Amazigh - Kel Tamasheq - Imuhar
- Noble D. LeMoore
- Jun 17
- 29 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Here is a depiction of a young Amazigh woman breastfeeding her firstborn. She comes from a people better known as the Tuaregs, Tarek, or Tawarik, a term essentially rooted in Arabic. Her people truly call themselves the Imuhar, and her language is Kel Tamasheq.
Imuhar is the term used in the areas of Libya and Algeria while Imushar and Imasheren are more common in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The Kel Tamasheq language comes with a variety of regional dialects. The first is the Tamasheq which is spoken by the Imushar of Mali and Niger. The second is the Tamajeq which is also spoken by the Imushar of Niger. The third is the Tamahaq is spoken by the Imuhar of Libya. Finally, the fourth is Tawallammat, spoken by the Imuhar of Algeria.
Where in some aspects the Imuhar may have been perceived as lawless hunters and thieves, they, on the other hand, have been romanticized in novels and films. We can argue whether it was made accurately or stereotypically. The term berber itself is pejorative and associated to barbaric. The term most likely finds its root in the Greek word "Barbaros" or "Barbarus" in latin, a word associated with whoever the Greeks would see as "uncivilized" foreigners. It was also used to characterize people whose language sounded like gibberish to them. This term may also have been borrowed by the arabs, "Barbara" meaning to babble confusedly.
In the Tamasheq language, the Term "The Abandoned of God" would be originally attributed to the warriors. The word Tawarik can be traced back to the verb Taraka, which means "To Abandon", an external attribution. As an Amazigh Dialect, the Tamasheq with his alphabet called "Tifinagh" is partly originated from the ancient Libyan script. They are also called the blue people due to the indigo cloth they wear to cover themselves from the hot Saharan desert, which marks their skin with a blue tan. They cover their face with a cloth, "Litham" meaning "Veil", leaving only their eyes exposed. The Tuareg people call themselves "Kel Tamasheq," which refers to their language, or Imuhar. In the Kel Tamasheq language, Imuhar means "Free Man" or Noble Man," just as in Amazigh. This word carries honor, status, and dignity. Overall, they use the term Imuhar/Imuschar or Imascheren to speak of themselves.
It is suggested that in Tamasheq, the word Fazzan, expressed as Terega for Tuareg, means "people of the Fazzan". The Imuhar are of the Sahel region and can be found along with the costs of Libya, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Algeria, also Morocco... Herodotus mentions nomads that lived between Egypt and Djerid, living off a diet of meat and milk, which is similar to the Imuhar. The Imuhar people undoubtedly claim that there is no trace of men's activity in the desert that is not of their own.
The Imuhar lived in a vast area stretching from the oasis of Ghat in Libya through the mountains of Ahaggar to the Niger River and Timbuktu in Mali. They are categorized into two (2) groups: 1) The northern/Saharan Imuhar, which is composed of the Kel Ahaggar of Ahaggar, and the Kel Ajjer, which are found in the Fazzan and Tassli. 2) The Southerners, who are much greater in number, are the Nigerian and Malian Imuhar, composed of the Ifoghas, the Iwillimeden, the Kel Air, and the Tingeregif, who once ruled Timbuktu. Despite the disparities that exist between the Imuhar, there is still a clear sense of belonging to the same people.
They are traditionally pastoralist nomadic people with a well-maintained culture. They dynamically flow with nature through seasonal migrations, moving with their flock and livestock. They are well-built to thrive in a hostile environment. They left their mark as standing strong in the face of adversity to safeguard their flocks and lands. The Imuhar gather nobles "Imajaghen" and vassals "Imghad", men and women of faith, blacksmiths "Imzilen", as well as slaves "Eklan". Though slavery has been abolished, some stayed with their former masters as they have culturally become the fabric of the society. The Imuhar maintained a strong hierarchical structure. Where nobles are warriors and people of faith, the vassals are the offspring of vanquished tribes, and the slaves are the ones who have been captured during raids.
The "Inhadanes" or "Ineden" are the artisans or griots. While the men specialize in carpentry and blacksmithing, the women are leatherworkers, jewelers, cradles, and cushions makers. The griots master the art of flattery and the art of storytelling. They grasp the essence of all epic stories and convey them tremendously, often playing with a guitar named "Tehardent".
They are known to practice monogamy, though in certain circumstances some men have been in polygamous bonds. This is not too far from Islamic tradition, where monogamy is the rule while polygamy can be accepted on certain occasions. Those would serve socio-economical and political purposes. The wealthier and more powerful people would marry multiple wives to forge alliances between families. This would facilitate growth and the strengthening of their labor force, as well as their households.
The Imuhar traditionally have held a set of core values that is the very expression of their culture and way of life. Those core values are the seeds that became the fruits of their identity and social structure over generations.
The first is their hospitality. They always welcomed travelers, guests, and visitors. Sheltering them and offering them food.
The second is their respect for the elders. The elders are highly valued for their wisdom and experience. They are the ones who give guidance and lead the community to the right path. The third is their courage. In the heart of the people, courage manifests in multiple ways, notably when it comes to challenges and conflict. The warriors and fighters are held to high standards for their courage and bravery.
The fourth is their independence. They have a long tale of independence and self-sufficiency. Their independence is a natural outcome of their nomadic lifestyle and adaptability in a harsh desert environment.
The fifth is their code of honor. They uphold a code of honor that focuses on values such as loyalty, virtue, and safeguarding the honor of the community.
