
Resistance to French colonialism
The Hyayna are notable for resisting French colonization. Under the leadership of Muhammad al-Hijami, they fought fierce battles against the French. They used a hit-and-run guerrilla warfare tactic and destroyed French army units stationed in its lands.
Siege of Fes (May 1912) In 1912, following the Treaty of Fes, the Hyayna planned to attack Fes along with other tribes. The coordination that took place between al-Hijami and Raho for the attack on the city of Fez on May 16, 1912, when Al-Hijami led a movement launched from Boumershid consisting of 3,000 cavalry. The siege of Fes caused an interruption in communication lines with the western coastal front. The French forces, led by Colonel Gouraud, were able to break the siege on the city and pushed the besieging tribes back.