Ibn Zoher University Department of English

Studies
Faculty of Letter and Human
Science
Agadir, Morocco

Tattooing in Amazigh
culture

end term paper submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of BA in English
Studies; linguistics major

Submitted by :
Achraf Elwaria Supervise :
Fatima Ezzahrae El youssoufi Mr. Akharraz Mohame
 ABSTRACT
 This interpretive study investigates the topic of" tattooing in Amazigh
culture". However, the purpose that led us to choose this topic is to
show people our fantastic culture. and the importance of these tattoos
for us as Amazigh. Also in this research, we adopted mixed
methodologies that contained both quantitative and qualitative data in
the same study. A study is conducted at Ibn Zohr Agadir, and we focus
on Amazigh students as participants in our study. more over Amazigh
tattoos are not just a form of decoration or social status; they have a
spiritual significance. culture . and this paper contains the results of
why Amazigh tattoos have their own significance, meaning, and history.
and why it declines in Amazigh communities in Morocco.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In the name of Allah, the most gracious and merciful, First, we are
thankful to almighty Allah for giving us the strength, knowledge, ability,
and opportunity to undertake this study and complete it satisfactorily.
Secondly, we want to give our warmest thanks to our professor and
supervisor, Mr. Akhrraz, for his valuable guidance and support in the
completion of this project. Thirdly, we acknowledge, with a deep sense
of reverence, our gratitude towards our parents, who have always
supported us morally as well as economically. Last but not least, we
would like to thank all our friends and supporters who directly or
indirectly helped us complete this project.

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ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………………………………1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………………………………………..1

TABLE OF CONTENTS ……………………………………………………………………….2

GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.Statments of problem………………………………………………………………………
2.Purpose(s) & objective(s) of the study …………………………………………….
3.Research questions………………………………………………………………………….

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ………………………………………………………

CHAPTER 3:METHODOLOGY……………………………………………………………….
1.Introduction:………………………………………………………………………………….
2.Research design:…………………………………………………………………………….
3.Sampling:……………………………………………………………………………………….
4.Measuring instruments:……………………………………………………………
5.Data analysis:……………………………………………………………………………
6. Discussion
CONCLUSION:………………………………………………………………………………….

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GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1. Statement of the research problem:
my interest has driven me to choose this topic: "Tattooing in Amazigh
culture". because I am proud of being Amazigh, and to be aware of
tattooing in Amazigh culture. Also, to know more about it.

2. Research objectives:
the purpose of this research is to show people our fantastic culture,
and the basic meaning of tattoos in our culture.

3. Research questions:
1. What is the history of tattooing in Amazigh culture?
2. What is the underlying significance of tattoos in Amazigh
culture?
3. Why is tattooing culture in decline in Amazigh communities in
Morocco?

CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW

1. What is the history of tattooing in Amazigh culture?

Before mentioning any things, we must first know what is

Amazigh. " Amazigh" means free people in "Touareg", a closely
related variation of other Berber dialects that are spoken among
tribes "Tamazight" is the root language, yet every tribe has a
different dialect. The Amazigh people live in communities across
Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Mali, Niger, Mauritania, and

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Burkina Faso. Tattoos are a type of body modification that can be done
by hand or with modern machines. It is made by inserting tattoo ink,
dyes, or pigment on the skin resulting from the introduction of
exogenous substances either indelible or temporary, and it is put on the
skin to form a design. Tattooing in Amazigh culture is traditionally done
by drawing with a needle containing kohl and coal ash. The wound is
then cleaned with salt water, and Amazigh tattoos are placed near the
eyes, mouth, and nose. The Amazigh people have a long and rich
history of tattooing. Tattooing is an important part of the cultural
identity of the Amazigh people and is seen as a way to express one's
identity, beliefs, and values. It is believed that the practice of tattooing
among the Amazigh dates back to ancient times and has been a part of
their culture for thousands of years. It’s one of the oldest rites of
Amazigh culture. The oldest example of the tattoo dates back to 3000
BC and is represented by a mummy called "Ötzi the Iceman" discovered
in the area of the Italian-Austrian border in 1991.

Tattoos for the English explorer James Cook are "The etymological
origin of the word tattoo is believed to have two major derivations:
the first is from the Polynesian word "ta" which means "striking
something," and the second is from the Tahitian word "tatau"
which means "to mark something".

2. What is the underlying significance of tattoos in Amazigh

culture?

