Population
Total Population: 3.9 million (1990)
Urban Percentage: 20 %
In this country: 2.8 million in Morocco
Other countries: 1 million in Algeria, 100,000 in Europe

General Description
Hamito-Semitic Berbers. The word "Berber" probably has it's origin in the Roman times, when non-Romans were called "Berbers". The Berbers are descendants of the Senhadja nomads. Their name "Imazighen" means "the free people". The Imazighen are Caucasian people generally, with a fair skin, and dark hair. Some also have red or blonde hair.

Language/Literacy
Adult Literacy: Men 30 %, Women 10 %
Main language: Tamazight - 100 % (40 % monolingual)
Second language: Moroccan Arabic - 60 %
Third language: French - 10 %

Economy
Occupations: 50 % agricultural
Production: Wheat, barley, other cereals, meat and wool
Crafts: Carpets and blankets
Trade partners: Almost non-existent, or mainly local.
Other: Unemployment rate is very high. Employment could be created in this region. Besides the direct needs of agricultural industry, the government hasn't developed other industry in the area, and hasn't developed other employment opportunities.

Society
Family structure: Family is important. Parents and grandparents are very highly respected. The bride moves into the husband's family.
Neighbour Relations: Important in the village and within the tribe. Neighbours are often relatives.
Government/Authority: The moukkadeur is the head of a tribe and of many villages. Many moukkadeurs report to a sheikh. Then come the calif, the supercaid and the governor (head of the province). Sometimes the supercaid can temporarily replace the governor. Ministers (of the central government) have authority over these local structures. Morocco is a constitutional monarchy and the king has the final authority.
Social habits: People meet while working together in the fields (especially at the harvest time), at the weekly market, at the annual moussem or at weddings or other celebrations.
Cultural change: ( ) Static ( ) Slow (*) Medium (*) Fast
Adaptation to the national social culture: ( ) Distant ( ) Near (*) Between both
Self-image: (*) Threatened (*) Depressed ( ) Proud/prestigious
Judicial System/Judgements: The highest court in their independent judicial structure is the Supreme Court, the judges are appointed by the King. Commercial courts exist since 1998.
Crisis/Conflicts/History: Some tribes, such as the Zaiane and Ait Atta, are known for their resistance against all foreign influence (colonial).
Feast/Spare time: Weddings (often last 3 days), circumcision and births. Most of the tribes and villages have seasonal festivals.
Arts: Dance (Hidous), songs and using instruments like violin and other stringed instruments, as well as the flute.
Mass Media (Radio/TV/newspapers/films/videos/recordings): For the most part, radio and television broadcasting is in the Moroccan dialect of Arabic or classical Arabic. Daily there are some radio programs in Tamazight and 5 min. of news on television. Radio is widely used and people have cassette-recorders. Television is very popular. Movies and newspapers can be found only in big towns. Video is more and more appreciated. Some city dwellers and the richer rural population have access to satellite television.
Modern services/Utilities: Hydro-electric energy, combines with irrigation canals.
Basic diet: Bread, wheat, barley
Arts: Songs and poetry
Festivals: Traditional folk-Islamic festivals (moussems)

Living Conditions/Community Development
Food: Though food is not varied, nobody suffers from extreme hunger.
Shelter: Medium to adequate. Villages are usually small and composed of houses, one mosque, a community grain storage area and a place for the men to assemble (jemaa), which governs the affairs of each community. There are also many large villages, where mountain and plain areas meet (called "dir" lands). Houses are flat roofed, made from dried mud reinforced with stones. There are less and less nomads but during transhumance (moving around with their animal livestock to find pasture), they live under tents made of goat or camel hair with black or grey stripes.
Clothing: Medium to adequate. In the towns, it is similar to what we see in other Moroccan towns and cities. In the countryside, women wear a woollen blanket or a cape (blue or white for special occasions) tied by a cord. Their heads are covered by a scarf. The men wear a woollen or goat-hair cape or a coat (djellaba), and also a white or colored turban.
Health: Poor. Dispensaries are in various locations with nurses, but not many doctors.
Water supply: Depends a lot on the village's geographic situation.
Energy/Fuel: Quite expensive, but available. Wood is used for cooking.

Children/Youth
Education: The language of education is Arabic, except for 3 primary school years where basic French is taught. Primary school starts at 7 years old. Some children go to Koranic School from 4 to 6 years old. At the 4th year of secondary school, students choose between sciences and literature. Sometimes they can study English, Spanish, German and French. In the last 10 years, education has really been encouraged but it still offers little prospect. Some boys are advised not to study because there is the risk that it will lead them nowhere. In earlier times studies were the only way to succeed in life, but now lots of youth who have studied are unemployed.
Work/Tasks: There are still a lot of young girls who don't go to school and work at home or in the fields.
Problems (Morality/Family/Tensions etc.): Morality is often a façade for them, for example, divorce is very common. Problems with drugs, smoking and alcohol are increasing. Young people from the countryside tend to go to larger towns and cities to find employment.
Major needs: Employment for the young.
Other: Because of education, young people tend to rebel during their studies and would rather not live in the village because of the hard life there.

Religion
Practiced religions: Sunni (Malekite) Islam
Adherents: 98 %
Practicing: 20 %
Religious practices/Ceremonies: Religious feasts (Aid el Kbir, Ramadan, Aid el Sghir), popular festivals related with worship of saints.
Redemptive analogies/bridges: Country and pastoral images, parables, Abraham's sacrifice (Aid el Kbir), and the sacrifice of an animal to give a name to a newborn.
Spiritual climate/openings: Oppressive. Islam and lots of popular traditions often have a hold on people and they feel obligated to these practices. For healing they can go to a saint's tomb or at the 'fqih', a Muslim teacher. (The saints are dead people, who are considered to have magical powers or to have been exceptional in some way while they were living. They are believed to have 'baraka' (Arabic for 'blessing') which is sought for healing, deliverance and to help in other ways.)

History of Christian Presence Amongst This People Group
In 298 AD the Roman Catholic Church began in Tangier. Native Berber Christians (Donatists from Algeria) probably arrived in Tangier, Mellilla, Lixus (Larache) and Volubilis between 500 and 700 AD; some Coptic Christians and Jewish Berbers who became Christians probably shared the Gospel. The Volubilis Church became indigenous when the Romans left the villages surrounding Fes (for example Bahlil) in the 7th century. Before the 20th century there were stories of Christians who ran away and stayed in caves in the Middle Atlas area and in the mountains of the Drâa valley. The modern missionary movement was born in Morocco at the end of the 19th century.

Current Church Development
Bible: Portions, translation in progress
Christian Radio: None (Radio broadcast, TV satellite from abroad in Arabic)
Available recordings: Gospels of John & Luke, 2 parables for children, Jesus Film available in Tamazight.
Attitude toward Christianity: Unaware of what the Christian faith is about.
Openness to religious change: None

General InformationStatisticsPrayGet Involved