i spent a few wonderful and relaxing days in marrakech as the guest of a generous friend from al-shamiya. it was important to get to know the people of morocco, a country separated from kuwait by a three-hour time difference.
the name “morocco” in arabic refers to the direction of the setting sun.
in spanish, english, and latin, the name morocco is derived from the historic city of marrakech, known as morocco in english and maroc in french. marrakech was the capital of a great empire and the political center of the state for centuries. as a result, european traders and diplomats came to refer to the entire country by the name of its capital.
historically, moroccans were known in europe as “moors,” a term also associated with marrakech. the name is derived from a compound berber word - amur, meaning “land,” and akush, meaning “god”, hence, “the land of god.”
the city was founded in 1062 ce by the almoravids under yusuf ibn tashfin, who made it the capital of his empire. it was built with historic walls and ancient irrigation systems.
although marrakech later lost its status as the capital to fez, it retained its great spiritual and economic importance. in the 16th and 17th centuries, it once again became the capital under the saadian dynasty.
during the alaouite era, marrakech continued to play an important role in morocco. following the french occupation, the capital was moved to rabat. nevertheless, marrakech remains a jewel of moroccan tourism, history, and culture, and continues to be one of the country’s most important cities to this day.
the amazigh people, the original inhabitants of the land, have distinct linguistic and cultural traditions.
over time, the differences between the amazigh people and the arabs who arrived from the arabian peninsula, along with subsequent waves of migration, gradually diminished. nevertheless, historical, linguistic, and cultural distinctions between the two groups persisted, despite centuries of intermarriage and integration.
the majority of moroccans have mixed ancestry, and today, it is rare to fi nd anyone who is entirely arab or entirely amazigh.
some differences may be discerned through physical appearance or family names. among the most prominent amazigh figures after the islamic conquest of north africa are tariq ibn ziyad, yusuf ibn tashfin, ibn battuta, alkhattabi, the philosopher ibn rushd, abbas ibn firnas, and the botanist ibn al-baytar. the amazigh were historically referred to as berbers.
following their conversion to islam, the amazigh became a major force in the conquest of morocco and andalusia and played a significant role in establishing powerful states across north africa.
the most famous of these figures, tariq ibn ziyad, the conqueror of andalusia, has a mysterious biography. according to some accounts, he was captured in damascus, the umayyad capital, where his fate remains unknown.
the cultural and political situation of the amazigh differs somewhat between morocco and algeria.
in morocco, the amazigh have made significant legal and constitutional progress. in 2011, their language was recognized as an official language alongside arabic, and in 2019, they were permitted to teach it. the amazigh new year was also recognized as an official holiday.
despite the historically sensitive nature of amazigh identity in the region, morocco has not experienced a major amazigh separatist movement. instead, demands have largely focused on cultural recognition, social rights, and regional development within the framework of national unity.
in algeria, where the amazigh constitute the second-largest ethnic minority, their language was officially recognized in the 2016 constitutional revision. tamazight is taught at certain educational levels and is used in official media. however, the country has also experienced separatist movements, some of which have been designated as “terrorist”, although these movements do not necessarily reflect the aspirations of the majority of the amazigh population.
statistically, the amazigh population in morocco is estimated at no more than 40 percent, while their genetic ancestry may be considerably more widespread. in algeria, the proportion of people who identify as amazigh is estimated at less than 25 percent, although genetically, they constitute three times that number. over the centuries, the populations of both countries have undergone extensive arabization, both linguistically and culturally.