Amazigh

The Amazigh are ethnolinguistic tribes indigenous to the northwestern corner of the African continent. In addition to their unique Tamazight language, another major difference between the Amazigh and Morocco’s modern-day Arab population is the matriarchal structure of some Amazigh tribes, where women often occupy leadership positions. The Amazigh largely rely on subsistence agriculture and the trade of handicrafts for their livelihood. They are especially known for their immaculate textiles and silver jewelry. In the late seventh century AD, the Arab invasion of the region led to massive reconfigurations of Amazigh society. The Arabs brought their own language, religion, traditions, and forms of governance. These changes threatened the very existence of the Amazigh way of life. Additional centuries of political marginalization and discrimination made cultural preservation especially difficult. There are five subgroups within the Amazigh tribes, including the Riffans, Shilha, Central Atlas Amazigh, and to a lesser extent, the Sahrawis and Gnawa.