Comments on: Morocco: Disappearing the Amazigh http://jilliancyork.com/2009/01/21/morocco-disappearing-the-amazigh/ Jillian C. York is a freelance writer and blogger. Tue, 15 May 2012 18:30:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Zouhir Azruhammar http://jilliancyork.com/2009/01/21/morocco-disappearing-the-amazigh/#comment-7826 Zouhir Azruhammar Sat, 28 May 2011 00:21:32 +0000 http://jilliancyork.com/?p=321#comment-7826 In 1000 B.C. the Imazighen people were already long established in North Africa . In Morocco for instance, they constitute at least 65% of the population distributed among three sub-ethnic groups and dialects . Owing to their political and geographical position, the Imazighen have been invaded by Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Arabs, and Europeans. Eventually, they all left, except for the Arabs. The Arabs brought Islam, a universalizing religion, and stayed to become an integral part of North African population and heritage. Their language, however, changed and gave rise to what is known as Darija, Aammia, North African countries, including Morocco, are considered today to be an integral part of the Arab World. Constitutionally, these countries claim to be Arab-Islamic Nations, which is totally wrong !!! The States of North Africa used various strategies to keep the Imazighen under control and even denied their existance ,and here's one of the strategies examples !!!(denies Amazigh names). hope this will make a good conclusion for everyone, once again,thanks Jillian for bringing the subject up!! In 1000 B.C. the Imazighen people were already long established in North Africa . In Morocco for instance, they constitute at least 65% of the population distributed among three sub-ethnic groups and dialects . Owing to their political and geographical position, the Imazighen have been invaded by Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Arabs, and Europeans. Eventually, they all left, except for the Arabs. The Arabs brought Islam, a universalizing religion, and stayed to become an integral part of North African population and heritage. Their language, however, changed and gave rise to what is known as Darija, Aammia, North African countries, including Morocco, are considered today to be an integral part of the Arab World. Constitutionally, these countries claim to be Arab-Islamic Nations, which is totally wrong !!!
The States of North Africa used various strategies to keep the Imazighen under control and even denied their existance ,and here’s one of the strategies examples !!!(denies Amazigh names).
hope this will make a good conclusion for everyone,
once again,thanks Jillian for bringing the subject up!!

]]> By: Jan de Moor http://jilliancyork.com/2009/01/21/morocco-disappearing-the-amazigh/#comment-7821 Jan de Moor Wed, 25 May 2011 10:10:39 +0000 http://jilliancyork.com/?p=321#comment-7821 Ahmed, How about those million Turkic Muslims? Hakan, Ghokan, Ugur, Djengiz, Barrish, Etc.. Are they not Muslims is general? All names are Islamic. Even in English or Hebrew a name is Islamic if it has a meaning not contra to Islam. A Muslim just cant call his child "Abider of the rock" or Abider of the sun" like in pre-Islamic times! Thats it!! The rest is Arabic imperialism! Ahmed,

How about those million Turkic Muslims?

Hakan,
Ghokan,
Ugur,
Djengiz,
Barrish,
Etc..

Are they not Muslims is general?

All names are Islamic. Even in English or Hebrew a name is Islamic if it has a meaning not contra to Islam. A Muslim just cant call his child “Abider of the rock” or Abider of the sun” like in pre-Islamic times! Thats it!!

The rest is Arabic imperialism!

]]> By: Jan de Moor http://jilliancyork.com/2009/01/21/morocco-disappearing-the-amazigh/#comment-7819 Jan de Moor Tue, 24 May 2011 21:27:14 +0000 http://jilliancyork.com/?p=321#comment-7819 That is very true actually! I'm an Amazigh from Morocco. The comparison between the native Indians and the Amazigh people is not correct. It are genetically Amazigh who run Morocco, Algeria, Tunesia and even Libya. But either claim to be Arabs or try to connect with the Arab world. The countries have been, especially after the colonization, Arabized linguistically, not even culturally! Morocco for 50% Algeria 65% Libya 80% Tunisia 95% That is very true actually!

I’m an Amazigh from Morocco.

The comparison between the native Indians and the Amazigh people is not correct. It are genetically Amazigh who run Morocco, Algeria, Tunesia and even Libya. But either claim to be Arabs or try to connect with the Arab world. The countries have been, especially after the colonization, Arabized linguistically, not even culturally!

