The identity: Nowadays, the fact that the world becomes like a small village, people lose their identities without being aware of it. These people are affected either internally or externally. They lose their language, customs, religion… However, the Amazigh people are one of those peoples which are victims of certain factors. Imazighen are pushed to fall in such trap.

Imazighen established for their history in North Africa many centuries before the arrival of any one of Arabs who are domineering Tamazgha. In fact they own their culture which takes its part in the human civilizations. Moreover Imazighen are known for their pursuing freedom and reject submission whatever the cost would be.

In fact the most dangerous influence which touches Imazighen is the Arabs . We, Imazighen, are affected by the Arabs every time and in everywhere in Tamazgha. The deceptive media is a sword which eradicates the roots of Imazighen. Furthermore, mass media, in Morocco or any part of Tamazgha, aim to make Imazighen forget about their identity; they give no chance to Imazighen to express themselves. Although there is a small number of official media, they are dominated by the governing elites.

Arabization is a tool in the hands of the Arabs. They try to arabize Imazighen and erase their identity. In Morocco, eradicating Amazigh identity is well established since the “Independenceâ€?. An impotent institution, “IRCAMâ€?, is created in Morocco to “protectâ€? the Amazigh culture, as they pretend, but in fact it is the opposite. Furthermore, the Arab countries excluded Imazighen from the right of existence in term of identity. To emphasise this destination, they founded the “Arab Leagueâ€? in which they show their conformity to the external powers from which they are scared, like USA which secures the leaders to govern– but according to the white house point of view.

Concerning education, Tamazight has never been taken by the Arabs seriously as a language which should be preserved. For example in Morocco there is a policy claiming that Tamazight is being taught at schools. However, these are just lies to deceive people and make them submissive. As far as I m concerned, there is no teaching of Tamazight in official schools. So how can a non Amazighophone teach Tamazight? Of course it is like a joke! A non Tamazight-speaker teacher said that he is teaching Tamazight to Imazighen, but he does not know what he is saying to his student. Thus there would be no mutual communication. Nevertheless, I do not express my negative feelings towards the Arabs but the fact that a teacher of language doesn t know the language he teaches to a native speakers of that language is a big question. It is good that Tamazight is to become learned in the world. A language is supposed to be learned by all people who are interested in it. But when it comes to teaching, the teacher is to master the language he teaches better than the ones he teaches– not the opposite.

Moreover, migration of the Amazigh people either internally or externally causes Imazighen the loss of their identity. When Imazighen leave their home land, they are supposed to face up a strange language and culture. Thus, they should be immune and aware of that danger.

Amazigh identity is going through its hard times and Imazighen have to make their best to foster it; otherwise, we would unjust the coming Amazigh generations. It is better for the young Imazighen to defend Tamazight– even intellectually.

Written By Radouane HADDADI E-mail: rif_tamourt@hotmail.com
http://www.agraw.com/

