The mallemin (also maalemine, muallemin etc.; derived from a plural of the Arabic word mu`allim, meaning approximately "sir" or "teacher") were a professional caste of blacksmiths and metalworkers within Hassaniya Arab society, Mauritania, southern Morocco and Western Sahara and . They held a low place on the social ladder, but their services were used by all tribes.
References
Mallemin Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA