Berber Tattooing: in Morocco's Middle Atlas

Product Information

Today, the term “Berbers” is still mainly used in the West to portray the native inhabitants of North Africa, which the Amazighs disagree with and find pejorative. Here, Middle East Eye explores the different tattoo designs of women across the region and the meanings behind them. Amazigh Berbers used to live in several Berber regions of North Africa, and they often lived in the mountainous and desert areas. Besides the aesthetic and ornamental functions, Amazigh tattoos aimed to symbolise social status. “ Young girls would wear tattoos to highlight the stage of puberty and indicate that girls were ready for marriage “, Maya added. Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

One day when we were moved to the city, I decided to do it. I was 14 years old, I asked my mother to do it but she refused," says Masoudi. There is a wide diversity of representations of Amazigh symbols throughout Greater Tamazgha regarding Amazigh tattoos. Maya identifies six symbols with different meanings in most of North Africa. Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special. Furthermore, Maya explains that most Amazigh women living in the countryside had their faces and bodies tattooed. So, as they wished to showcase that they were emancipated, they would refuse to get tattoed and move to the city. Tattooing has boomed in popularity over the last decade. What do you think Felix would make of today’s tattoo scene?

Like it? Share with your friends!

Berber Tattooing is a unique and tender record of the tribal skin art of Morocco’s Middle Atlas. The result of a series of chance encounters, Felix & Loretta’s Leu’s road trip in 1988, opened a doorway into the intimate world of the women of the Berber tribes. In this book, the women tell their individual stories, revealing the traditions of the tattoo in their culture, together with insights into the lives that they led. Albeit sharing similar culture, Amazighs are part of many regional sub-tribes that spread in different parts of North Africa, that include: There is such a rich archive of material throughout the book, from photographs of your travels to letters and interview snippets. Did you recall any particularly fond memories through its creation?

However, as part of the Muslim conquests, when Arabs invaded North Africa, most Amazigh people converted to Islam. As a result, the practice of Amazigh tattoos saw a significant decline in the XXe century, for tattoos in Islam are considered unlawful (haram).

Leave a comment

This book was a labor of love and looking through his flash drawings and photographs of tattoos of course brought up many memories of our tattoo years together. We were a united couple and family, we were our own bosses, working when we needed to and taking time off when we chose to. We loved the freedom tattooing gave us. It was hard work but also exciting and fun. We worked in our own home and every day was made different by the interesting variety of people from all walks of life that we got to meet. We lived for many years without a TV. It is therefore not surprising that it appears as one of the oldest rites of the Berber people, one finds it especially on women on parts of the body such as the forehead and cheeks and many others. Symbols were numerous, such as triangles and half circles. We find these in earrings, bracelets, anklets. We also find these symbols in many Amazigh dresses and costumes, whether for women or men. And also we find several symbols in the home utensils, and we can't forget as well the architecture, for example, wood, gypsum, and also stone engraving, always the same symbols that they used in tattoos."