Letitia de Santa Marina y Romero

What people wore

Daily attire of Algerian women

Algerian women wore a white haik outdoors, a large garment often measuring about eighteen feet long by five feet wide. Indoors, they wore gauze shirts, wide trousers, and yellow slippers, often accessorized with jewelry made of genuine precious stones.

Getting around

Horse-drawn public stagecoaches for inland travel

Ordinary travelers often used horse-drawn public stagecoaches, known as diligences, to reach remote villages where trains did not operate. These carriages were frequently described as shaky and uncomfortable, with long, tiring journeys across rough terrain.

At the table

Pork sausages reserved for festive days

When settler families could afford to raise a pig, they turned the meat into heavily peppered sausages called soubressades, which were saved exclusively for Sundays or special festive occasions.

Music

Traditional Algerian instrument

The Algerian kuwītra was a notable instrument used by local musicians, including figures who later helped preserve and teach song traditions.

Daily life

Privacy-Centered Casbah Home Design

In the Algiers Casbah, traditional houses were organized around an interior courtyard, designed to ensure privacy by minimizing windows and doors on exterior facades. Many houses featured roof terraces where women socialized and worked, effectively creating a private, elevated public space separated from the men's streets.

Work

Long working days and unpaid rest

A working day typically lasted 8 to 12 hours, with some roles, like postal clerks, requiring workers to remain on duty or on call throughout the day and night without regular holidays. Workers generally only had 25 or 26 days of work per month, as unpaid rest days significantly reduced their overall monthly income.