"La questione berbera in Africa del Nord"

The term Berber derives from the Greek word Barbaroi, denoting one who did not speak Greek. The Romans and the Byzantines continued this use of the term. The Arabs referred to the indigenous peoples as Barbar. Actually, Berber people prefer to use the indigenous term Amazigh to define themselves. Amazigh signifies “free”, “noble” person; the plural is Imazighen. The Berbers are the indigenous inhabitants of North Africa; their territory reaches from Egypt to Mauritania and from the Mediterranean to the boundaries of historic sub-Saharan Africa. Throughout their history, the Berbers have always defended their ancestral homeland. During the Arab invasions of the seventh century, although they accepted Islam as a new religion, Berbers also maintained their pre-Islamic cultural and ritual traditions. The Berbers have been at the forefront of the struggle for independence from French colonial rule as well as for democracy and human rights in North Africa. Since the independence, the successive governments have always denied the Berbers their cultural and linguistic rights. The goals of the Berbers are to preserve their customs, to cherish their heritage, and to promote their language, Tamazight. Their goal is also to strengthen their thousands-year-old identity and to prevent its dissolution and eradication.