The term "Berber" was given to us by the ancient Greeks and Romans. The word "Berber" is derived from the Greek word "barbaros," which means "foreign" or "barbarian." It was used as a term to describe the people who spoke a non-Greek or non-Roman language.

Many Amazigh people consider the term "Berber" to be pejorative because of its association with colonialism and cultural imperialism. The term was often used by colonial powers to label and categorize people in North Africa, which contributed to a long history of discrimination and marginalization.

We prefer to use our original name, "Amazigh," or "Imazighen" (singular: Amazigh) #ⵜⴰⵣⴰⵍⵜ

Furthermore, the term "Berber" is associated with a sense of homogeneity that does not accurately represent the diversity and complexity of our culture. There are many different Amazigh tribes and groups with distinct cultural and linguistic identities and using a generic term like "Berber" erases these differences and homogenizes the entire Amazigh group.

With Love, 

Hind Bitouche- Founder of Dar Chi. ⴷⴰⵔ ⵛⵉ

Featured Image- Amazigh Tradition, an Inspiration to Yves Saint Laurent