Nowadays, the Imuhar traditional nomadic lifestyle is fragilized by the ecosystem's degradation and the lack of livestock.
Pictures From The Book: Gens Du Sable by Anne Rochegude
Amazigh - Imazighen
In a broad sense, who are the Imazighen?
It is not a simple task to define who the Imazighen are or to certify their origin. The answer is debated between historians, linguists, and anthropologists. We have thousands of years of movement, contact, and mixing with neighboring nations.
The one thing we know is that those called the Berbers call themselves Imazighen, the singular being Amazigh. The word Amazigh means "Free" or Noble. For all Imazignen, the Freedom they have always known is non-negotiable.
If I summarize in my own words what the Imazighen are portrayed to be, for example, the Encyclopedia Britannica says of the Imazighen to be of the lineage of pre-Arab dwellers of North Africa. They are a fragmented population that covers the geographical areas of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Mali, Niger, and Mauritania. Traces of the Amazigh people can be found as far as the Canary Islands, and if I allow myself to speculate, maybe the Americas. They express themselves through diverse forms of languages, one being Kel Tamasheq, which is the main theme of my painting.
Gabriel Camps highlights multiple origins:
Persians, Medes, and Armenians: Based on King Hemesal's eunic text, the Roman historian Sallust describes the Getulians and the Lybians as the first people of Africa, perceived to have uncivilized manners. It is later that the Medes, Armenians, and Persians, brought as soldiers by Hercules in Spain, moved to Africa and mixed first with the Lybians, then the Persians with the Getulians. The Pharusians and Perosi in southern Morocco may be mistakenly confused with the Persians. The Mede with the Lybianss are eventually confused under the name of moors. They built commercial cities and have been successful with their trade with Spain. On the other hand, the Getulians and the Persians took the name of nomads. However, this group of nomads quickly grew in power as Numidians and expanded as close neighbors to Carthage.
Canaanite: Supported by Ibn Kaldun, this perspective also lines-up with the origin of the moors as described by Procopius in the 6th century CE. Moors being a generic term at that time, comprising all africans who have kept traditions and way of life, outside the urban culture developed by Rome. It is believed that the conquest of the promised land by Joshua led to the exile of coastal peoples. They first tried to go to Egypt that was overpopulated, then settled in Lybia, founding many cities on their path as far as the Pillars of Hercules (The Strait of Gibraltar). Possible common genealogical origin between Amazigh people and Canaan through a son of Ham, grandson of Noah. Ibn Kaldun argues that the Amazigh come from Canaan through their ancestor Mazigh, and the mentions their kinship with the Philistines and Gergeseans.
Indian: Geographers Hienrich Kaltbrunner and Karl Ritter support Strabo’s idea that the Moors have Indian origins. They draw linguistic connections between terms in North Africa and those in the Indian subcontinent. For example, the name “Berber” is analog to “Warlevara” which are really ancient dwellers of the Dekkan. The other example is the Berbera port in Somalia, and the Barabra (Singular Berberi) who live between the 1st and the 4th cataracts on the Nile. The term Berber as a toponym in Sudan, appears to be a linguistic milestone between the Indian subcontinent and the Maghreb.
Hyksos: The study of Egyptology led some to think that the Hyksos, who originated from Asia Minor and Syria, fled to Africa and blended with the Libyan population.
Greek or Aegean: The historian by the name of Dr Philippe Bertholon in collaboration with Émile Chantre pushed the idea of a Greek origin, claiming that many Amazigh names and words have Greek or pre-Hellenic roots.
Gauls and Dolmens: Archeological search led to the discovery of megalithic funerary monuments (dolmens) in North Africa particularly in eastern Algeria and central Tunisia Early. However bias perspectives may have led to inaccurate ideological narratives concerning their origins. Notable early European travelers to mention are Edward William Shaw (17th century) and Captain Claude Antoine Rozet (1843). Captain Rozet categorized the dolmens as “druidic monuments”. Surgeon Paul Guyon (1846), who conducted the first excavation of the dolmens (1846) compared them to similar structures found in France, suggesting that they might be linked to Gauls or even Vandals. Seachers such as Louis-Charles Ferraud and paleontologist William Christy believed the dolmens to be tombs of “Gallo-Romans” in Africa, having possible ties to the Celts. In 1862, L. Piesse published ahistorical guide attributing the dolmens at Beni Messous to a “legion from Armorica,” which is viewed as a misguided and based on faulty connections with Latin inscriptions.
Nordic: There are historical and archaeological theories concerning the origins of the builders of megalithic structures, such as dolmens. It highlights that some 19th-century thinkers believed these structures and associated peoples had Nordic origins, driven by observations of blond populations in North Africa and Europe. These theories often involved speculative ideas about migrations and conquests, including the influence of Gauls, Egyptians, and other ancient peoples. Anthropological arguments from that era also suggested racial mixing and migration patterns, often with a focus on European or Nordic links to North African populations. Overall, these ideas reflect a mix of early racial theories and misinterpretations of archaeological and anthropological evidence. [P.48-49]
Arab Heritage: Some Amazigh genealogists claim that tribes like the Louata are of Arab descent, specifically from Himyer. However, there is some ambiguity to this claim because it is a complex issue that blends historical migrations and genealogical narratives.
From the Caucus to Atlantid
We can find in Greek and Latin sources of late antiquity that Mazices was the name that most Imazighen tribes would call themselves. The name carries many variations coming from different nations, such as Meshwesh by the Egyptians, Mazyes (cited by Hecataeus), and Maxyes (cited by Herodotus) by the Greeks, also Mazices and Madices by the Latins. This name is most likely the root of the current Amazigh. [Camps p. 39] One thing that is more common throughout the Imazigen countries is the root words "MZG" or "MZK," which is strongly supported as the authentic name of the people. They seem to have been anciently located in the areas of Cyrenaica and Mauretania, close to the Egyptians and in the desert and oases.
The ones who have consistently through time claimed the names tied to the root words "MZG" or "MZK" are the Imuhar/Imushar of the west of the Fazzan, the Imagighen of the Aïr mountain region, and the Imazighen of the Aurès mountains in northeastern Algeria, as well as those of the regions of the Rif and the High Atlas.
[Camps P.97-99]
The name "Numida" (Numidian), points to a people who lived between Carthage and the Moors in North Africa. The Numidians were divided into two kingdoms: the Masseyle in the east and the Masaesyle in the north-central region, with archaeological evidence supporting this division.
Linguistically, the term "Numida" appears in Latin inscriptions, but its Libyan or Punic roots are unknown. The similarity to the Greek word "Nomades" (Nomads) is likely a pun or coincidence rather than a direct derivation. Various theories suggest the name might relate to their lifestyle or environment; some ancient authors, like Strabo, thought it derived from their nomadic habits caused by dangerous wild animals, while others dismiss this idea. Overall, the name probably has Berber origins, linked to local Libyan names beginning with "NM." The text concludes that the name's true origin is uncertain but is unlikely to be directly connected to Greek nomads, instead rooted in local North African languages and realities.
Camps also highlights T. Sarnell's idea of the root word "ZWG" which means "to be red". This root word seems to be tied to the Zauekes people situated in Tunisia as well as the Izaggaren of Hoggar, all mentioned by Herodote. Herodote classified them among the Libyan farmers situated to the west of Triton in the depths of the Gulf of Gades. However, K. G. Prasse argues that the root of the term ZWG can hardly be tied phonetically and morphologically to the former.
The various Amazigh languages seem to find their root in the Afro-Asiatic family tied to ancient southern Kemet (Egypt) up to northern Nubia. However, linguist such as Igor Diakeneff pays attention on a possible connection between Amazigh languages and semitic languages. In a broader sense, he explores the interactions between African and semitic peoples including linguistic influences and historical relationship.
The earliest script associated with the Amazigh is the Libyco-berber script that eventually evolved to the Tifinagh which in turn comes with many variations and adaptations among the different tribes. More contemporarily, in some context, the Latin and the Arabic have been used to write the Amazigh language.
André Basset speaks of the ancient Libyan scriptures found in North Africa, specifically in Tunisia and Algeria. The bilingual scriptures, linking Libyan to other languages such as Punic and Latin.
This offer clues on the local alphabet used approximately 2000 years ago. It also underlines the possible relations between the Amazigh and other languages, such as Hamito-Semitic. There are similarities with the Egyptian language and a variety of Semitic languages. Then we have some comparison to languages such as Basque and Greek.
The Amazigh is one of the oldest languages known in North Africa, dating back thousands of years. In the time circle of 2000 BCE, Amazigh languages spread westward from the Nile Valley through the Northern Sahara toward the Maghrib. By 1000 B.C.E., the native speakers of Amazigh languages covered a large area well known by the Greeks, Carthaginians, and Romans. We have a series of tribes such as the Mauri, Masaesdi Masadi. Musulami, Gaetuli, and Garamantes founded kingdoms that rose with Greek and Carthaginian sway. Of those kingdoms, Numidia and Mauritania formally merged with the Roman Empire in the late 2nd century BCE, while others rose in late antiquity following the Vandal invasion in 429 CE and the Byzantine takeover in 533 CE till the arrival of the Arabs between the 7th and 8th centuries CE.
It is not clearly defined to what extent the Amazigh language has been able to spread. In his book "Langue Bebères", André Basset points out that in Morrocco, the Amazigh language is present and covers a great part of the Jacbelhit and Tamazight mountainous area. This also comprises the Bani, the Anti-Atlas, the Great, and the Middle Atlas. In Algeria, the language is to be found in Kabylia, the Chaoui region, the areas surrounding the Chelif river, and the City of Constantine. In Tunisia, the Amazigh language is present in 13 villages in the south. In Libya, the Amazigh-speaking people can be found in the region of Zuwarah, located in the northwestern area on the Mediterranean Coast. Then, in the south of that area, we have cities and villages such as Ghadames, a UNESCO heritage site located in Libya. This city is known for its old towns with traditional Amazigh architecture. We also have Tougegurt situated in southeastern Algeria, known for its dates and palm groves and traditional Saharan architecture. Mrab, as of the M'zab valley of Algeria, is also a shelter for the Amazigh language. Another UNESCO-guarded area for its five traditional fortified cities (sour). For the louhar (Tuaregs) the Amazigh language flourishes in the desert areas.
Hence, André Basset points out the challenges faced on the censuses to distinguish the Amazigh speakers from the Arabic speakers, particularly in Muslim populations. Where the statistic of the Amazigh speakers vary depending on the estimations, Basset can say that the Amazigh-speaking people are approximately half of the population, a third of the Muslims in Algeria, and elsewhere, a few hundred of thousand of people. Note to say that the Amazigh language is also vivid in Mauritania, Tunisia, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and the Siwa Oasis of Egypt. Today, there is a condition of life that allows the Amazigh language to grow.
In some aspects, the Amazigh vocabulary borrows from and is influenced by external languages. An example is the Greco-Latin influence. Words such as "apelus" or "angelus" meaning "infant", "aberous" or "burchys" meaning "burnous" (hooded cloak), "tifirest" or 'eirus meaning "pear tree", "Afiral" or "hospitale" meaning "the guest room", etc. The influence and borrowed terms are mostly regional. For example, the term "anglus" is primarily part of the Tunisian vernacular, or the word "Jesty" from the Latin "lectur" meaning "bed". The Imuhar (Tuaregs) of the south, invaded by people coming from the Mediterranean, through the Sahara to Sudan, borrowed a series of words from the fauna and the flora. The "black" African languages, such as Songhai in the southwest and Hagussa in the southeast. Then we can say that some parts of the Amazigh languages massively borrow from Arabic particularly though Islam but also conceptually replacing the Amazigh language. However, the lmuhar (Tuaregs) of the north, due to their social and geographical conditions, have been able to conserve their language, though the Islamization.
The Amazigh civilization is described to be essentially of oral tradition; however, manuscript written using Arabic characters were used to spread Islam in non-Arabic regions. Those manuscripts reveal the adaptation of the Arabic alphabet to suit an Amazigh language that, is phonetically different. There is also a distinct Amazigh alphabet composed of points bars and circles and their combinations. It is called "Tafines" by the lmuhar (Tuareg) and finds its roots in the "berberized" etymology from the Latin "Punica" or the equivalent. This alphabet is, for example, used by the Imuhar (Tuaregs) for short inscriptions and on rocks, shields and bracelets. It is used locally and is not uniform in the Johar (Tuareg) realm, where variations can be noticed depending on the geographical zone. This alphabet has for a long time been perceived to be Phoenician and kept the name till this day.
In the pre-Arab era of North Africa, in the 7th century, we can already observe a spectrum of people from dark skin/melanated to light skin. Archeological evidence leads to the possibility of a northward migration of neolithic melanated people from Sudan 5000 years prior. This is a period when they entirely covered the then more fertile soil of the Sahara.
We can take a deeper look at the emergence of the Amazigh population in North Africa which comprises the influence of various cultures and migration over millennia. We can only notice a complex interplay of native cultures and external influences that shaped the early Amazigh identity in the area. Speaking of the "Proto-Berbers", we can point out that the historical demographic growth of the Maghrib is positively the fruit of a blend, not yet clearly established, of three elements: Ibero-Maucusian, Capsian, and Neolithic.
The Ibero-Maurusian culture existed around 13000 BCE and is tied to the Metcha el-Arbi people, characterized by tall stature and specific dental practices. Around 9000 BCE, this culture gradually vanished to give way to other local cultures such as the Caspians.
The Caspian Culture emerged around 7000 BCE. The Caspians are said to have been of Mediterranean origin with "negroid" features. They settled near water sources and adopted certain cultural practices, such as the use of ostrich eggs, which persisted even when they started to decline around 4500 BCE.
The Neolithic developments in this area are characterized by the introduction of ceramics, with evidence of its origin in the Sahara around 7000 BCE. It is also the era of cattle domestication and the emergence of a Neolithic culture that combined elements of earlier cultures.
In this midst, in 3000 BCE, we can notice cultural exchange where North Africa became more isolated due to desert expansion but maintained connections with the Iberian Peninsula and Mediterranean islands. Evidence of trade and cultural exchange includes similarities in pottery and the introduction of new materials like copper and bronze. Thus, way before the foundation of Carthage, North Africa fused itself with the broader network of the Mediterranean, which is a testimony to its diversity and cultural prosperity.
Factors to consider are the end of the Humid Neolithic period. By the middle of the 3 millennia BCE, we can observe in North Africa a transition of the climate from humid to arid: This largely contributed to its isolation from the rest of Africa. This new geographical dynamic created a situation where North Africa functioned like an island with limited communication, primarily through Tripolitania.
Despite this isolation, new connections evolved with the Iberian Peninsula and the Mediterranean islands in regions such as Sicily, Sardinia, and Malta etc. Archaeological evidence, such as ceramics from Gar Cahal, suggests early maritime trade routes that predate the Phoenician era. We can also notice various cultural borrowings from Europe, such as tomb designs and pottery styles reflecting a blend of influences. Hence, the use of materials like copper and bronze indicates ongoing trade connections.
While the Sahara became a barrier, it did not completely break ties with deeper Africa. The marginal areas of the Sahara sustained a relatively fertile soil and gave way to fruitful contacts between the Lybico-Amazigh populations and darker-skinned groups referred to as "Ethiopians" by the Greeks. The term "Ethiopians comprises a range of people, not solely identifiable with the modern notion of race. Within that category in ancient North Africa are the Lybico-Amazigh, the Saharan groups, and others with mixed characteristics. Various accounts describe these Ethiopians as having distinct physical features, hinting at a complex dynamic of genetics and culture. Search on burial sites indicates a composite of racial characterization among groups like the Garamantes, contradicting the simplistic racial interpretations. Thus, refuting the perspective that all dark-skinned skeletons found in ancient context were slaves, giving a more nuanced grasp of the region's demographics.
[General history of Africa Il: Ancient civilizations of Africa, 2, p. 423-440, illus.]