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Abdelkarim Al Khattabi

Abdelkarim Al Khattabi led an indigenous resistance against European penetration in Rif that inflicted in frequent disasters on the colonial powers, “sometimes so severe that governments and systems of government were overthrown”. In addition to that, European elites, based in the colonies, changed or adopted a “critical stance towards their circles”.
The victory in Annual transformed the sporadic resistance of the Rifian tribesmen into an insurrection.’ having progressed so rapidly; our warriors had trouble believing in the reality of their victory and in the catastrophe into which the enemy was falling’ Abdelkarim Al Khattabi said. The victory becomes the beginning of a mass construction led by the big imperial powers at that time. Here is a quotation clarifying the point:
When Abdelkarim Al Khattabi passed away on February the 6th in 1963, after decades-long battles against imperialism, he was probably the best-known leader in the world. He is immensely popular as well as powerful and clever. His hallmark is 'unity in diversity.' A cosmopolitan vision encompasses the principles of social and economic justice, both within and between nations; non-adversarial decision making at all levels of society; equality and the willingness to sacrifice for the common good. Other facets of the leader include the promotion of human honor and dignity, understanding, amity, co-operation, peace and tolerance. These are, indeed, the local values rooted in Rif. The Anual Battalion , his inspiring epic of the “third world” nationalism has spawned a new world in its own right, a brave new world, A few years after its first departure in 1921, it continues to generate irritation, veneration and imitation among nations, powers and leaders. Abdelkarim Al Khattabi lived all his life at a tangent to the various causes with which he was associated; namely, freedom and justice that ‘the stolen generation’ seek.
“Then France interferes. Paris watched, in concern, the falling down of the Spanish garrisons, despite of its neutral situation. But the entire defeat of the Spanish army threatens us [the French protectorate in the central Morocco], because the founding of a continued free state in Rif is a big endangerment of our large occupied area. And giving support to a focal, (‘Illusionist Rif’, says Lyautey), will be a danger menace to the western civilization and peace.”(Miguel Martin, 1988).
The imperial allies interfered by using chemical weapons to stop ‘natives giving orders and disposes’. The most brutal expression of this militarist strategy was Spain. They had used economic warfare to starve out ‘the enemy’. In these harsh circumstances Abdelkarim Al Khattabi ‘surrenders’. The Rifians left spanish troops a free hand to burn crops, plantations, and villages, and kill whomsoever they come across. In fact, it was a mass extermination practiced by the Spaniards in Rif during the 20th century
Abdelkarim Al Khattabi performed an inestimable public service for humanity. His passing away opened a yawning void in the Rifian public life and all the indigenous resistant people. He is irreplaceable.

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Assou Obslam 

• Born Assou Obsalam in the year (1890-1963), and is one of the top fighters Alsossin Amazigh in the thirties of the twentieth century AD , it took over the affairs of the tribe of the Ait Atta for his prowess usual and courage known in the leadership and framing resistance and unite the tribes of Ait Atta and being able to measure the civilian and military success in forging alliances among the tribes of the Atlas adjacent to repel the invaders and Khounth hardened.
• After penetration of the French occupation in the High Atlas and the eastern mountain Sagro , took over the leadership of the resistance against Alklaoyen Berber and French alike , and income member Obsalam many battles with them in the most important battle Bokavr year 1933 , which won by the French occupiers whatever victory . Did not give up this stainless Gallant only in March 25, 1933 , after the intensification of the blockade imposed on it by land, air , and circumscribe military from all sides ; causing him bitter reality and the tragic circumstances that were known to the tribes of Ait Atta to surrender and negotiate with the conditions were in favor of the Ait Atta .

