Due to the drought and the development of the world around them, Nomads of Morocco become less and less every single year, some tribes Like AIT ATTA IN THE ATLAS MOUNTAIN use to be 500 families 50 years ago, while only about 50 exercise the nomadism nowadays While some emi-nomads chose to dwell in the valleys and villages to practice agriculture or take up any other jobs available, others chose to maintain their nomadic lifestyle but to live permanently in a tent or a cave.
Over 90% of the Amazigh nomads practice Islam in a deeply personal way.
They observe all other Muslim obligations while also celebrating Islamic festivals, keeping the most of their distinctive culture and language.
Where do Moroccan nomads live?
Moroccan courts only became established 50 years ago.
Every tribe has its own land and pastures, which they roam from from season to season in search of better water and herbs for their herd.
Like the Ait Atta tribe, the majority of nomads in the Atlas Mountains live in goat-hair tents.
Goats and maybe a few camels would be the major sources of income.
Although they have pastures in the High Atlas, where they go during the summer, Ait Atta’s original home is the Jbel Saghro mountain.
Every May, families would travel over 15 days on foot from the Saghro highlands to the High Atlas with their camels, goats, and other livestock.
They would make the same journey back to their home in the Saghro highlands by the time the first snow fell.
In small settlements that are frequently separated from one another, nomads also inhabit Morocco’s Sahara desert.
They coexist peacefully with the arid Saharan environment.
Sahara nomads can still be seen in large numbers in the western Sahara and in the vicinity of the Erg Chebbi dunes, where they dwell in various locations.
Similar nomadic practices are practiced by Touareg nomads in northern Mali.
Some nomads in Morocco also reside in caverns, and they used to travel from one cave to another.
similar to the other nomads, for similar reasons.
The majority of cave families may be found in the Boutghrar region, the Dades river, and the vicinity of the Todgha gorges.
Fortunately, we may refer to this kind of life, which still relies primarily on animals for food, as semi-nomadic.
The life of nomads in the wild under tents or inside the caves is definitely a harsh lifestyle, In this case, it’s not always nomads who choose their way of living, but often it’s the other way around.
Where they get food and daily supplies:
Every district has a central souk market where nomads shop for provisions for a week or two.
As an illustration, Nkob Village continues to be the main market where all the nomads in Jbel Saghro purchase their food and sell their goats.Every Saturday, there is a chance to see nomads in this village at the goat market.
Since most nomads live in the wild, souks or weekly marketplaces are crucial to their way of life—not just for buying and selling, but also for visiting their relatives and learning the latest information.
In most areas, local transportation is offered to carry nomads to the market. The same local transportation is typically offered to convey nomads’ goats to the souk.
As they did hundreds of years ago, Nomads frequently ride their mules to the market and then back to their camp the next day.
For several members of the family, this weekly trip is their only connection to the outside world.
What do the nomads in Morocco wear?
The clothing of the Moroccan Nomads varies slightly depending on the mountainous area.
Jellaba or Tajellabiyt is still a staple piece of clothing.
The scarf, or shesh, is crucial for protecting both men and women from the heat of the summer and the cold of the winter, whether they are in the highlands or the desert.
Nomads in some Saharian regions dress in Draia, a blue complete dress that covers the entire body in a similar manner to a Djellaba.
The Touareg nomads who live in southern nations like Mali and South Algeria are thought to be the originators of this style of attire.
Women in the nomad’s lifestyle:
A lady in the nomad civilization is a noble queen who faces daily challenges with her family.
In addition to caring for the camp and the kids, women perform any task that males perform.
Nevertheless, the authority of women differed from one tribe and clan to another.
In the Amazigh culture, as with all Berber nomads in Morocco, the woman is the artist. She creates carpets, blankets, and tents to shelter her family from the harsh conditions of their life in the desert, in addition to experimenting with Henna’s colors for special occasions.
For ages, Amazigh nomad women have practiced the art of tattooing.
On their faces and in their hands, you can see tattoos.
This behavior is currently uncommon among the younger generations as a result of religious and cultural pressures.
The father’s or the husband’s employment typically justifies travel for souk and other reasons.
Due to the numerous tribal disputes that existed in the past, it was once a perilous expedition.
Therefore, in order to keep women and children safe, it is usually best to stay in or close to the tribal region where the tribe has made its seasonal home.
Nomads daily life:
Young children typically camp out with an adult, who will look after them and perform camp chores like bringing water close by.
Women would help set the camp, provide wood for the fire, or frequently graze the goats all day.
A family member’s daily tasks include bringing water from a source or well and seeing to the goats’ needs.
Every member of the nomad family worries about these two things on a regular basis.
Weekly men would travel to the market to bring the supplies, or to sell goats. While women take care of everything in the camp.
Activities in daily life vary according to the season.
Everyone can always find something to do, from dawn till dusk, as we have observed.
Any visitor will find the camp’s tranquility and scenic surroundings to be unsettling.
Education for the nomads:
For children from nomadic families, education is almost a lifestyle transition.
In the majority of the areas where nomads reside, going to school is a luxury reserved for individuals who have family members who reside in a hamlet.
That increases the likelihood that the children will attend school, which makes it harder on the parents and their way of life at the same time.
The family finds it challenging to tuck their youngsters away.
Once children are educated, Can they support continuing the nomadic lifestyle? Certainly, it is one of the challenges that nomads have!
It would be quite difficult for the nomads’ children to receive an education while living outdoors.
Although this endeavor may get harder or disappear by giving a teacher who can follow the nomads wherever they roam, certain associations would take the lead and help to create a tent school for the nomads in some locations.
particularly when the number of families keeps declining year after year.