14th-century historian Ibn Khaldun categorized the Imazighen in two groups, the Bett and the Branes. One of the most dominant branches of the Bott was represented by the Zepate. The Zenata are said to be nomads who migrated from the east, and they lived in the northern belt of the Sahara. There are two branches within the Branes, the Masoudah and the Sanhaja. The Masmudah originally had a sedentary lifestyle and occupied the mountainous part of Morocco. The Sanhaja adopted both lifestyles, sedentary and nomadic. The sedentary Sanhaja lives in Sabwia in eastern Algeria, and the nomadic in western Sahara.
If we are to name the many Imazighen groups in Africa:
The "Imuhar" or "Touareg" Tamasheq speaking people, who have a nomadic lifestyle, and are to be found in the areas of Mali, Niger, Algeria, Libya and Burkina Faso. They are associated with the "Sanhaja".
The "Sanhaja" or "Zanaga" who live in the area of Mauritania and Western Sahara, traditionally close to the Draa river valley in southern Morocco. They speak "Aznag./Aznaj" or "Taznaght," a language that is nearly extinct.
The "Masmudab" is a tribal confederation situated in the High Atlas and central Morocco. They primarily speak Jedfit, a Riffian Amazigh dialect in northern Morocco, also a variant of Zenati. Some Masmudah speak Tacbelhit in southwestern Morocco.
The "Izaten" or "Zenata" are one of the largest tribal confederations and are comparable in number to the "Sanhaja" or the Masoudah. They historically are known to have been part of Northern Morocco, including the Rif Mountains. The northeastern area of Algeria in the region of Kablie, also has a "Inaten". They speak Zenati, which comprises many variatian depending on the regions and confederated tribes.
The "Zayanes" are situated in the central and eastern area of Morocco. Known for their distinct cultural practice. They speak Zayani.
The "Shilha" or "Chleuh" are situated in Morocco, specifically in the High Atlas region. They speak "Tashelhit".
The "Chleuh of the middle Atlas" are situated in the middle Atlas region of Morocco. Tashelhit speaking.
The "Sousse-Amazigh", known as the "Sousse-Berbers", is located in the Sousse or Susah Valley region of southern Morocco, in the Anti-Atlas mountain range in southwestern Morocco. They mostly speak Tashelhit.
The "Riffians" who are located in the Rif area of northern Morocco. They speak a northern Amazigh language named "Tarifit", also known as Riffian".
The "Rif-Amazigh," known as "Rif-Berbers," are also located in the area of northern Morocco and speak "Tarifit"; however, they distinguish themselves culturally and socio-politically from the "Riffians" within the context of Moroccan life.
The "Chenoua" or "Shenwa" who live in western Algeria, in the Kabylia region. They speak "Chenoua" language, a variant of Zenati.
The "Mizab" are situated in the Mizab valley in Algeria. They speak the "Mozabite", a variety of the Zenati language.
The "Sahrawi" people of the Western Sahara region, parts of southern Morocco and the extreme southwest of Algeria. They currently speak Hassaniya, Arabic, an arabic based creole with Amazigh influence.
The "Kabyles" in a general sense are a dominant Amazigh group in Algeria situated in the Kabylia area close to the Mediterranean coast. There is also the Kabyle of the Ath Yenni region of Algeria, who are a subgroup. They all speak "Kabyle".
The "Guenziga. The Guenziga are an Amazigh living in the northern region of Algeria. They speak the Guenziga language.
The "Tirga" who live in Algeria. They speak the Tirga language.
The "Lemta" who traditionally live in the area of Tripoli in Libya, speak the Lemta language.
The "Berdeua" who live in Algeria. They speak the Berdeua language.
The "Guanches", originally from the Canary Islands. A people that has been diluted due to the Spanish conquest and immigration. Some of the people still claim Guanche ancestry. The language is classified as the Guanche Amazigh or Guenche Berber, now extinct and substituted by Spanish. It is believed that there were regional variations among the different tribes within the Canary Islands.
Giving a concise number of Imazighen is currently challenging due to insufficient surveys. The greatest gathering of Imazighen populations are in Algeria, which is 1/4th, and Morocco is 3/5th.
Many of their posterity do not necessarily identify as Amazigh. As I Am looking, the Worldometer (Live), numbers the current population of Morocco at 38,134,241 in 2024. The population of Algeria is 46,138,717. In the Sahara regions of southern Algeria, Libya, Mali, and Niger, the Amazigh Imuhar population is beyond two million.
Focus on Language
Camps says that we must logically give primacy to anthropology. However, today, anthropology does not allow us to define the slightest "Berber" originality in the entire southern Mediterranean population. What still allows us to mention Berber groups in the northwest quarter of Africa today is of another quality, cultural rather than physical. Among these cultural data, the one that stands out is the language.
Camps continues in saying that the contribution of linguistic studies cannot be taken for granted when it comes to defining Berber origins. Language is today the most original and distinguishing characteristic of the Berber groups scattered across the northwestern quarter of the African continent.
[P.51, P. 67]
Furthermore, Camps expresses that archeology, as much as writings, unveils that North Africa did not share any more political or cultural unity during the prehistoric and protohistoric era than it did during historical times. On the other hand, there is a certified geographical unity in the Atlas regions. Also, there is an ethnic unity through the broad Amazigh dialects. However, they never really had a great grasp of territorial and political unity, except for a few decades by the end of the 12th century under the Almohad rule. There are no unique Amazigh languages that can mirror a community that is conscious of its unity, not a people, nor a race. Yet the life of the Imazighen people is truly vivid.