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 the Republic of Rif

It was in September 18th 1921, When the Republic of Rif was created and the Rifian declared their independence from the Spanish occupation in the northern part of Morocco. Abdelkarim Al Khattbi, was the man behind the unification of the Rifian tribes, and the leader of the rifian revolution against the Spanish occupation.
The republic was a military and political association of tribes living in the Rif Mountains of northern Morocco. The supreme legislative and executive powers were exercised by the National Assembly, which was headed by the president, or emir, Abd al-Karim. The republic had a five-member government. The local administrative unit was a tribe headed by a kaid and a community council, or jamaah. The kaids were subordinate to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Council for Tribal Affairs.
The revenue from special taxes, for example a poll tax and a tax on personal income, was used for the needs of the army. For a long time the Rif Republic successfully fought off Spanish and French troops, defeating them repeatedly. The republic fell on May 27, 1926, under the united onslaught of the Spanish and French armies.
The Rif has been inhabited by the Rifains since prehistoric times. As early as the 11th century BC, the Phoenicians and Carthaginians began to establish trading posts on the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, and founded cities such as Tetouan, Melilla and, in 5th century BC, Tangier. After the Third Punic War, Carthage was supplanted by Rome, and the Rif became part of the province of Mauretania. When the latter was divided during the rule of Emperor Claudius, Tangier became the capital of Mauretania Tingitana. In the 5th century AD, the region was raided by the Vandals, and Roman rule came to an end. The region remained under Vandal control until the 6th century AD when the Byzantines reconquered parts of it.
In 710, Salih I ibn Mansur founded the Kingdom of Nekor in the Rif and converted most Berbers to Islam. Arabs then established more cities. By the 15th century, many Spanish Moors were exiled from Spain and most of them lived in the Rif, bringing their culture, Andalusian music, and even establishing Chefchaouen. Since then, the Rif had suffered a lot of battles between Morocco, Spain and Portugal. In 1415, Portugal invaded Ceuta, and in 1490 Spain invaded Melilla. There was period of peace after, but war between Spain and Morocco arose again in 1859 in Tetouan where Morocco was defeated. The Spanish-Moroccan conflicts didn’t end. In the 20th century, under the leadership of Abd el-Krim El-Khattabi, the Moroccan guerrilla leader, The Riffians struggled against Spanish rule and aimed to free Morocco from French and Spanish colonization. Abd el-Krim later established the Republic of the Rif in 1921 which lasted until 1926, reinstating the Spanish protectorate. The region was returned to Morocco after its independence in 1956.
During the reign of Hassan II, stage known as the Years of Lead (in Morocco) Rif people was too repressed while sidelined. Because it is known for the existence of certain political organizations that demanded from a development for the area until the separation of the territory of Morocco.
In 1958-1959 a revolt broke out in the Rif was an uprising in the North African Rif region choked with aerial bombing in the region with napalm, white phosphorous and cluster bombs carried out by an embryonic Moroccan army, led by French officers and the head of which (and overseeing operations) was the then Crown Prince Moulay Hassan (the future Hassan II). The crackdown left a balance of several thousand dead Rif.

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Hindi Zahra

Hindi Zahra (born 1979 in Khouribga, Morocco) is a Franco-Amazigh singer. she simply inverted her birth name Her songs are mostly in English but some lyrics as in the song Imik Si Mik are in the Amazigh languages.

Zahra grew up with her Moroccan mother, a actress, in Khouribga, Morocco. She left school at age 15 and moved to Paris to her father, a former army member. At age 18 she worked at the Louvre.Besides that she wrote her first lyrics and melodies. Hindi Zahra is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist. By 2005 she had written about 50 songs of which Beautiful Tango, Oursoul, Try, and Stand Up were first released on the EP Hindi Zahra in 2009 and eleven songs were recorded on Hindi Zahra's first album which was released in January 2010 at the Jazz . The video to the opening song Beautiful Tango was made by French director Tony Gatlif.The song Stand Up was chosen for a commercial campaign by Western Union. In June 2010 she collaborated with French musician Blundetto on his debut album Bad Bad Things. In November 2010, Hindi Zahra won the Prix Constantin for Best Album. In February 2011, she won the Victoires de la Musique award for the best World music album.
Influenced by singers like Cheikha Rimitti,Hindi Zahra has drawn comparisons with Beth Gibbons of Portishead, Manu Chao, Billie Holiday, Patti Smith, and Norah Jones

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AMAZIGHE LIFE&STYLE 

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Dress

                                                       

Traditional Berber dress is colorful and decorative but it has also sustained influences over many years from neighboring and invading cultures. Today, many Berbers wear the "haik," a large 
cloth wrapped around the body, similar to a Roman toga. In areas where the Arab influence is stronger, Berbers wear clothes that accord with the strict Muslim dress code, including ankle length trousers and head-coverings.

 for more picures chek this link : https://www.facebook.com/pages/Free-Amazigh/1442378469325825?ref=hl

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         IN BRIEF 

The Berber people are a first people in North Africa, mostly in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Libya, Egypt ,Mali,Twarg….. The Berber people speak a number of dialects, most of which are mutually intelligible to one another. The Berbers predated the Arab invaders in the seventh century. Since then, many Berbers have assimilated into the predominantly Muslim Arab culture of North Africa, although you can still find native Berber speakers, mostly in Algeria and Morocco,Libya... Berbers are the indigenous people of North Africa and live mainly in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. They are also known as “Amazigh,” literally meaning “free men.” Berber culture is apparent in many parts of North Africa today, as tribes have settled in many different regions. Berbers are mainly in the Atlas mountain regions, although settlements also exist as far south as the Sahara Desert.