Morocco for 50%
Algeria 65%
Libya 80%
Tunisia 95%

]]> By: matoub http://jilliancyork.com/2009/01/21/morocco-disappearing-the-amazigh/#comment-5141 matoub Tue, 26 Oct 2010 20:47:03 +0000 http://jilliancyork.com/?p=321#comment-5141 Yes Nicole, you are correct! The problem has always been people like "Ahmed". Let me tell you Ahmed, why don't you leave and go to Saudi Arabia where people from your ideology belong? How can you ask Imazighen to leave their land? Tamazight and Imazighen will NEVER disappear; they have been resisting your ideology for centuries. They will continue to exist and promote freedom of speech, religion and democracy. Terms you don't seem to be too familiar with. As one of the best Amazigh singer says "Akkar a Yelli, adnawi thilelli", that means "Rise my little girl, we are going to bring freedom"! Guess what, my daughter's name will be Thilelli!!! Yes Nicole, you are correct! The problem has always been people like “Ahmed”.
Let me tell you Ahmed, why don’t you leave and go to Saudi Arabia where people from your ideology belong? How can you ask Imazighen to leave their land?
Tamazight and Imazighen will NEVER disappear; they have been resisting your ideology for centuries. They will continue to exist and promote freedom of speech, religion and democracy. Terms you don’t seem to be too familiar with.
As one of the best Amazigh singer says “Akkar a Yelli, adnawi thilelli”, that means “Rise my little girl, we are going to bring freedom”!
Guess what, my daughter’s name will be Thilelli!!!

]]> By: Nicole http://jilliancyork.com/2009/01/21/morocco-disappearing-the-amazigh/#comment-4966 Nicole Thu, 07 Oct 2010 14:19:08 +0000 http://jilliancyork.com/?p=321#comment-4966 To Ahmed, WOW you really are an ignorant and prejudice person. The Amazigh people deserve to be respected and given the freedom of choice. They are the backbone of Morocco. Why don't you go to Saudi Arabia if you feel threaten by the Amazigh people? See, you probably didn't like that comment. How does that feel to have someone say that? Well I can't imagine your comment making a Berber feel good either. Why must the indigenous people of North Africa leave their home when it is their heritage? I really don't understand your way of thinking. This world has bigger problems to deal with then your close minded comments. At the end of the day, should it really matter what name a child is given? Don't you think there are more important things to worry about such as people starving, human trafficking, etc? Innocent people are dying all over the world in the name of religion or greed because of people who think just like you. You as an individual are the problem not the Berbers. To Ahmed,

WOW you really are an ignorant and prejudice person. The Amazigh people deserve to be respected and given the freedom of choice. They are the backbone of Morocco. Why don’t you go to Saudi Arabia if you feel threaten by the Amazigh people? See, you probably didn’t like that comment. How does that feel to have someone say that? Well I can’t imagine your comment making a Berber feel good either. Why must the indigenous people of North Africa leave their home when it is their heritage? I really don’t understand your way of thinking. This world has bigger problems to deal with then your close minded comments. At the end of the day, should it really matter what name a child is given? Don’t you think there are more important things to worry about such as people starving, human trafficking, etc? Innocent people are dying all over the world in the name of religion or greed because of people who think just like you. You as an individual are the problem not the Berbers.

]]> By: Ahmed http://jilliancyork.com/2009/01/21/morocco-disappearing-the-amazigh/#comment-4963 Ahmed Thu, 07 Oct 2010 09:47:07 +0000 http://jilliancyork.com/?p=321#comment-4963 The majority of Moroccans are Arabs. The berbers are a small minority that is why the Arabs could invade them. If the berbers were a majority they would've blocked the Arabs from invading. I am Arab Moroccan and proud to be and those who want to be different they can leave Morocco. They can go to Europe. The majority of Moroccans are Arabs. The berbers are a small minority that is why the Arabs could invade them. If the berbers were a majority they would’ve blocked the Arabs from invading. I am Arab Moroccan and proud to be and those who want to be different they can leave Morocco. They can go to Europe.

