Students at Roots Academy this past Friday had the opportunity to learn about Amazigh culture through a mix of interactive presentations and activities given by staff at our academy. The second largest ethnic group in Morocco, the Amazigh people make up around 31% of the population in Morocco, and can be found in other countries in North Africa as well. As part of the “cultural events” series that Roots Academy hosts every Friday, students of all different backgrounds were able to learn about the unique culture and language of the Amazigh people!
students practiced their Arabic reading and Darija language skills with worksheets created by Roots Academy staff to teach about Amazigh culture and the Amazigh alphabet. Roots teachers Mounir and Fatimazahra helped explain the content of the readings to all of the students, who then explained what they had learned to their fellow students in other groups. Included in the readings was information about Amazigh dancing practices and where different Amazigh groups are predominantly located around Morocco.
students were also taught the different letters of the Amazigh alphabet, with each letter translated into both the Arabic and Latin script. Everyone had a chance to practice writing their name in Amazigh, with Roots instructors helping correct the spellings and showing everyone how to properly write in Amazigh. It was a one-of-a-kind chance to learn how to write in a language spoken by approximately 14 million people in Morocco.
at the end of the workshop, students were invited to participate in a more hands-on learning experience as well – Roots staff had prepared the traditional dish “tagla” for everyone to try! Tagla is often consumed in the cold of winter and so has a high nutritional value, made of very few ingredients. The dish we tried had been prepared with water, corn flour, honey, salt, and dates. Some variations of the dish are prepared with different spices and butter. It was a delicious way to learn more about traditional meals in the Amazigh culture.
we ended our workshop with dancing and the opportunity to try on some traditional Amazigh clothes. Students were able to wear different ornamental and authentic clothing, and learned some dance moves to show off their new outfits. Everyone ended up on their feet, laughing and dancing around the room, and it was an experience like no other!
