Berber Arts click on picture |
The forms of art present in the society varies from carpets, jewelry, clothes, make-up, and tattoos. The artistic style that characterized this period where bright colors and striped patterns for the woman. Some specific examples of art would be the tattoos on the chin and nose for marriage and when girls reach their cycle age around 11-14 they would get their wrist and face tatted up as rite of passage. A new thing is that women are no longer allowed to get tattoos if they are under 30. This means that many of the traditions were changed, which is interesting because of instead of exposing the head, they now cover it with the Tahruyt. Similar to middle eastern people. It still consists of bright colors. |
Society:
The forms of art present in the society varies from carpets, jewelry, clothes, make-up, and tattoos. The artistic style that characterized this period where bright colors and striped patterns for the woman. Some specific examples of art would be the tattoos on the chin and nose for marriage and when girls reach their cycle age around 11-14 they would get their wrist and face tatted up as rite of passage. A new thing is that women are no longer allowed to get tattoos if they are under 30. This means that many of the traditions were changed, which is interesting because of instead of exposing the head, they now cover it with the Tahruyt. Similar to middle eastern people. It still consists of bright colors.
Geography:
In ancient time all of Northern Africa, west of the Nile river was inhabited by the Berbers. Some Berbers lived in one area and others were nomadic. The non-nomadic Berbers lived next to some kind of water source to use as their irrigation system, which watered the Berbers' farms. The nomadic Berbers were constantly moving because of the danger posed by foreign invaders.
Today, Berbers live in smaller spread out communities, in today's countries of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Mali, Niger, and Mauritania. They now live in isolated mountains to stay away from political and social oppression by the larger Arab population around them. The isolation has caused many tribes to have their own dialect.
Today, Berbers live in smaller spread out communities, in today's countries of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Mali, Niger, and Mauritania. They now live in isolated mountains to stay away from political and social oppression by the larger Arab population around them. The isolation has caused many tribes to have their own dialect.
Economy & Technology:
Historically, Berbers were merchants who used camel caravans to transport goods. Though Berbers are known to be nomadic, a majority of them were farmers in the mountains and the valleys of Northern Africa. Traditionally, Berbers raised goats, cattle, and sheep. The Berbers grew barley and wheat and nuts in particular due to the hot climate.
The Berbers were the first to open commercial routes between West Africa and the Sub-Saharan Africa. This allowed them to bring goods from beyond the Sahara desert into North Africa. Traditionally, Berbers were merchants and they traded handmade objects. Women would make intricate jewelry and clothes and decorate jars with patterns. Trade would occur in the suq, market, in almost every tribal territory. The suq was named after the day of the week it took place and the tribe it was in. Local and European goods were traded in the area. Suqs still exist today but are bigger in size. Trinkets, like jewelry were sold but the main product being traded was salt due to the large amount of salt rocks in the region. Today, many Berbers go to Spain and France to work as migrant workers in order to send money home to their families.
The Berbers were the first to open commercial routes between West Africa and the Sub-Saharan Africa. This allowed them to bring goods from beyond the Sahara desert into North Africa. Traditionally, Berbers were merchants and they traded handmade objects. Women would make intricate jewelry and clothes and decorate jars with patterns. Trade would occur in the suq, market, in almost every tribal territory. The suq was named after the day of the week it took place and the tribe it was in. Local and European goods were traded in the area. Suqs still exist today but are bigger in size. Trinkets, like jewelry were sold but the main product being traded was salt due to the large amount of salt rocks in the region. Today, many Berbers go to Spain and France to work as migrant workers in order to send money home to their families.
Religion
Northern Africans, either Berbers or Arabs, are Sunni Muslims of the Maliki rite, which predominates in North Africa. What they believe in is similar to those of Sunni Muslims elsewhere. It should be taken in consideration, however, that Islam in rural North Africa has traditionally placed a strong emphasis on baraka (lit., "blessing"), the charisma and miracle-working abilities of shurfa' (sing. sharif ), descendants of the Prophet, whose shrines dot the countryside and whose living representatives have traditionally been mediators of conflicts between lineages or sections of lay Berber tribesmen. In Islam, there is, in theory, no intermediary between man and God, but every Moroccan rural community, whether Berber or Arab, has its fqih or schoolmaster, who teaches the boys to recite the Quran. The fqih, who is contracted by the community on an annual basis, leads the prayers in the mosque and gives the Friday sermon. He also writes charms (from Quranic verses) with a view to curing diseases, although any elements of witchcraft and sorcery that do not involve the use of (Arabic) writing are generally the preserve of women.
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