The Cultural Unity Of The Amazigh People
Posted: Wednesday, August 1, 2001When referring to the Amazigh people, the boundaries stretch across the borders of all of north Africa, and even beyond, including the Canary Islands, Mauritania, Niger, etc. (The area including north Africa and the Canary Islands is called Tamazgha, land of the Amazigh.)
Three terms which should be kept straight are: Amazigh, Imazighen, and Tamazight. The first is the singular for the people and the culture. Imazighen is the plural. Tamazight refers to the umbrella language group, as well as to a specific regionalism of the language, spoken in some areas of Morocco and Algeria. When the term is used by non-linguists, it inevitably refers to the language of the Imazighen in general. The term "Amazigh" is also used ideologically and politically to denote those who identify themselves first and foremost as Amazigh (rather than, for example, by the country of origin or as Muslim) and adhere to principles of democracy and secularism. More > http://www.waac.org/amazigh/amazigh_home.html
http://www.arab.net/morocco/morocco_contents.html
(BBC) King Mohammed VI of Morocco has promised to set up a body to preserve the language and culture of the country's Berbers, who make up a majority of the population.
In a speech to mark the second anniversary of his accession to the throne, the king said the body would work towards integrating the Berber language into the education system. [More]Printer friendly version
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