These tattoos are not just inked on the skin; they're more than that.
It has significance, meaning, or purpose. Amazigh tattoos have been
a part of our culture since ancient times. Tattoos were used to mark
a significant life event or to show social status; as a symbol of
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 beauty and as a form of self-expression; and were believed to have
healing abilities. However, the women used them to make them
unattractive to the lustful eyes of French soldiers. Yet these were
not ordinary drawings; they reflected life and its forces, whether in
the form of a flower or a fly. They symbolized the collective
memory and history of the people. And The first facial tattoo is
called the "siyala" and is placed on the chin for fertility. as the
Moroccan philosopher Abdelkbir Khatabi said that tattoos were
prevalent among Amazigh women because they served as a strong
social marker. The drawings helped differentiate between tribes as
well as certain women’s marital status and fertility. "As well as
being an adornment, the tattoos were unique insofar as they were
a reflection on the marvels of the human body". According to Sarah
Corbett, a writer specializing in ancient culture, the images chosen
were symbolic of specific qualities. Whereas a tree would represent
strength, snakes embody healing, and bees symbolize stamina.
Also, the sociologist Abderrahi, El Atri, considered the tattoos
"motifs to rebuild the human body." And "they represent a belief
that supernatural energy resides in all things.

3. Why is tattooing culture in decline in Amazigh communities in

Morocco?

As with any cultural phenomenon it either continues or is forgotten

for Amazigh tattoos, it starts despairing for many  reasons such as the
urbanization and modernization of Moroccan society. Traditional
tattoos in eyes of Amazigh women are seen  as non-modern and
unbecoming. Also in addition Moroccan  women turning away from
traditional Amazigh tattoos, they now channel this form of expression

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and beauty through henna. Additionally, some youth in Morocco are
turning to modern tattoos, that have new types and new shapes
inspired by the West. Also, the end of the French occupation led the
majority of women to abend tattoos cause in their point of view they
protected them from the French soldiers, to avoid rapping them. 
However, another factor that led to the despairing e was the
modern Islamization of Morocco. They consider tattoos taboo or
haram. According to Amazigh activist, Ahmed Assad, in areas with
religious influence, the tradition no longer continues because tattoos
are seen as "haram.". and the rise of Islam in Morocco, made this
practice is now quickly disappearing. At the moment, the tattooed
elderly Amazigh women of today are the last generation to have taken
part in the tradition.
Amazigh tattoos are a part of our traditional culture as Amazigh’s;
they are a unique and meaningful way to express one's individuality
and show pride in our heritage. These tattoos are a way to honor the
past and show respect for one’s cultural heritage.

Chapter 2: METHODOLOGY

1. Introduction:

Being a part of Amazigh culture and growing up among Amazigh

women allows you to realize that tattooing in Amazigh culture is not
just a form of art but also a way to express one's identity and ingrained
beliefs. This interpretive study investigates and describes the tattoos in
Amazigh culture; moreover, this paper contains the history of tattooing
in Amazigh culture, how tattooing has been a significant part of the
Amazigh culture for thousands of years, and why it is important to

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them, especially for women. and also why tattooing culture is in decline
in Amazigh communities. Tattooing in Amazigh culture is a vibrant
tradition that has been passed down for generations because of its
historical background.

2.Research design:
We used a deductive approach, especially A phenomenological design
was used in this study. It seeks to perceive, detect, and describe the
universal essence of a phenomenon. In another sense,
phenomenological research focuses on lived experiences to get
profound insights into how we conceive of those experiences. The
research using this approach investigates, describes, and interprets the
participants feelings and beliefs to gather the truth about the targeted
phenomenon. Based on what was mentioned, in turn, we adopted the
same approach to investigate the significance of tattooing in AmazighI
culture, the history of it, and also why it is in decline in Amazigh
communities in Morocco.

3. Sampling :
This study is conducted at Ibn Zohr Agadir; we focus on young Amazigh
people. We asked them about the significance of tattooing, what it
means to them, why they despair, and why they no longer put Amazigh
tattoos on. to elicit in-depth information and have more feedback
about their experiences. We used online questions with the youth to
collect more data and information.

4. Measuring instruments:

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 This research relied on mixed methodologies that contained both
quantitative and qualitative data in the same study. The data was
gathered through an online questionnaire among Ibn Zohr
University students. We focus on the Amazigh youth because of the
scarcity of women who wear tattoos in our current time.
Consequently, we conducted an online questionnaire in which we
exclusively targeted Amazigh students to extensively explore more
about their knowledge of Amazigh tattoos. These instruments
consist of questions that were chosen in order to give participants a
high degree of freedom to express their feelings and thoughts.

5.data analysis:
In this section we will show the data collected through online questions
that is related to the topic ,we asked seven questions, with the
participate of 23 students.

What is your gender ?

