Thursday, January 31, 2013

berber boy of the sahara ....


The indigenous Berbers, conquered by the invading Arabs of the 7th Century, make up only 1% of Tunisia's population today ... though 50% or more of Tunisians likely have ancient Berber ancestors. Traditionally a nomadic tribe, their urge to roam is curtailed by Tunisia's current laws of compulsory education for their children & have mostly settled in the desert regions of the south, travelling only outside the school year. Sad to say, their native language, 'Tamazight', never recognized as an official language of the country & not taught in the schools, is dying out.

The boy, Musbah, was carrying a small desert fox, hoping for a dinar from me for a chance to have my photo taken holding the fox. He got his dinar .. but for a photograph of him, not the fox.   *~*

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