Amazing Amazigh Women!
The tribal inhabitants of North Africa/the Maghreb region, including present day Morocco, are called Amazighs (or Berbers), and are indigenous to the area, predating the arrival of Arabs and Islam (which began around the 7th century).
The term Berber, which we may be more familiar with, may be seen as somewhat derogatory, as it stems from the word for “barbarian,” which was bestowed when outsiders came to Morocco and came across the native population.
Amazighs have been adaptive over time, and have often blended with the environment of the time, while preserving important elements of their culture. While the majority of Amazighs are Muslim today, initially they practiced something closer to paganism. Some Amazigh communities are even Jewish, likely stemming from a Jewish presence in the same Maghreb regions inhabited by Amazigh tribes as early as 70 CE. Tolerance and acceptance between religions is apparent today in Morocco, even as an officially Muslim country, largely due to the influence of the native Amazigh people. Today, roughly a third of the Moroccan population are Amazigh.
They are a diverse bunch, with differing languages and cultures. The weaving of carpets is an important aspect of many Amazigh tribes, and techniques differ from one tribe to another. Weaving techniques, including the use of patterns, symbols, colors, and other elements are passed down from generation to generation, usually from mother to daughter. They may be reflective of the areas in which the tribes lived; those from the High Atlas Mountains tend to weave thick, high pile carpets that double as blankets during the harsh, cold winter months. Tribes from the plains of Morocco, however, may create lower pile rugs, with symbols of flowers and other elements of their farming-centered lifestyle. Nomadic tribes of the desert may create even lighter weight styles so that they can easily be rolled up and carried with them along their journey. Many tribes produce one of my favorite carpet types - the boucherouite, or “rag rug,” which is made of recycled scraps of any textiles they have on hand, giving a second life to well-worn items and creating some of the most unique and fun pieces we come across.
