The Amazigh are found in Morocco Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Western Sahara, Mauritania, the Canary Islands, Egypt, Mali and Niger. The Amazigh people are sometimes referred to as the “Berbers” but they prefer to be called “Amazigh” or “Imazighen”.
We read two stories and a couple of poems from Amazigh folklore and discuss how much the folklore of different North African peoples like the Amazigh have in common with Greek and Roman folklore.
Fun Fact: It is believed that Apuleius, philosopher, rhetorician and author of the story of Eros and Psyche in as found in “Metamorphoses”, was an Amazigh man! Read here for more commentary on the life of Apuleius.
Story Sources:
- Tales and Legends of Morocco by Elisa Chimenti
- Treasury of African Love: Poems and Proverbs by Nicholas Awde
- An Anthology of Tashelhiyt Folktales by Harry Stroomer
Amazigh Folklore