People Groups of Morocco

Culture 101Morocco

Apr 24

Morocco is a very unique country for several reasons. The first is its strategic location in the northwest of the continent of Africa, just 14 kilometers south of Europe. This beautiful country is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea in the North, the Atlantic Ocean in the West, Algeria to the East, and Mauritania to the South. For this reason, Morocco is a crossroads where cultures, civilizations, and ethnicities meet.

The best description given to this country is attributed to the late King Hassan II when he said: “Morocco is a tree with its roots in Africa and its branches in Europe.” Hence, Morocco has known, during its history, successive waves of immigration of different people groups who have come to coexist with the indigenous group in this land, the Amazigh people.

Morocco, in this sense, consists of various races and ethnicities,s such as the Amazigh people, the Arabs that came during the Islamic conquest to North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africans, and many Arab and Jewish families that arrived from the Iberian peninsula after the fall of Andalusia in 1492. Throughout history, these races have coexisted through a relational affinity unique to the Moroccan population, encompassing different ethnicities, dialects, and cultures. All in all, Morocco is a mosaic of cultures. The main ethnicities in Morocco are the following:

The Amazigh

These are the indigenous people of this country, divided into three groups according to their locations. Consequently, there are those who speak the different dialects of Amazigh: Tashalhit in the area of Souss, Tamazight in the South and in the Middle Atlas, and Tarifit in the North. Throughout history, the Amazigh tribes, such as Sanhaja, Masmouda, and Zenata, played great roles in founding different dynasties that governed this country.

Learn more about Amazigh Culture in our 90-minute workshop

The Arabs

Arab people are found everywhere in Morocco and speak varieties of Moroccan Arabic Darija. Urban Darija is spoken in cities like Rabat, Fez, Meknes, and Marrakesh. Rural Darija, brought to Morocco by the tribes of Banu Hilal, is spoken in the plains, and mountains in the Northeast of the country. Finally, Hassania Arabic is the dialect spoken in the Sahraoui region in the South of Morocco.

The Arab people immigrated to Morocco during different periods in history. The first Arabs came during the Islamic conquest in the seventh and eighth centuries; they worked together with the Amazigh people to conquer Spain and Portugal. Later, Banou Hilal came in the 12th century, followed by Banou Maakil in the 13th and 14th centuries. All these Arab immigrants can be classified into the tribes Banou Malek, Soufian, Banou Musa, Banou Aamer, Lawdaya, Rhamna, Shrarda, and Banou Hassan.

Additionally, there were Arabs who came from Spain and Portugal and settled down in cities such as Fez, Sale, Rabat, Tetouan, and Chefchaouen. And, it is worth noting that among them, there were those called Moriscos who had been expelled from Spain in 1609 and were obliged to live in Morocco because they were secret believers in Islam.

Learn more about the history of Morocco in our 90-minute workshop

Moroccan Jews

The first Jews settled in Morocco after the destruction of the temple of Solomon in Jerusalem in 70 AD. These immigrants lived among the Amazigh people. Some of them are the Jews of Fez who converted to Islam, and many descendants from these families are known to continue to work in commerce and business in Fez. The Meghorashim were expelled from Spain by the Catholic kings after 1492, and they settled in Morocco, living in Fez, Meknes, Marrakesh, and Salé.

Learn more about Judaism in Morocco in our 90-minute workshop

Black Moroccans

The Black Moroccan population is found in Morocco due to the relationships between Morocco and Sub-Saharan countries like Mali and Niger. Black Moroccans came to the South of Morocco to the Oasis of Tafilalt and the rivers of Darâa, Souss, and Tata. Their number increased in the era of the Saadian dynasty. Later, they were the main component of the Moroccan army in the time of the Alaouite king Moulay Ismail.

Moroccans of Christian Origin

This small people group came to reside in Morocco after they were captured by the pirates of the seas. They converted later to Islam and lived in Salé, Safi, and Tetouan.

Do you enjoy this type of cultural exploration? You may enjoy one of our Moroccan cultural workshops, available online or at our center in Fes.

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Lahsen Hajjam

Lahsen Hajjam has been a language teacher for over two decades, teaching Moroccan Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic, and French. He is married and has two daughters, and loves soccer/football (Go Barce!) and reading.

People Groups of Morocco

The Amazigh

The Arabs

Moroccan Jews

Black Moroccans

Moroccans of Christian Origin

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Crossroads Cultural Exchange