[P.23, P.88-94]
Of all the Amazigh speakers of the Sahara, there are distinguishing groups such as those who live in Ghadames and Mzab, and the Idea bel Hassen, in southern Mauritania. However, the dominant group is composed of the Imuhar (Tuareg). The Imuhar form a great number of tribal confederations that stretch from Ghadames and In Salah in the northern Sahara to the Niger and further cover the massifs of Ahaggar, Air, and Adrar of the Iforas. The confederations are said to be divided politically as tribes, which are subdivided as clans, and the latter as fractions.
[P.46-47 The Golden Trades of The Moors]
The Amazigh is one of the oldest languages known in North Africa, that dates back thousands of years. In the time circle of 2000 BCE, Amazigh languages spread westward from the Nile Valley through the Northern Sahara toward the Maghrib. By 1000 BCE the native speakers of Amazigh languages covered a large area well known by the Greeks, Carthaginians, and Romans. We have a series of tribes such as the Mauri, Masaesyli, Massyli, Musulami, Gaetuli, and Garamantes founded kingdoms that rose with Greek and Carthaginian sway. Of those kingdoms, Numidia and Mauritania formally merged with the Roman Empire in the late 2nd century BCE, while others emerged in late antiquity following the Vandal invasion in 429 CE and the Byzantine takeover in 533 CE till the arrival of the Arabs between the 7th and 8th centuries CE.
Giving a concise number of Imazighen is currently challenging due to insufficient surveys. The greatest gathering of Imazighen populations is in Algeria, which is 1/4th and Morocco is 3/5th. Many of their posterity do not necessarily identify as Amazigh.
As I Am looking, the Worldometer (Live), numbers the current population of Morroco at 38,134,241 in 2024. The population of Algeria is 46,138,717. In the Sahara regions of southern Algeria, Libya, Mali, and Niger, the Amazigh Imuhar population is beyond two million.
Guanches
The Guanches of the Canary Islands are believed to be the heirs of ancient cultures from Europe and North Africa, who developed in an isolated environment. Centuries of evolution within this environment created the unique identity of Guanche culture. They are a people shrouded in mysteries yet to be fully unveiled. The Canary Islands, located in the Atlantic Ocean, are an archipelago consisting of seven main islands among several smaller ones. The main islands are: 1) El Hierro, 2) La Palma, 3) La Gomera, 4) Tenerife, 5) Gran Canaria, 6) Fuerteventura, and 7) Lanzarote.
The indigenous societies of the Canary Islands possess a rich and tangible heritage, evidenced by archaeological findings. While each island developed its own specific ways of life, there is undoubtedly a common origin for the native people known as the Guanches. This tangible heritage also links them to the North African Amazigh (Berber) culture found in the Moroccan Atlas region, Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya. The Imazighen from North Africa settled in the Canary Islands around the middle of the first millennium BC. The mystical and spiritual practices associated with the North African Amazigh have influenced the development of Guanche culture.
Although the Guanches appear as a people who have largely vanished, historical sources indicate that they either mixed with settlers of various ethnicities or remained isolated in the southern mountainous regions. According to the historian Antonio Rumeu de Armas, in the 1960s, more than 90% of the population of Tenerife had Guanche ancestry. Modern researchers estimate that approximately 30% of the current population of the Canary Islands are descendants of the Guanches.
Islamic Influence
Many Arabic-speaking Amazigh Tribe of the Western Sahara have been greatly influenced by the Arab culture. They are collectively labeled as Moors. The Arabs, who recruited Berber fighters for the conquest of Spain, labeled the diverse Berber groups as "Barbar," consolidating them under a single identity as non-Greek and non-Latin speakers. This act initiated the process of Islamization by the Arabs and laid the groundwork for the establishment of new Berber ruling families. The Almoravids and Almohads, prominent among these, emerged between the 11th and 13th centuries, using the Sahara nomads and High Atlas villagers to conquer Muslim Spain and parts of North Africa up to Tripoli, Libya. Following them, Berber successors like the Marinids in Fès, the Ziyanids in Tlemen, and the Hafsids in Tunis and Bejaig continued to govern into the 16th century, shaping the political landscape of the region.
Amazigh people in America?
Authors such as Ivan Van Sertima pushed the idea of the African presence in ancient America. There are certain clues that support contacts between Arabs and pre-Columbian America. The focus is on the historical, agricultural, and linguistic aspects. There is a possible presence where Arabs (Muslims) did not come as a colony to America, but rather as visitors, traders who went back to their homeland with no significant influence on the native people of America. However, similarities in vocabulary can be noticed between North African Amazigh and Native American Tribes. Muslims from Islamic Spain, in many cases of Amazigh lineage, may have landed in the Americas as early as the 700s CE. It is also believed that Muslims in the Caribbean may have married native Americans and left some traces of Arab and African influence. This is a theory that faces a lot of criticism due to insufficient genetic and immunological evidence supporting crossbreeding between African/Arabs and American populations.
Linguistic evidence can be observed in shared names between North African Amazigh and Native American Tribes. The number of similarities is more than a mere coincidence. *For example, the presence of Arabic roots in North American place names and linguistic similarities between West African Muslims and Native American tribes. This evokes connections and matrimonial bonds between the two people.
There is a thesis (1930) from the French commandant Jules Cauvet that, in one aspect, tried to uncover connections between Asian ethnic names and the parallels between Imazighen and Americans. Cauvet states, for example, some of the American ethnic names can find their twin among the Imazighen and are not found anywhere else in the World. Other American names have been adapted and transformed in the Amazigh vernacular. Cauvet is said to have been able to examine 77 similar names of tribes on each side of the Atlantic Ocean. Within the 77 names, he was able to distinguish 5 categories. Cauvet also noticed that 46 names out of the 77 are American names that directly come from Africa.
