Imazighen - Berbers (E-mah-Z-gen)

In ancient and medieval times, the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines all used words similar to "Berber" to refer to various tribes that inhabited “Greater Libya" (that is, what is now called North Africa). Derived from the word barbarian, it is inaccurately ascribed to the north African tribes of nomadic or mountain-dwelling peoples who trace their origins back beyond the history of the Greeks and Romans. The medieval Tunisian historian Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406), recounting the oral traditions prevalent in his day, sets down two popular opinions as to the origin of the Berbers: according to one opinion, they are descended from Canaan, son of Ham, and have for ancestors Berber, son of Temla, son of Mazîgh, son of Canaan, son of Ham, a son of Noah. Alternatively, Abu-Bakr Mohammed es-Souli (947 CE) held that they are descended from Berber, the son of Keloudjm (Casluhim), the son of Mesraim, the son of Ham.

Several Berber dynasties emerged during the Middle Ages in the Maghreb and al-Andalus. The most notable are the Zirids (Ifriqiya, 973–1148), the Hammadids (Western Ifriqiya, 1014–1152), the Almoravid dynasty (Morocco and al-Andalus, 1040–1147), the Almohads (Morocco and al-Andalus, 1147–1248), the Hafsids (Ifriqiya, 1229–1574), and the Zianids (Tlemcen, 1235–1556). Before the eleventh century, most of Northwest Africa had become a Berber-speaking Muslim area. The new faith, in its various forms, would penetrate nearly all segments of Berber society, bringing with it armies, learned men, and fervent mystics, and in large part replacing tribal practices and loyalties with new social norms and political idioms. A further Arabization of the region was in large part due to the arrival of the Banu Hilal, a tribe sent by the Fatimids of Egypt to punish the Berber Zirid dynasty for having abandoned Shiism.

The social structure of the Berbers is tribal. A leader is appointed to command the tribe. In the Middle Ages, many women had the power to govern, such as Dihya and Tazoughert Fatma in the Aurès Mountains. In marriages, the man usually selects the woman, and depending on the tribe, the family often makes the decision. In contrast, in the Tuareg culture, the woman chooses her future husband. The rites of marriage are different for each tribe. Families are either patriarchal or matriarchal, according to the tribe. Traditionally, men take care of livestock. They migrate by following the natural cycle of grazing, and seeking water and shelter. They are thus assured of an abundance of wool, cotton, and plants used for dyeing. For their part, women look after the family and handicrafts – first for their personal use, and secondly for sale in the souqs in their locality.

Syres comes in contact with the Imazighen people when he travels to North Africa from Al-Andalus in the mid 10th century. It is here that he learns about the ancient earthen magic that the Berber shamans and mystics use to honor their ancestors and protect their way of life. He enjoys their way of life as they were one of the few societies Syres had encountered that placed woman in leadership positions equal to men. Unlike queens, empresses, or consorts, women here were valued for their leadership, and sometimes military, qualities.

Famous foods from the Imazighen people include:

Couscous, a semolina staple dish,
Tajine, a stew made in various forms
Pastilla, a meat pie traditionally made with squab (fledgling pigeon today often made using chicken
Bread made with traditional yeast
Bouchiar, fine yeastless wafers soaked in butter and natural honey
Bourjeje, pancake containing flour, eggs, yeast, and salt
Baghrir, light and spongy pancake made from flour, yeast, and salt; served hot and soaked in butter and tment ('honey')
Tahricht, sheep offal (brains, tripe, lungs, and heart) rolled up with the intestines on an oak stick and cooked on embers in specially designed ovens The meat is coated with butter to make it even tastier. This dish is served mainly at festivities.

Tamazight is a generic name for all of the Berber languages, which consist of many closely related varieties and dialects. Among these Berber languages are: