Berber Daily Life

The Berbers are the first inhabitants of Morocco and they are spread across Northern Africa from Egypt to the Atlantic Coast. The Berbers date back to around 3000 b.c.e. The Berbers culture and traditions are part of Morocco’s heritage.

In Morocco, the Berbers live in the Rif Mountains, the Atlas Mountains, and the Sahara Desert. In the Mountains, they experience extreme cold weather because of the high altitude. Their lands are fertile due to constant rainfall. However, In the desert, the climate is dry and extremely hot with little rainfall so the berbers are constantly moving in search for water.

Berbers are known for their excellent craftsmanship. They make pottery, weave colorful rugs, and make large chunky jewelry. When the tourists visit Morocco, they are drawn by the beautiful colors they use for their rugs or their pottery as well as their silver and amber jewelry. Berbers continue to wear their traditional cloths. Women wear “Djeleba” with a head scarf but usually the cloth is very colorful. Men on the other hand wear turbans and “Djeleba” in white, blue and sometimes orange.

Berber cuisine varies from one region to an other. Couscous and Tagines are considered Morocco’s national dishes. Couscous is eaten during lunch and typically after the Friday prayer. The couscous is served with vegetables shaped like a pyramid. Underneath is rather chicken or meat. Another dish is the “Tajine”. The tajines are served with variety of toppings like prunes, potatoes or carrots. The Tagine could be served with meat or chicken. For breakfast or afternoon snack, “beghrir” or “msmen” is served with butter, honey or jam. They are similar to pancakes. For drinks, the berbers are experts at making mint tea.

Most Berbers don’t live in large houses but rather on small ones. Berbers live in houses that are made of wood, mud, or stone. Inside the house is one large room that serves many purposes such as a kitchen, living room, and a sleeping area. A small barn is usually on the side of the house where they keep chickens and sheep.

Berber wedding ceremonies last for several days. They are mostly arranged by the parents. Both sides of the family gather for these festivities. There is music and dancing for long hours. The bride has a Henna party where both her hands and feet are painted with Henna. Large dishes of food and sweets are served to guests. Most times, the groom has never met his bride and will only see on the day of the wedding.

Education in berber villages is not like in the cities. Most children attend very small schools, sometimes only one classroom. They attend elementary school and receive basic education. After they finish their elementary school, most families do not send their children to secondary school because it is far from the village where they live. Some berber children continue their schooling beyond elementary and some may attend schools where they learn trades like mechanic or wood work. Because of the lack of schools and sometimes the harsh weather, less then 50% of Berbers can read or write. Arabic is taught at schools but they speak berber dialect in their daily life.

The Berbers have embraced Islam since around the 700’s. After the death of the prophet “Muhammad”, the Arabs set out on a conquest to spread Islam. This converted berbers to the Islamic faith and the trust in the Qur’an and belief in Allah. Most Berbers are Muslims.

Berbers were the first inhabitants of Morocco and they are entitled to keep their customs and traditions. Their heritage is part of the Moroccan history and should be preserved.