The Berbers

Berbers are the indigenous inhabitants of the North African littoral, isolated from the rest of Africa by the Sahara Desert. Periods of control by the Carthage and Roman empires were interspersed with the establishment of Berber kingdoms.

The Berbers are known to have been in North Africa at least in 3000 B.C. They are thought to have come across northern Africa. Other waves of Berber immigration came in the 3rd and 11th centuries. Some Berbers trace their lineage to Yeme

They are the dominant race group in Morocco. In addition, there are Berber settlements in Algeria, Tunisia, Canary Islands, Libya, and Egypt

They speak various Amazigh languages belonging to the Afro-Asiatic family related to ancient Egyptian. There are around three hundred local dialects among the scattered Berber populations.

Among the Berber languages are Tarifit or Riffi in northern Morocco, Kabyle in Algeria and Tashelhiyt in central Morocco. Tamazight has been a written language, on and off, for almost 3,000 years.

One common denominator between Berbers and Arabs is faith. Most Berbers are Muslims, but their faith is mixed with traditional practices. They are mostly Sunni Muslims. Arabs are also Muslims.

Berbers are often portrayed as nomadic people crossing the desert on camels, but most are farmers in the mountains and valleys throughout northern Africa.
The Berbers