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M’barek Oularbi(saghru band)

Born in Mellab, a little village in the of the southeastern region of Morocco, M’barek Oularbi, the front man of the group Saghru, discovers his true passion for arts at a young age: Painting, guitar, composition, animation and poetry. His intelligence, his supporting family and the contact to other artists initiate him to advance.
Due to the influence by artists like , Idir, Bob Dylan and others, he started to compose his first pieces of music. He sang with friends, at school, in the course of cultural activities and finally, at the university.
A few years later, the young artist graduated in French Public Law and science politique and Literature and founded the Saghru Band, a fascinating modern band who then created together with Mallal their own unique style, the Amun Style.
«Your place now is within the stars that continue to shine high in the dark sky…»
The anniversary of the death of the artist Embarak Oarabi.

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How to cook berber couscous

Berber cuisine varies according to region, but traditional dishes include couscous and tagine. Couscous, a blend of steamed semolina wheat now eaten throughout the world, is thought to have originated with Berber people. Tagine is a form of stew cooked in a heavy clay pot. Berber tagines usually consist of lamb, apricots and dates, cooked with a blend of spices such as cinnamon and cumin. Pastilla is another traditional Berber dish: a complex pie, made from the meat of young pigeons and crisp pastry.

NOTES : You may use 3 pounds lamb or beef, or half meat and half chicken

Choose seven vegetables out of those listed--onions and tomatoes

VARIATIONS:

You may add 1/2 cup raisins or pitted dates towards the end.

Other possible flavorings are 1/2 t. ground ginger, 1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon, and 1 t. ground coriander.

Morocco put in runner beans and green peas.

Ingredients :

5 cups couscous

5 cups warm water

2 teaspoons salt

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 tablespoons butter == or more oil

==FOR THE STEW==

3 KG lamb, cubed  see note

2 large onion ==cut in slices

1 1/4 cups chickpeas == soak overnight

3 tablespoons sunflower oil

pepper ==to taste

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

salt == to taste

5 whole tomatoes ==quartered

1 pound carrots == cut in half

1 pound turnips ==peeled & quartered

1 small cabbage == cut into 2 chunks

1 pound zucchini ==cut into 2 chunks

1/2 pound fava beans == shelled

2 each fennel bulbs == quartered

1 pound pumpkin cubes == peeled

1/2 pound eggplant == cut in pieces

2 each bell peppers == cut in ribbons

2 each chili peppers

1 cup cilantro == chopped

1 cup Italian parsley ==chopped

2 teaspoons harissa ==moroccan red pepper sauce ==or to taste

Preparation :

Put the couscous in a wide oven dish so that the grains are not squashed

on top of each other. Gradually add the warm salted water, stirring all

the time so that it is absorbed evenly. Keep fluffing up the grain with a

fork and breaking up any lumps (as the grains stick together). After about

10-15 minutes, when the grain is plump and tender, mix in the vegetable

oil and rub the grain between your hands above the bowl, to air it and

break up any lumps.

Put the meats in a large pan with the onions and the drained chickpeas.

If you are using canned ones, leave them out now and put them in towards

the end of the cooking. Cover with about 3 quarts water, add the oil,

pepper and saffron, and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Add salt, the

tomatoes, carrots and turnips, and cook for 1/2 hour more, or until the

meats are very tender.

Add the remaining ingredients except the harissa and more water--you need

to have plenty of broth--and cook a further 1/2 hour.

