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Catalogue of the Oasis Museum, hall 7:

Tribal system

In presaharic valleys, four main ethnic groups live together:

  • The Sanhaja Berber tribes, traditionally nomads, who speak Tamazight dialect.

  • The Masmouda Berber tribes, traditionally sedentary, who speak the Tassousit dialect.

  • The Beni Maaquil Bedouin tribes, who speak Arabic and came frome Egypt at the end of the 13th century.

  • The Berber Zenata tribes, who now speak Arabic due to contact with the Bedouins.

The connection between the members of one tribe is common ancestry, be it real or legendary.

Oasis Museum, El Khorbat

On the other hand, they do not claim specific territory for themselves, being able to live scattered over the four extremes of the country and being able to share their villages with neighbors from other tribes.

Each tribe is subdivided in many fractions, clans and families, always based on blood ties. Different tribes can also come together to form a confederation.

Demographic movements in the oasis region:

Oasis Museum, El Khorbat

Tribes map of Morocco:

Oasis Museum, El Khorbat


Organization of the Ait Merghad tribe:

Oasis Museum, El Khorbat


Letter with the seal of a tribe leader:

Oasis Museum, El Khorbat


See other sections:

© Maison d’Hôtes El Khorbat s.a.r.l.

Welcome to Ksar El Khorbat. Circuits in Southern Morocco. Rooms of the Guesthouse El Khorbat. Restaurant El Khorbat. Excursions from Ksar El Khorbat. How to arrive to the Ksar El Khorbat. Airports. Transfers. Map of Morocco. International cooperation in Ksar El Khorbat. Prices and discounts to stay in Ksar El Khorbat.