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In the first question, as shown in the diagram, 52.2% of males
participated in filling out the survey, while on the other hand, the
female participation rate reached 47.8%. So this gives us more accurate
and objective results and shows the difference between both genders.

What is your current status ?

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This question shows the current study of the participants, students,
who are the majority at exactly 87% and employ 4.3%, while non-
employees who have a bachelor's degree rate reached 8.7%. This
diversity allows us to better understand our participants and their
backgrounds.

Are you familiar with Amazigh tattoos ?

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The goal behind this question is to know if the participants actually
know about their Amazigh culture since tattoos are part of it. Also, if
they are familiar with these tattoos, And as shown, 91.3% of them are
familiar with Amazigh tattoos, while 8.7% are not.

Do you know the history of Amazigh tattoos ?

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From the diagram, it's clear that the majority of the participants don’t
know the history of these tattoos. 52.2% of them didn’t know the
history, ,while on the other hand, 47.8% actually knew the history of
tattoos in Amazigh culture.

Does Amazigh tattooing have significance, and what does it mean for
you?

 
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    Many Amazigh people know that tattoos are not just ink; they have a
meaning and a purpose for each design. So they have their significance
through history, and since all the participants are Amazigh, they lead us
to the following statements:

" Yeah , surely every tattoo in the old or the newest Amazigh
community has a significant or deep cultural meaning. The Amazigh
tattoos are only for women, and the first meaning of the tattoos that
women or girls design under their lips is fertility. Then other tattoos
mean protecting from aljounon or spirits, also as illnesses and
diseases." (MALE RESPONDENT)

"Yes, of course it does. Since I am Amazigh in roots, tattoos are

arguably a symbol of Tamazgha; it's an identity for all Amazigh people.
Specifically for women, since tattoos are applied by them over history
in the belief that it's a measurement of beauty," (MALE RESPONDENT)

"Amazigh tattoos are associated with wisdom and beauty. They are not
just ordinary drawings, but the memory of a whole history and a unique
culture that spanned centuries". (female respondent)

Why is tattooing culture in decline in Amazigh communities in

Morocco?

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In this question, we asked about the reason behind the despair of these
Amazigh tattoos. And the answers of the participant lead us to the
following statement:

"I think that the Amazigh people loved Islam and learned it, so they
stopped tattooing because it's haram." (female respondent)

"I think it’s probably because since we are Muslims, we believe tattoos
are forbidden since they’re a type of harm to the body that God gave us
when we’re supposed to take care of it and protect it, so now we’ve
almost completely thrown away the idea of having Amazigh tattoos."
(female respondent)

“I would say that it's probably because of the influence of globalization.

Women nowadays are very open to other cultures, which can be very
well understood through the way they dress today, which is in contrast
to the Amazigh's clothing style. " (MALE RESPONDENT)
 

“I Don’t know “ (MALE RESPONDENT)

Is the disappearance of tattoos due to its uncivilized forms ?

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In this question, we mention the uncivilized designs of Amazigh tattoos
that were drawn in the past and the new ones that are more beautiful
and new. We have 59.1% that disagree and 40.9% of participants that
agree

5. Discussion:

Through all the data and information collected through these online
questions, we noted that the majority of participants are familiar with
these tattoos (around 91.3%), and they know that they are part of
Amazigh culture. Also, 47.8% actually know the history of tattoos, and
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52.2% don't, and that is because of their ancient history and the lack of
people who wear these tattoos nowadays in our generation. However,
when it came to the significance of tattoos, many of the participants
gave a deep answer, which shows how proud they are and how happy
they are to be a part of such a magnificent culture. And from their
answers, some say that Amazigh tattoos are wisdom and beauty and
are not just ordinary tattoos; some say that they have meaning and
purpose; and some say that they signify fertility and protect them from
evil spirits. and why tattoos are declining in Amazigh communities in
Morocco; some of them say that it started with despair. Because the
influence of globalization and how women nowadays are open to other
cultures and ignore their own culture starts with the way they dress,
some say that the intervention of Islam has caused the decline of
Amazigh tattoos in our society. Since tattoos are haram and forbidden
in Islamic religion, and since the Moroccans are Muslims, we decline
these tattoos. In addition, 40.9% of participants agree that the tattoos
start disappearing because of their uncivilized and traditional forms,
and 59.1% disagree.

REFERENCES

https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/the-fading-pride-of-amazigh-
tattoos-25555

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https://www.newarab.com/features/amazigh-tattoos-are-fading-it-too-
late-revive-them

https://www.prep4ias.com/traditional-culture-of-tattoos-in-amazigh-
women-origins-and-signs/
#Traditional_Culture_of_tattoos_in_Amazigh_women_Origins_and_Sig
ns

wikipiday

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