Berber

The lifestyle of the Berbers has remained untouched for centuries and many of the same practices and customs are still in place.  The Berber are one of the earliest recorded people groups in North Africa, with documentation going back to the ancient Greeks and Phoenicians.  

The Berber are well known for their beautiful silver jewelry as well as leather work and hand-woven carpets.  Berber is actually a generic name that refers to many of the people's who live in the north African region.  In fact, the Barbary coast was named after the Berbers who inhabited the area and also raided ships that would stop there.  The term that many of the Berber use to describe themselves is the Amazigh.  The Berbers have been in conflict with the Arabs for centuries, but have begun to gradually become assimilated with the Arab culture so that it's very difficult to tell the difference.  The Berbers were traditionally a nomadic people who traveled throughout the Sahara to promote trade, but have since been giving up their migrating lifestyle and have become farmers throughout North Africa and Southern Europe.   

Most Berbers follow an animistic version of Islam.  They wear protective amulets and also practice divination from the Koran, which sets them apart from more orthodox followers of Islam.