For exemple: The Azlantesas of America just as the Atlantes mentioned by Herodotus; the Bagueties as the ancient Bocouates; the Bgoegs just as the Barcadienng mentioned by Arab writers; the Bucoyas as the Bokkoya of the Rif in North Africa; the Guisnois as the Gueznaig of the Rif, the Gualis as the Guellaig of the Rif; the Chort, as the Chocta mentioned by Arab writers; the Guamares as the Ghoogg of the Rif and the island of Gomera; the Guanchas, as the Guanches of the; the buares as the Hogara of Morocco; etc.
Cayyet further says that some names found among Americans belong to "inland" as well as "coastal" Atlantic Imazighen: The Imazighen tribes are said to have moved around where
"Inland" tribes participated in expeditions organized by the "coastal" tribes. Therefore, Arab/African travels to America gathered a variety of people from the broader Amazigh spectrum in Africa.
For the other 4 categories of names, we can observe those who surely come from the East, yet possibly travelled to America through Europe equally as the Imazighen. Some of the names are:
Antis, Atures, Dorins, Gabilanes, Ges, Jibaros, Liris, Parisis, Sergegs, Samagetes, Tames, Zameras Cam-pas and Utes. Then we have names that most likely come from Asia as well as Africa: Coras, Chalces Suschines, Satgmes. Certain names have that can be found in both America and Noth Africa don't havé a clearly defined origin. And those are amelecitas, Cesaces, Eacgenes Gerascensengs. Matemates and Outtgeuts etc.
Some ethnic names that possibly travelled during the medieval era through contact between Africans and Americans. The word Galibis ties a small tribe in Brazil, which is a province once known as Portuguese Guyana, to Galibis in the Mali university town of Timbuktu. There is also the Marabitine tribe of the Sudan, comparable to Marabitinas and the Mecexit-tinas, also part of former Portuguese Guyana in Brazil, the Marabi-gs in Nicaragua, and Maravigene in Venezuela.
Another valuable clue offered is the Gulf Stream moving from Florida, which gives a way back to North Africa and parts of Europe. Close to Spain, the Gulf stream parts in two directions: 1) Towards the British Isles up to Germany and Denmark 2) Towards the south of Africa. This is said to explain the presence of American "aborigines" on Amazigh territory in North Africa.
The observations of two unnamed anthropologists shed light on the fact that certain people living in the Sahara have similar traits to American Indians. The similarities do not stop there. So, similar names and naming methods are noticeable, and tribal groups are also called by the same titles, differing solely in some occurrences by a prefix or a suffix. More so, the women of that area could easily be mistaken for American Indians. Then they distinguish themselves from their neighbors with their nomadic lifestyle by using tents rather than mud-brick houses.
Early name for maize in Spain is "trigo de Turavia" and "Guxpee wheat" in Portugal. This speaks of the spread of maize in Africa, Asia, Asia Minor, and Europe in pre-Columbian times. Graham Jeffrey put forward the idea that Arab/African coming back from their travel cross the Atlantic Ocean with Zea Maize.
Tables below - John L. Sorenson and Carl L Johannessen, "Scientific Evidence for Pre-Columbian Transoceanic Voyages Sino Platonic Papers, 133 (April 2004)
Table 1
SPECIES | COMMON | NAME ORIGIN | MOVED TO |
Ocimum sp. | Basil | Americas | India |
Opuntia dilleniid | prickly pear cactus | Americas | India |
Osteomeles anthyllidifolia | Americas | China, Oceania | |
Pachyrizus erosus | Jicama | Americas | Asia |
Pachyrizus tuberosus | jicama, yam bean | Americas | India, China, Oceania |
Pharbitis hederacea | ivy-leaf morning glory | Americas | India, China |
Phaseolus lunatus | Lima Bean | Phaseolus vulgaris | India |
Phaseolus vulgaris | kidney bean | Americas | India |
Physalis | Ground Cherry | Americas | China |
Physalis peruviana | husk tomato | Americas | East Polynesia |
Table 2
SPECIES | COMMON | NAME ORIGIN | MOVED TO |
Polygonum acuminatum | a knotweed | Americas | Easter Island |
Portulaca oleracea | Purslane | Americas | Eurasia |
Psidium guajava | Guava | Americas | China, Polynesia |
Salvia coccinea | scarlet salvia | Americas | Marquesas Islands |
Sapindus Saponaria | Soapberry | Americas | India, East Polynesia |
Schoenoplectus californicus | bulrush, totora reed | Americas | Easter Island |
Sisyrhynchium acre | a 'grass' | Americas | Hawaii |
Sisyrhynchium angustifolium | blue-eyed 'grass' | Americas | Greeland |
Smilax sp. | Sarsparila | Eastern Hemisphere | Central America |
Solanum candidum / S. lasiocarpum | Naranjillo | Americas | Oceania, Southeast Asia |
Table 3
SPECIES | COMMON | NAME ORIGIN | MOVED TO |
Solanum nigrum | black nightshade | Eastern Hemisphere? | Mesoamerica |
Solanum penandum/S. sessitorum | Americas | Oceania | |
Solanum tuberosum | Potato | Americas | Easter Island |
Sonchus oleraceus | sow thistle | Americas | China |
Sophora toromiro | toromo tree | Americas | Easter Island |
Tagetes erecta | Marigold | Americas | India, China |
Tagetes patula | dwarf marigold | Americas | India, Persia |
Zea mays | corn, maize | Americas | Eurasia, Africa? |
The Song dynasty (China 960-1279) ratified two documents mentioning the Arabs possible journey to the Americas: 1) The Ling-wai-tai-ta (1178) 2) Chu-fan-chih (1225). Those two sources, originally presented by Chinese professor Hui-Lin Li (1961), mention Arab ships travelling west of the Mohammedan world, potentially reaching the Atlantic coastline of Africa and discovering a new country after a long journey at sea. The document suggests possible back-and-forth travel to the Americas and trade activities in the 12th and 13th centuries.
