Amazigh and the lean times.

By

    Many of the Moroccans we have spoken to on this trip have claimed to be Amazigh (Berber), at least in part.  Some have explained that there is enough of a mix between Arab and Berber that everyone is at least a little bit Amazigh.  At the same time, we've met people who claim to be fully Amazigh, being from one of the mountain groupings to which the different Berber groups hail from. In Morocco "over 80 percent of people identify as Berber or Amazigh" (Mack, n.d.) Still, there is a clear distinction in the kinds of jobs and opportunities available to Amazigh people when compared with such as are available to more Arab-identifying people.

    Our Taxi driver today, Adi, was once a nomad herdsman.  But years of drought (which hopefully have come to an end as of September of last year) necessitated a change in his line of work.  He now drives tourists across scrubby, flat desert-scapes to the edge of the dunes. Then other herdsmen lead camel trains carrying tourists across the dunes to a "glamping" bivouac where others of there compatriots serve food and perform with traditional Berber music and song.  It is difficult as the tourist being led on the camel to gauge the true feelings of the herdsman-turned-tour-guides as they do their work.  They are an incredibly gracious people who obviously take pride in their culture and hospitality.  Quick to return a thank you and assure one of being welcomed in Morocco.  But the anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that there is little safety net for the Berber herdsman when times are lean.

References

Mack, C. (n.d.). Berber culture in Morocco. Responsible Traveler.       https://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/morocco-cultural/travel-guide/berber-culture-in-morocco

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Who Am I?

By
Image
  This video is part of the  TED Talks  series.  TED  (Technology, Entertainment and Design) is a nonprofit devoted to disseminating "ideas worth spreading." I thought the idea of  creating authentic identity through failed imitation  was a great theme to begin the course as well as the blog. My hope is that you will step outside of the  status quo  and use your creative nature to complete the assignments and explore identity in a global context throughout this semester. What are your thoughts about Hetain Patel's presentation?
Read more

Education in Morocco

By
Image
     Education in Morocco has become more accessible, but there is still room for improvement, particularly in rural areas. In Morocco, most young children around ages 6-15 are required to have an education that is free, however, many girls in rural areas do not attend, and many students do not stay enrolled past the secondary level (Melissa W., 2022). Something that stood out to me while traveling through some of the rural areas in Morocco, was that many young children were walking or riding bikes by themselves to get to and from school, which may make it challenging for them to stay motivated to go to school every day. Children whose head of the house has a higher educational background are 2.9 times more likely to attend school than those who have a father who does not (Rahhou, 2023). Despite these challenges, the quality of education for those attending school and seeking higher education has progressed. The literacy rate for adults in Morocco has increased to 74% sin...
Read more