Facts to know about Berbers in Morocco
The Berbers of Morocco hold a crucial position in the country’s social fabric, yet their contributions have often been overlooked and underrated. Fortunately, in recent times, there has been a growing interest in reviving their ancient culture and traditions. In this article, we aim to enlighten you with a few fascinating facts about this remarkable community that are not widely known.
The people commonly known as Berbers prefer to be called Amazigh (or Imazighen in the plural) as it is their traditional name. The term ‘Berber’ has a derogatory history as it originates from the Greek term ‘barbarian’. Hence, the Amazigh people consider it disrespectful to be called by that name. Instead, they prefer to be referred to as Amazigh, which means ‘free men’. In this essay, we will use the name ‘Berber’, but we will also use ‘Amazigh’ interchangeably to help clarify any confusion.
Morocco is often believed to have only two languages, namely Arabic and French. However, Amazigh, which is the language of the Berbers in Morocco, is equally important and deserves special attention. In fact, it was officially recognized by the country’s parliament in June 2019, with overwhelming support. This recognition means that Amazigh will gradually be integrated into various aspects of Moroccan society, including education, communication, justice, and legislation.
It is worth noting that the Islamic calendar differs from the Christian calendar. However, there exists another calendar that is used by the Berber people, which is similar to the Christian calendar. The Berber calendar was initially based on the Roman (Julian) calendar, which was used up to the 16th century. The Amazigh calendar is a recent proposal by the academic Ammar Negadi that started in 950 BC when the Berber king Sheshonq I became the pharaoh of Egypt.
In other words, it uses an important figure in Berber history as a time reference, as the Islamic calendar does with Mohammed or the Christian calendar with Jesus. From there, it follows the Julian calendar, which is driven by agricultural work periods in each season, with its first day of the year being January 12. As a result, our January 12, 2020, corresponds to the first day of the Berber 2970.
Berbers in Morocco have historical ties to Spain in many ways. They were, for example, responsible for two of our country’s major invasions: the Almoravids and the Almohads. As a result, they are the architects of the establishment or expansion of some of our Andalusian cities. Another increasingly accepted link is with the Canary Islands since archaeological evidence suggests that the Amazigh peoples were the initial settlers on the islands, making the Guanches the genuine ethnicity (Canary aborigines).
It is widely believed that the Berbers were the first inhabitants of North Africa, although there is no concrete evidence to support this claim. The Phoenicians arrived at Carthage via the kingdom of Numidia which was later taken over by Rome. The Berbers were a distinct people who were very proud and fiercely resisted both Arab and Roman forces for a long time. Between the years 740 and 1050, the Berbers successfully pushed back the Arab forces in the Moroccan and Algerian regions during the Great Revolt of the Berbers Against the Arabs.
The Arabization of the Berber people occurred in several stages. Firstly, the Arab invasion in the 7th century was followed by the arrival of the Bedouins in the 11th century. The Moroccan dynasties contributed to the Arabization of the Maghreb in the 12th century by establishing Arabic language capitals in Marrakech, Fes, and Tlemcen. Finally, between the 15th and 17th centuries, the migration of exiles from Andalusia further contributed to the Arabization of the Berber people.
The Almoravids ruled from 1055 to 1147, while the Almohads ruled from 1147 to 1269. The Merinids lived between 1248 and 1465. Before Islam, the Berber tribes, different ethnic groups, and different locations had polytheistic pagan beliefs with mysticism. Since the 700s A.D., Berbers have sought refuge in the heights, villages, or mountains of the Rif or the Atlas to avoid Arab invasions. Many historians believe that the Berbers, whether Berbers or Arabs, have Canaanite ancestors, although this version is still uncertain. The Berbers are said to have arrived in North Africa following David’s victory over Goliath. According to the hypothesis advanced by Moses of Koren and Procopius, the inhabitants of Canaan would have arrived in North Africa following Joshua’s conquest of Canaan.
This version is supported by the Talmudic and older hypothesis, which states that the Canaanite people would have emigrated to Berberia following the Hebrew conquest of Canaan. As for the Berbers of the Ketamas and Sanhadjas branches, ninth-century historians believed that these peoples were of Yemenite origin, although this is simply a theory. The Jnan Sbil Garden, besides its lush foliage, has an amazing hydraulic infrastructure. The garden is crisscrossed with water channels that run from a nearby spring and are used to hydrate the plants, keeping the garden beautiful and green.
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If you want to learn about Morocco and its culture, check out our travel blog. We cover important Moroccan facts and characteristics, and provide information for women who are interested in traveling to Morocco. Vacations In Morocco, a travel company, offers blog posts about various locations including Fes, Marrakech, Casablanca, and more.