Make a hot, peppery sauce to accompany. Take 3 ladles of broth from the

stew and stir in the harissa or 2 tablespoons paprika and 1 teaspoon

ground chili pepper, or more to taste--enough to make it very strong and

fiery.

Put the couscous, uncovered, in a preheated 400 degree F. oven and heat

through for 15-20 minutes, until very hot.

To serve, pile the couscous onto a large round dish. Add butter or more

oil and work it into the grain as it melts. Shape it into a mound with a

pit or crater at the top. Arrange the meat at the top and the vegetables

down the sides, and pour a little broth all over.

Serve the broth in a separate bowl. Pass the broth and the hot, peppery

sauce round for people to help themselves.

A French way of serving is to present the couscous separately, and the

meat and vegetables with the broth in a large bowl.
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The name Berber

                             

The name Berber appeared for the first time after the end of the Roman Empire. The use of the term Berber spread in the period following the arrival of the Vandals during their major invasions. A history by a Roman consul in Africa made the first reference of the term "barbarian" to describe Numidia. Muslim historians, some time after, also mentioned the Berbers.The English term was introduced in the nineteenth century, replacing the earlier Barbary, a loan from Arabic. Its ultimate etymological identity with barbarian is uncertain, but the Arabic word has clearly been treated as identical with Latin barbaria, Byzantine Greek βαρβαρία "land of barbarians" since the Middle Ages.

For the historian Abraham Isaac Laredothe name Amazigh could be derived from the name of the ancestor Mezeg which is the translation of biblical ancestor Dedan son of Sheba in the Targoum. According to Leo Africanus, Amazigh meant "free men", though this has been disputed, because there is no root of M-Z-Gh meaning "free" in modern Berber languages. It also has a cognate in the Tuareg word "amajegh", meaning "noble".This term is common in Morocco, especially among Central Atlas, Rifian and Shilah speakers in 1980,but elsewhere within the Berber homeland sometimes a local, more particular term, such as Kabyle (Kabyle comes from Arabic: tribal confederation) orChaoui, is more often used instead in Algeria.

The Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines mentioned various tribes with similar names living in Greater "Libya" (North Africa) in the areas where Berbers were later found. Later tribal names differ from the classical sources, but are probably still related to the modern Amazigh. The Meshwesh tribe among them represents the first thus identified from the field. Scholars believe it would be the same tribe called a few centuries after in Greek Mazyes by Hektaios and Maxyes by Herodotus, while it was called after that the "Mazaces" and "Mazax" in Latin sources, and related to the later Massylii and Masaesyli. All those names are similar and perhaps foreign renditions to the name used by the Berbers in general for themselves, Imazighn .
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Berber Tradition

                                 

Traditionally, men take care of livestock. They migrate by following the natural cycle of grazing, and seeking water and shelter. They are thus assured with an abundance of wool, cotton and plants used for dyeing. For their part, women look after the family and handicrafts - first for their personal use, and secondly for sale in the souqs in their locality .

The Berber tribes traditionally weave kilims. The tapestry maintains the traditional appearance and distinctiveness of the region of origin of each tribe, which has in effect its own repertoire of drawings. The textile of plain weave is represented by a wide variety of stripes, and more rarely by geometrical patterns such as triangles and diamonds. Additional decorations such as sequins or fringes, are typical of Berber weave in Morocco. The nomadic and semi-nomadic lifestyle of the Berbers is very suitable for weaving kilims. The customs and traditions differ from one region to another.

The social structure of the Berbers is tribal. A leader is appointed to command the tribe. In the Middle Ages, many women had the power to govern, such as Kahina and Tazoughert Fatma in Aurès, Tin Hinan in Hoggar, Chemci in Aït Iraten, Fatma Tazoughert in the Aurès. Lalla Fatma N'Soumer was a Berber woman in Kabylie who fought against the French.

