The Amazigh Resistance (Part 2)

*This is the second post in a multi-post series titled “The Amazigh Resistance”*

I have been told I look like an ancient Amazigh warrior (actually the words ” Old Berber”) were used to describe this, but when probed I figured out what he meant. This was during the era of my service where I looked like one of the following:

- “Macho Man” Randy Savage
- Jesus
- Homeless man.

Of all the above, I certainly would take a Ancient Berber over the other three. My point is this: The Amazigh people (Berbers… but I will explain) were not always as they are currently.

I hesitate to use the term “Berber” because I am trying to be culturally sensitive and well (fancy this!) politically correct. You see, the term “Berber” literally means “Barbarian,” and every single connotation that goes with that word. I would clump it into the category of words including: Vikings, Pirates, Spartans, Redskins etc. If you are like me, you call the catagory… MASCOTS! Well, essentially the term “berber” was used by the ancient Greeks in dealing with outsiders, and pretty much people of a lower class, and foreigners. (It is humorous in a way, because I get called “eromiy” everyday… this means foreigner. Oh how the tables have turned!)

I give you the above information because some of you may be like “What the heck is an Amazigh???.  Its a Berber…sigh.

Grab my hand, lets go on a journey through the Amazigh history of Morocco (LA LA LA!)

In the beginning, there was a pool of creation where the first Amazigh people were given life. Let me start over. And just a note, I am going to site my sources at the bottom via links. No plagiarism here kids.

In the beginning, way back in the BCE time, there were Amazigh people in Morocco.  Actually in all of North Africa as well. Amazigh means “Free man.” They lived and tended the land, some as merchants, some as sellers. They thrived. They traded with the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Phoenicians, Jewish, Etc. They were also colonized by these people. But in terms of religion, some were Christian, some were Jewish, some polytheistic. As the trading partners rose and fell in power, things change (as they always do!)

In the 7th century CE, things began to change big time! For in the Middle East, a little religion was born that is known as Islam. This religion was carried by the Arabic traders along well established routes. In what seems to be swift times, the religion was spread along the North African coast, through Egpyt, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco. There was resistance, and a brief pause as one of the Arabic Generals had a slight misfortune while he was out conquering one day… and had his head lopped off (insert silly pun here).

Essentially, this was one of the first Islamic Jihads the world had seen. Using force to convert people to Islam. BEFORE I GO ON READ THIS. I dislike the term Jihad, as it is a sensitive topic now-a-days. Essentially, EVERY religion has had a jihad “religious war” at some point in their history. Shortly after in the 15-16th century, there was the catholic inquisition in Morocco, and many were killed and forced to convert.  Just do the research. I am not picking on Islamic Jihads, for I personally think any forced change is a horrible thing (unless it is a Intervention… have you ever seen that show! on A&E.)

Back to story.

After our general friend has his slight misstep, there was a break for a few years. About 20 years in fact, during the reign of Queen (yes! a women in history!) Kahina. She thought that the Arab peoples wanted the wealth of North Africa, but in fact, all the Arabs cared about was religion (well as a whole really, who knew about oil back then!)

But in 702 CE, the Berber forces and Queen Kahina were defeated and forced to convert to Islam or be killed. Many fled the plains of current day Morocco, in places such as Casablanca, Rabat, Fes, and Meknes. They came to the mountains, in areas that are the Rif, Atlas (High and Middle and Anti), and into the Sahel region in the south of Morocco. They fought and resisted. They knew the land, and due to this they had the upper-hand and resisted conversion… for a while at least.

This resistance continued, and some remnants are still left today. I will discuss this in my third post. While most everyone in Morocco (99%) are Muslims, there are still a few Jewish settlements and Christian settlements. There is freedom of religion in Morocco, however, no proselytizing, except of Islam (recently 70 people were deported for this near me… read it here ).

My source other than my own common knowledge was this website here .

Stay Tuned! Much love to you all! Happy Spring!