North African Arabs (Arabic: عرب شمال أفريقيا "‘Arab Shamal Ifriqiya") or "Maghrebi Arabs" (Arabic: :العرب المغاربة "al-‘Arab al-Maghariba") is a term that denotes the inhabitants of the North African Maghreb region whose native language is a dialect of Arabic and identify as Arab. This ethnic identity is a product of the Arab conquest of North Africa during the Arab–Byzantine wars and the spread of Islam to Africa. The migration of Arab tribes to North Africa in the 11th century was a major factor in the linguistic and cultural Arabization of the Maghreb region, mainly Beni Hassan, Banu Hilal and Banu Sulaym.
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The descendants of the original Arab settlers who continue to speak Arabic as a first language currently form the single largest population group in North Africa.
Shasu
The Shasu people were a Semitic-speaking group of nomads in the Levant from the late Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age or Third Intermediate Period of Egypt. They were organized in clans under a tribal chieftain, and were described as brigands active from the Jezreel Valley to Ashkelon and Sinai. Herding and livestock of camels, cows and sheep comprised their main livelihood, but they also engaged in hunting and limited agriculture. They were hostile towards Egypt, and served as mercenaries in armies that waged war against the Egyptians. The Shasu people guided the soldiers of Assyrian ruler Esarhaddon into the Nile delta in the 7th century BC and provided his armies with camels for the transport of water.
Shasu men had trimmed beards or beards clipped into a tip and wore long gowns with geometric motif embroideries. The women wore mid-calf dresses with one shoulder bare. The dresses were white, decorated with red figures and coloured stripes. Their footwear was made out of dyed leather. The ancient Egyptians described them as light-skinned, with a yellow-ish skin tone.
The earliest known reference to the Shasu is in a 15th-century BCE inscription found in Transjordan. The inscription is found on the column bases at the temple of Soleb built by Amenhotep III, and lists peoples considered enemies of Egypt. Copied later by either Seti I or Ramesses II at Amarah-West, the list mentions six sub-groups of Shasu: the Shasu of S'rr, the Shasu of Rbn, the Shasu of Sm't, the Shasu of Wrbr, the Shasu of Yhw, and the Shasu of Pysps. The Libyans and the Nubians were also present on the list.
Alaouite dynasty
The Alaouite dynasty (Arabic: سلالة العلويين الفيلاليين, Sulālat al-ʿAlawiyyīn al-Fīlālīyn) is the current royal family of Morocco. The name comes from ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib, whose descendant, Sharif ibn Ali, became prince of Tafilalt in 1631. His son Mulay Al-Rashid (1664–1672) is credited with uniting and pacifying the country during a turbulent period of Moroccan history. The Alaouite family claim descent from the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fāṭimah az-Zahrah and her husband ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib.
Morocco
Moroccan women traditionally wear copious amounts of jewelry on their neck, arms, head and ears. Preferably the jewelry should be made from pure gold as this signifies that the family is economically well-off. The jewelry tends to be decorated with different jewels like rubies, olivines, Andalucian beads, pearls and diamonds. The olivines and the pearls are traditionally used in most Maghrebi jewelry. The olivine represents female beauty, and was historically associated with the pre-Islamic goddesses of the Arabian pantheon. The pearls used in the jewelry represent wealth and fortune.
Weddings
Brides in Morocco adorn themselves in extensive amounts of jewelry, the amount of jewelry depends on the economic status of the family. Different regions in Morocco have different types of traditional jewelry. Brides in the region of Tanger-Tetouan add pearls to their traditional jewelry, whereas brides in the region of Fes add pheridot jewels and gold. In the Sahara, gold and coloured beads are added to the outfit. Families that can't afford to buy jewelry rent it for the occasion.
The headdresses used in the ceremony also tend to differ depending on the region. The northern region of Morocco, (Tanger-Tetouan), use a striped and glittery fabric to cover the bride's head. A headpiece in either silver or gold (depending on the region) is placed over the fabrics and is sometimes decorated with jewels. In the central region, Fes-Meknes, a decorated dark green and golden fabric is used, over it a golden headpiece is placed, decorated with dark green pheridot jewels and pearls hanging down over the face. In the southern region, Western Sahara, the women wear a headpiece decorated with gold pieces and coloured beads that differ from tribe to tribe. The bride's head is covered with a black fabric.
Morocco
Algeria
Tunisia
Libya
Morocco
Notable people
Historical governors
Rulers
Historians
Musicians