Discovering Berber Culture in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco
The AstridTravel Club Trip to Marrakesh in December of 2019 was our first trip as a company, and my first experience as Trip Coordinator.
Before this, I had never been to Morocco, and I had no idea what to expect. I knew that a couple of American women would be traveling in a predominantly Muslim country and I was unsure of how we would be received.
Instantly, upon arriving at our luxury riad, I knew we would be well taken care of. The riad owner and staff greeted us with warmth and generosity - a trend that lasted throughout the duration of our trip. Continually, we were greeted with warm smiles and genuine hospitality. It wasn’t long before I was falling in love with Morocco.
Perhaps the experience that really solidified my love for this country was our day trip to the Atlas Mountains, located just outside of Marrakesh.
Learning about Berber Culture
The Atlas Mountains are home to a large Berber population, the indigenous people of Morocco. They’re Moroccans of course, but the Berber people have their own, distinct culture. If you’ve ever purchased a Moroccan rug (assuming it was authentic) it was likely hand-woven by Berber women. But not all Berber people weave carpets. Micro-cultures within the Berber culture are as diverse as any and they live very different lifestyles, and occupy many different professions.
On this day, we were able to see first-hand the diversity of Beber culture. Our first stop outside of the city was at the home of a local Berber family who made most of their living off agriculture. Later that day, we embarked on a beautiful hike into the mountains led by a young Berber man who made his living as a mountain guide.
Through this experience, I began to understand the nuances of Berber culture but was also able to recognized a common thread of warmth and kindness that ran throughout the Berber people.
