Access to land and Berber ethnicity in the Middle Atlas, Morocco

This article discusses the relationship between the indigenous settler population of the Middle Atlas of Morocco and the newcomers to the region. Most of the settlers are Tamazigh-speaking Berbers who call themselves imazighen, the original and independent people. The newcomers, or abarani as they are called by the Berbers,' come from other parts of Morocco and generally speak Arabic. A study of settler-newcomer relations is thus at the same time a study of relations between ethnic groups. This article seeks to chart the development of these relations during the successive stages of state formation: the Sultanate, the Protectorate, the period 1956-70 and the period from 1970 to the present day. In the everyday language of the Middle Atlas stereotypes about Berbers, Arabs and other ethnic groups are common. The Berbers say they hate newcomers. With reference to Arabs one informant stated: 'They are the evil eye: avoid seeing them, because they may bring bad luck.'2 Bad feelings are particularly common if newcomers are successful in their trade or occupation. A Berber informant complaining on this point ended his statement by saying: 'Strangers come today, and tomorrow they have a large family; but they will never be allowed to take advantage of us.' In a dispute between a Berber and an Arab we once heard the former shouting: 'raa arabic', 'go to your Arab countrymen'. Arabs also regularly use stereotypes. With reference to the Middle Atlas Berbers, one informant said: 'They live as savages in tents near caves and forests. They are nomads who use boots and plastic for clothing. They don't speak or read Arabic and don't know the Koran.'3 Another informant said: