Who Are the Berbers?

Berbers are the indigenous people of North Africa and live primarily in Morocco, Algeria, Libya, and Tunisia. Although Berbers once ruled over kingdoms in the region, the Arabs conquered the area beginning in the seventh century.

Today, most Berbers are Muslim, although many still retain their own ancient customs and festivals, particularly in rural areas.

A majority of Moroccans trace their ancestry to Berbers. While many still speak a distinct language known as Tamazight, the Moroccan Constitution does not officially recognize their language.

Over the past few decades, many Moroccan Berbers have moved to cities, but those in villages have a largely agricultural lifestyle.

Berbers refer to themselves as Amazigh, which means free men.