In Jebel Bani as well as in the dune foothills, you can meet nomad families or individual shepherds. Hafid knows the families through his previous teaching at the nomad school in Tafraout/Bani. Here are some characteristics that describe nomads:

• they live in semi-desert and desert areas, e.g. in the south-east of Morocco, e.g. Zagora-M’Hamid-Tata
• they live far away from economic centres
• they have extensive sheep, goat and dromedary husbandry
• they live seasonally in tents, caves or temporary quarry stone shelters the bare floor is covered with blankets or woven rugs. Families sleep together, there is a “kitchen tent” and a “shower tent”. Blankets and sleeping pads are rolled up during the day. In front of the kitchen tent are jerry cans with water, which are often carried by donkey.
• among girls and women there is particularly a high illiteracy rate
• the marriage age of the women is low
• the household size is above average
• there is malnutrition because there is a lack of funds to buy fruit and vegetables

The women are shy and also do not allow themselves to be photographed. Sitting together over tea or even goat’s milk and goat’s cheese is very impressive. Conversations are quiet and relaxed. Occasionally, a storyteller comes by to give news or entertainment in exchange for a meal. Nomad children offer travellers necklaces and bracelets made of plastic beads or occasionally woven rugs and blankets. It is always possible to buy a sheep or goat from a nomad family and then eat it with them.

Because of their simple and primitive way of life without hustle and bustle, they trust their senses much more, which are extremely acute compared to ours. They hear, smell and see much better, they observe their fellow human beings closely and notice emotional states immediately. In the field, they recognise traces where we would not notice anything.

Always a profound experience for the hikers.

More information on the Berbers of Morocco: At Arte TV https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/110589-003-A/marokko-die-zeichensprache-der-berber/ as well as https://www.igenea.com/de/urvoelker/berber