]]> By: Ahmed http://jilliancyork.com/2009/01/21/morocco-disappearing-the-amazigh/#comment-4962 Ahmed Thu, 07 Oct 2010 09:39:58 +0000 http://jilliancyork.com/?p=321#comment-4962 Morocco is an Arab and a Muslim country. Berber who wants to have berber names are not Muslims, because if they were true Muslims they would not bother with the name, since Arab names are Muslim names. We don't want berbers who are not Muslims because they would be different and they would cause war in Morocco. We need to be one people so we won't have wars, like what happened in lebanon. We need to merge together to become one people and one nation. Morocco is an Arab and a Muslim country. Berber who wants to have berber names are not Muslims, because if they were true Muslims they would not bother with the name, since Arab names are Muslim names. We don’t want berbers who are not Muslims because they would be different and they would cause war in Morocco. We need to be one people so we won’t have wars, like what happened in lebanon. We need to merge together to become one people and one nation.

]]> By: touhami http://jilliancyork.com/2009/01/21/morocco-disappearing-the-amazigh/#comment-3325 touhami Sun, 14 Feb 2010 23:13:42 +0000 http://jilliancyork.com/?p=321#comment-3325 wish you and your family all the best nicole from a berber in the uk wish you and your family all the best nicole
from a berber in the uk

]]> By: Jillian http://jilliancyork.com/2009/01/21/morocco-disappearing-the-amazigh/#comment-2603 Jillian Sat, 05 Sep 2009 20:04:47 +0000 http://jilliancyork.com/?p=321#comment-2603 This comment is from Inas. He accidentally emailed it to me but gave me permission to correctly post it: "hi jaouad if a humain wants to name he's chil earth or bird it's he's job it's he's HUMAIN RIGHT we shouldn't say no the not allowed names are not these earth or sky it's like "sifaou" wich is the equivalent of "nour " ........... i dont hate arabs i've never said that befor our prophet is an arab dont forget this the coran is in arabic you should notic that am not an amazigh too i am andalouss purly andallouss wich is mean spanish origin so why the moroccan authorities let my parents name me inez wich is a spanish name why they leave people name maria and other names ITS SO CLEAR THE PROBLEM IS NOT ADOLF HITLER OR SKY EARTH IT4S A POLITICAL PROBLEM IF AN AMAZIGH WANTS TO NAME HES CHILD EARTH IT4S HE4S RIGHT IT's theire culture dont u forget that amazigh are the majority in morocco " This comment is from Inas. He accidentally emailed it to me but gave me permission to correctly post it:

“hi jaouad
if a humain wants to name he’s chil earth or bird it’s he’s job it’s he’s HUMAIN RIGHT
we shouldn’t say no the not allowed names are not these earth or sky it’s like “sifaou” wich is the equivalent of “nour ” ………..
i dont hate arabs i’ve never said that befor our prophet is an arab dont forget this the coran is in arabic
you should notic that am not an amazigh too i am andalouss purly andallouss wich is mean spanish origin so why the moroccan authorities let my parents name me inez wich is a spanish name why they leave people name maria and other names ITS SO CLEAR THE PROBLEM IS NOT ADOLF HITLER OR SKY EARTH IT4S A POLITICAL PROBLEM

IF AN AMAZIGH WANTS TO NAME HES CHILD EARTH IT4S HE4S RIGHT IT’s theire culture
dont u forget that amazigh are the majority in morocco “

]]> By: Jaouad http://jilliancyork.com/2009/01/21/morocco-disappearing-the-amazigh/#comment-2595 Jaouad Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:58:16 +0000 http://jilliancyork.com/?p=321#comment-2595 There IS a very big difference between arab-moroccans (like myself) and the berbers so please stop acting like its all the same peopl for once. The arabs brought islam to Morocco and other north african countries so ofcourse they want it to stay that way. Why name your child something like earth or wind or some other stupid name, its like if I want to name my newborn Adolf Hitler. They also would probably not let me do that. A modern study however shows a clear genetic difference between "Berbers" (defined as the Berber speaking population) and "Arabs" (defined as the Arabic speaking population in North Africa), these latter subjects "probably correspond to a heterogeneous group representing various ethnicities" [2]. source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabized_Berber There IS a very big difference between arab-moroccans (like myself) and the berbers so please stop acting like its all the same peopl for once. The arabs brought islam to Morocco and other north african countries so ofcourse they want it to stay that way.

Why name your child something like earth or wind or some other stupid name, its like if I want to name my newborn Adolf Hitler. They also would probably not let me do that.

A modern study however shows a clear genetic difference between “Berbers” (defined as the Berber speaking population) and “Arabs” (defined as the Arabic speaking population in North Africa), these latter subjects “probably correspond to a heterogeneous group representing various ethnicities” [2].

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabized_Berber

]]>