Historians suggest that Muslims played significant roles in the European expeditions to the Americas as Mapmakers and guides. So, to say, before Columbus' arrival, they already had traced maps pointing to the new world. For example, Christopher Columbus had a Moorish guide named Luis de la Torre during his journey to America. Though the topic is a bit litigious when it comes to Muslims' presence in America prior to Columbus' arrival, we can confidently say that the so-called Moors served as guides to the New World. Another one of them is a Moroccan guide named Estevanico, of Azamer, mentioned as one of the first documents Muslims in America, stepping his feet on Floridian ground in 1527. There was also, in the late 18th century, the presence of the Moors in South Carolina, who, in some cases, were exiled from Spain by the Spanish Crown.
The term "Ard Maihoola" is mentioned in the works of historian and geographer Ali Al-Mas udi (851-957). Masudi speaks of a Muslim navigator living in Cordoba, named Sbasbkbasb, Ibn Saeed Jbn Aswad, who sailed from Delba (Palos) in 889 CE, crossing the Atlantic, reaching an unknow territory "Ard Maihoola" and coming back home with treasures. This is during the rule of the Muslim caliph of al-Andalus. Abdullah Ibn Mohammad. More so, accounts. from the mid-10th century, during the rule of Umayyad Caliph Abdul-Rahman Ill mention Muslims of African origin sailing westward from the Spanish port of Delba to what is celled the "Ocean of Darkness and Fog", bringing treasures back home. Ard Majhoola, which stands for uncharted territories explored by early Muslims, is believed to be the Americas. Ard Majhoola points to a large area in the ocean, southwest of Africa. A great amount of evidence suggests that Muslims from Spain and West Africa landed to the Americas at least five centuries prior to Christopher Columbus. Some of the tales are written in Mas'udi's book "The Golden Meadow," published in 947.
Al-Mas'udi World Map
More contemporary works goes thoroughly on the topic, such as John L Sorenson and Carl L. Johannessen, which focus in a broad sense on the "Scientific Evidence for Pre-Columbian Transoceanic Voyages" (2004).
A compelling book from Heinke Sudhoff, originally titled "Sorry, Kalumbus Seefahrer de Antike endeckten als erste Amerika" (1994) which translates as "Sorry Columbus: Ancient Mariners Discovered America First*. It focuses on the discovery of America during the Biblical Times. Some part of it discusses the Phoenicians or other Semitic people travel to America in the 1st millennium BC. In 1200 BC, the Phoenician (Canaan) founded Cadiz, a city situated on the Atlantic coast of Spain. Cadiz/Cadix (Originally Cadir) would be their starting point towards the new world. In the 9th century BC, the city of Carthage was built, becoming the main port and trading city in the Mediterranean. They regularly faced the dangers and sailed beyond the Strait of Gibraltar to the coast of the Atlantic. It is during the same era that the Olmec, the first major Mesoamerican civilization, rose.
To Be Updated
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An interview with Nawal Benali with Hamid Chabani (French)
The Civilization of the Moors | Robin Walker
CONSULTED SOURCES
Articles:
Carthage Was Not Phoenician: Groundbreaking DNA Study Confirms Indigenous North African Roots By Amazigh World News - May 30, 2025
Books
Gens Du Sable by Anne Rochegude
Les Berbères - Mémoire et Identité by Gabriel Camps P. 36-50, 97-101.
Langue Bebères by André Basset P.44-48
An Archeology of the Margins - Colonialism, Amazighity, and Heritage Management in the Canary Islands by A. José Farruja de la Rosa - P. 1, 109-110.
The Mysterious People Of The Canary Islands - Guanches - Legend and Reality by Jonás Pérez-Camacho P. 12-13, 93-95.
The Berbers by Michael Brett and Elizabeth Fentress, P. 210-215.
The Golden Trade Of The Moors by Edward William Bovill P. 46-49.
Histoire De L'Afrique Noire by Joseph Ki-Zerbo P. 12, 103, 104, 105, 107, 108, 113.
General History of Africa, II: Ancient civilizations of Africa, 2, Chapter 17 The Proto-Berbers P. 423-440.
The Came Before Columbus [The African Presence In America] by Ivan Van Sertima. P. 237, P. 238, P. 242, P. 243, P. 252-255.
Jeffrey, Graham. "The Pre-Columbian Trans-Oceanic Voyages: A Critical Review of the Evidence." Journal of Maritime Archaeology, vol. 4, no. 1, 2009, pp. 1-30.
John L Sorenson and Carl L. Johannessen, Scientific Evidence for Pre-Columbian Transoceanic Voyages Sino-Platonic Papers, 133 (April 2004) => P. 170,
La Découverte De L'Amérique Aux Temps Bibliques by Hrioke Sudhaff. P. 19-37
Al-Mas/udi World Map #212 PDF File: P.8-13
ETYMOLOGY OF THE TERM TUAREG
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