332 



DISCOVERY 



of tribes (kehila)^ which, in their turn, have innumer- 

 able clans or divisions, and subdivisions. There are 

 leagues among tribes [leff) and alliances of groups or 

 factions within a tribe [soff]- Estimates as to their 

 numbers vary so greatly and are based in many cases on 

 such insufficient evidence that they are hardly worth 

 quoting. Many of the Atlas tribes are as yet very 

 little known. The French are collecting statistics, 

 and are encouraging the study of Berber dialects and 

 folklore. Tamazight is little used for writing purposes, 

 the Berbers being mostly illiterate ; the Arabic alphabet 

 is employed. The education and development of 

 the Berber and mixed Berber-Arab tribes offers the 

 best hope for the future of Morocco, the local Arabs 

 being more or less effete, and decadent. Arabic in- 

 fluence in the country has been chiefly shown in the 

 spread of their language and religion, and the intro- 

 duction of the hosts of sherifs (shurfa), or descendants 

 of the Prophet, of whom the Sultan himself and Raisuli 

 are both representatives. These sherifs enjoy an 

 enormous prestige, and often wield considerable 

 power. A notable example is that of the sherif clan 

 of the " sacred city " of Wazzan, heads of the Tuhama 

 Confraternity. The position is so much coveted that 

 some Berbers, ignoring their non-Arabic birth, have 

 laid claim to it ! 



Equally venerated is the marabiit, or holy personage, 

 male or female, sometimes the founder of an Order, 

 or religious house {zawiya) ; sometimes an ascetic 

 or ecstatic, a miracle-worker, or simply a madman. 

 The word marabtit is also applied by local Moroccan 

 usage to holy places and things, such as shrines, tombs 

 of saints, trees, or even heaps of stones. 



The Berbers, who apparently adopted Islam in easy- 

 going fashion, are equally easy-going in its practice. 

 They are for the most part uninstructed in the Koran, 

 and disregard its precepts as to prayers, ablutions, and 

 fasts. Even Ramadan is ignored. Boar's flesh is 

 eaten, and a liquor manufactured by the Jews from 

 grapes or figs is drunk, not, however, to excess, sobriety 

 being the usual rule among Berbers. Many traces of 

 pre-lslamic superstitions are found ; they live 

 in terror of demons, spirits, werwolves, and the like. 

 Talismans are worn, and local saints are invoked, 

 against these, the Kadriya Confraternity being con- 

 sidered specially efficacious in exorcisms. Most males 

 in Morocco, Berber or Arab, are enrolled in one or 

 other of the various Confraternities, or Orders ; these 

 cannot be discussed here, but it may be remarked that 

 they were not political in origin, though they have 

 often been diverted to political ends. The Shluh of 

 of the Sus district have a great reputation as sorcerers. 

 The Ihahen (Arabic, Haha), a large Berber tribe, or 

 rather group of tribes, on the west coast, cherish a 

 1 Singular ; so also the two following Arabic words. 



firm belief in a mascot. A certain individual, or 

 family, known as anfliis, must necessarily take the 

 lead in any tribal undertaking, whether a journey or 

 a battle, if success is to follow. Great prestige attaches 

 to the post. 



A regular ritual is observed among the Berbers in 

 connection with agriculture and the promotion of fine 

 weather, with marriage and other family events. - 



Any allegiance that the Berbers have yielded to the 

 Sultan (there has been remarkably little trace of it) 

 has been to his religious position. In his political 

 capacity, he and his government, the Maghzen, have 

 been consistently defied. The Shluh round IMarrakesh 

 have proved relatively amenable, but, everywhere else, 

 Berber territory has been emphatically bled-es-siba 

 (land of gunpowder, i.e. rebellion). The tax-collector 

 has returned empty-handed, or not returned at all, 

 while short work has been made of any kaid or sheikh 

 whom it was sought to impose on a tribe from outside. 

 There is a rude proverb somewhat to this effect ; " A 

 strong tribe can soon spit out a kaid." With certain 

 exceptions, to be noted later, the kaids of the Berber 

 tribes have very little power ; some of the wilder 

 mountain tribes are said not to tolerate them at all. 

 The Berbers are, in fact, notably independent and 

 democratic ; three of their most interesting features 

 are their codes of customary laws, their government 

 by a popular assembty, and the position allotted to 

 women among them. 



The popular assembly [anfaJiz; in Xrahic. jeinaa), 

 has all the real power in its hands ; it decides all the 

 affairs of the tribe — peace, war, alliances, markets, and 

 so forth. It consists of all the males of fighting age ; 

 the voice of the elders (amghar) carries great weight, 

 and women are also called into consultation. One 

 elder is chosen annually to execute the decisions of 

 the council and is known asthe. amghar-el-aatn. Great 

 jealousy is felt lest any power should become hereditary. 

 In time of war, the Beraber call together a general 

 assembly of delegates from all their tribes, one of whom 

 is elected as dictator (amghar afella) — his powers, again, 

 being strictly limited to one 3'ear. 



The Berbers are monogamous, and fond of their 

 children and homes. ^^'omen, though hard-worked, 

 are respected and consulted, and go about freely. 

 Marriage is more or less of a sale, but sexual morality 

 is higher (especially- among the Ruafa and Beraber) 

 than among the surrounding Arabs. \\'omen have the 

 privilege of affording protection [anaya) to suppliants 

 in danger of their life. A safeguard, usually known as 

 zettat, is also given to travellers passing through the 

 territory of one tribe, or into that of an allied tribe, 

 or clan, while some powerful tribes protect weaker 

 ones in return for tribute. Certain tribes are also 

 2 See Westermarck's books on these subjects. 