The majority of Berber tribes currently have men as heads of the tribe. In Algeria, the el Kseur platform in Kabylie gives tribes the right to fine criminal offenders. In areas of Chaoui, tribal leaders enact sanctions against criminals. The Tuareg have a king who decides the fate of the tribe and is known as Amenokal. It is a very hierarchical society. The Mozabites are governed by the spiritual leaders of Ibadism. The Mozabites lead communal lives. During the crisis of Berriane, the heads of each tribe resolved the problem and began talks to end the crisis between the Maliki and Ibadite movements. In marriages, the man selects the woman, and depending on the tribe, the family often makes the decision. In comparison, in the Tuareg culture, the woman chooses her future husband. The rites of marriage are different for each tribe. Families are either patriarchal or matriarchal, according to the tribe.
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the famous Imilchil Amazigh Marriage

The Souk Aamor Agdoud N’Oulmghenni, or the renowned Imilchil Moussem; the “Fête des Fiancés” or “Marriage Market”, is the most impressive of all the Amazigh mountain souks. Held at the end of summer, over three days late in September, it represents the annual meeting of the great family tribes Aït Haddidou, Aït Morghad, Aït Izdeg and Aït Yahia. A gathering of the Amazigh people of remote villages of the Middle and High Atlas mountain valleys and nomadic herders of the southern slopes .leading to the fringes of the Sahara deser

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historical times, the Berbers expanded south into the Sahara (displacing earlier populations such as the Azer and Bafour), and have in turn been mainly culturally assimilated in much of North Africa by Arabs, particularly following the incursion of the Banu Hilal in the eleventh century.
The areas of North Africa which retained the Berber language and traditions best have been, in general, Morocco, highlands of Algeria (Kabylie, Aurès et cetera) most of which in Roman and Ottoman times remained largely independent. The Ottomans did penetrate the Kabylie area; Turkish influence can be seen in food, clothes and music, and to places the Phoenicians never penetrated, far beyond the coast. These areas have been affected by some of the many invasions of North Africa, most recently that of the French.

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The Berber people

The Berber people are native to North Africa, notably the area west of the Nile Valley. You can find them spread throughout this area from the Atlantic Ocean to Egypt and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. The Berber language has many different dialects all of which are part of the Afro-Asiatic language. These people refer to themselves as free men, but throughout history they have been known by many different names, such as the Moors, the Mauri and the Numidians.

As far back as there are any recorded settlements in Africa, there have been Berber people. There are references to them in the history of ancient Egypt and they formed the main population of the Western portion of the Sahara Desert since the earliest times. There were large concentrations of Berber populations along the Atlantic coast of Africa who came into contact with a wide group of invaders and travellers. All of these interactions influenced the Berber culture making causing small changes and adaptations over the course of centuries.

One of the most important influences on the history of the Berbers was the coming of Islam. It permeated all aspects of life and often replaced tribal rituals and practices. The Berbers were very quick to convert to Islam and to provide assistance to the Arab invaders in any way they could. Islam came to the Berber territory in the 7th century, but there were tensions between the Berbers and the Arabs because of the prejudice the Arabs had for the Berber people. In most cases they were regarded as second-class Muslims and were often forced into slavery. This resulted in a revolt by the Berbers in 739.

Many Muslim Berbers supported the Kharijite form of Islam, which afforded them more equality. The Kharijites established some tribal kingdoms, but most of these were short lived. The Berber communities established on the main trade routes, however, became very prosperous.

In the 9th century, the Banu Hilal tribe arrived in Northwest Africa. They had been sent into the area to punish the Berber Zind dynasty for having adopted Islam and abandoning Shiism. The arrival of this tribe was a significant factor in the Arabization of Africa and the spread of the nomad way of life in areas where there had been communities and agriculture.

It was not until the middle of the 20th century that Arabic became the official language of North Africa and this led to a rise in Berber nationalism with respect to the language. Berber is now an official language in Algeria and it is recognized as an official language in Morocco, and taught in the schools.

At one time in their history, Berbers were discriminated against in society. This is not true today as long as they do not openly display their political affiliations.
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