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The Shilha people
The Shilha people, also known as Ishelhien, Chleuh, or Schleuh, are a Berber ethnic group primarily residing in southern Morocco, particularly in the Anti-Atlas Mountains, High Atlas Mountains, Sous Valley, and the Soussi coastal regions. Their name, “Shilha,” is derived from Arabic, but they call themselves “Ishelhien,” which means “the free people” in their native Berber language. The Shilha are part of the larger Berber community, which includes several subgroups like the Tuareg, Rif, Kabyle, and Shawia. The Shilha people have a rich cultural heritage, deeply rooted in their Berber origins. They speak various dialects of the Berber language, which is part of the Afroasiatic language family. While many Shilha…
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The Ghadamès language
The Ghadamès language, also known as Ghadamsi or Ghadamsian, is a Berber language spoken primarily in the oasis town of Ghadames, located in the Nalut District of western Libya. It is a part of the Afro-Asiatic language family and belongs to the Berber branch, specifically the Eastern Berber group. While it shares some commonalities with other Berber languages, Ghadamès preserves unique phonological and morphological features that distinguish it from other languages in the Berber family. The Ghadamès language is spoken by an estimated 17,000 people, though this number is uncertain, and the language faces endangerment due to a steady decline in native speakers. The language has been the subject of…
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Awjila
Awjila, also known by several alternative names like Aujila, Augila, Aoudjila, Awgila, and Awdjila, is a critically endangered Berber language spoken in the Awjila oasis region of Cyrenaica, Libya. Its native name is Jlan n Awilen, and it is part of the Eastern Berber branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. Awjila shares a close relationship with the now-extinct Sokna language, also spoken in Libya, and is considered part of the Eastern Berber subgroup. The language has suffered a significant decline over the years, with estimates suggesting only about 2,000 to 3,000 native speakers remain, mostly within older age groups. This decline is attributed to both the political and social context…
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Sokna is a historic Saharan
Sokna is a historic Saharan oasis town located in the Fezzan region of southwest Libya. Situated approximately 16.5 kilometers southwest of the district capital, Hun, in the Jufra District, Sokna has long been a vital stop for travelers and traders crossing the vast Sahara Desert. Its strategic position along ancient trans-Saharan trade routes has made it a key point of interest for centuries, providing essential water sources and fertile land amidst the otherwise arid desert landscape. The town’s name is derived from the Eastern Berber language, Sokna, which was once spoken by the region’s inhabitants. However, this language, which was part of a local pre-Arabized dialect, gradually faded by the…
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The Jerba Berber language
The Jerba Berber language, also known as Tamazight of Djerba, Shilha of Djerba, or Djerbi, is a variety of the Berber language spoken primarily on Djerba Island in Tunisia. This language belongs to the Zenati group of Berber languages, specifically the eastern branch, and it is a significant part of the region’s cultural heritage. Historically, the language was widely spoken throughout the island, with particular concentrations in localities such as El May, Cedriane, Mahboubine, Sedouikech, Ajim, and Guellala. The origins of the language can be traced back to the early Berber populations that inhabited the Maghreb region, and it shares many similarities with other Berber dialects found across Tunisia and…
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Matmata Berber
Matmata Berber is a dialect of the Zenati branch of the Berber language family, spoken primarily around the town of Matmâta and surrounding villages, including Taoujjout, Tamezret, and Zrawa, in southern Tunisia. This dialect is an integral part of Tunisia’s Berber-speaking population, which historically resided in the region. The speakers of Matmata Berber refer to their language as “Tmaziɣṯ” or “Eddwi nna,” meaning “our speech,” reflecting a strong sense of cultural identity. In Tunisian Arabic, the dialect is known as “Shelha” or “Jbali” Matmata Berber is a language with limited documentation. The most well-known record of this dialect is a collection of fairy tales published by the linguist Stumme in…
