The Amazigh Women

The recorded history of most civilizations hardly mentions women. This is in contrast to the Amazigh culture, in which women play a prominent role.

For example, the Legacy of Al-Kahina, the pre-Islamic female warrior, is still very much alive in Amazigh culture and nowadays is used by the youth as a symbol of female empowerment and resilience.

In this article, we will dive into the world of the indigenous Amazigh Women:

1. The Amazigh Women

2. The Superwomen of the Atlas Mountains

3. Imilchil Wedding Festival

4. Would you like to meet them?

1.The Amazigh Women

"Berbers, also known as Imazighen, are a pre-Arab ethnic group native to North Africa, notably Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya, as well as Mauritania, northern Mali, and northern Niger to a lesser extent. There are also tiny Berber groups in Egypt's Siwa Oasis and Burkina Faso.

Berber languages are an Afroasiatic language family branch that Berber and Amazigh countries have historically spoken.

Despite their pale appearance, they are not Arabs. They are as indigenous African as any other group in the continent. And their women are stunningly beautiful. In this video, we'll look at what makes these women unique."

2. The Superwomen of the Atlas Mountains

"High in the Atlas Mountains in central Morocco are remote villages almost entirely dominated by Amazigh women, a result of the geographical divide between the urban and rural poor, the volatility of Moroccan agriculture and lack of regional development.

Their menfolk migrate for long periods to do agricultural or city work in other parts of the country. While the absentee men send money back home, the women are left to care for the children, and tend to crops and farm animals without any outside support.

"Wives can't accompany their husbands," says Fatma Kadjik, from Tiklit village, so married women have to learn to survive on their own."

3. Imilchil Wedding Festival

The Berbers are the indigenous people of Morocco who celebrate the ancient Imilchil Wedding Festival.

The 500-year-old festival takes place every September near Imilchil, a small town in the Ait Haddidou region of the Atlas Mountains. Imichil comes alive with music, folklore, and a bustling marketplace as young men and women gather to seek out potential life partners. Several couples get married at the big town celebration.

The site blossoms each festival season with traders from neighbouring towns. As many as 30,000 people gather to sell their wares or scope out potential brides and grooms.

A temporary tent city quickly forms and it hosts cafes, restaurants, smiths, and sellers of silks, dresses, carpets, dried fruits, and livestock. Music and folklore are also on full display. The site even houses the makeshift offices of marriage contract writers for the lucky couples who meet their ideal match.

Most importantly, traditional Amazigh engagement ceremonies take place in a large square. However, because foreign tourists have now taken an interest in the Imilchil Wedding Festival, official marriages are kept private.

Women who attend the festival looking for a potential life partner dress in traditional attire with their finest silver jewellery. Men who are available for marriage dress in all white, often with turbans.

4. Would you like to meet them?

Through The Mastery Journeys, we not only dive deep into the Berber culture but also leave a positive impact on these communities. We are committed to supporting these women and their daughters. Join the Al-Kahina Journey in September 2024 and make a difference in the lives of the indigenous Berber wives.

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