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Culture, Different Cultures: What Would Your Life Be Like If You Were a Berber Born in Siwa, Egypt?

Have you ever thought about how other people live outside of your own life? For example, what kind of life do the Amazigh (Berber) people, scattered across a large part of Africa from Mali to Egypt's Siwa oasis, lead today?
 Culture, Different Cultures: What Would Your Life Be Like If You Were a Berber Born in Siwa, Egypt?
READING NOW Culture, Different Cultures: What Would Your Life Be Like If You Were a Berber Born in Siwa, Egypt?

If you happen to be in the Sahara Desert one day, you will often encounter the Amazigh people, who are famous for their colorful clothes, wonderful music and hospitality; They will attract your attention with their unique lifestyle and culture that they have managed to preserve for centuries.

And if one day you actually go to the Sahara Desert, when you meet people you didn’t know existed before and realize that you share similar feelings and thoughts – as I thought – “I wonder what my life would be like if I were a Berber born and raised in these lands?” you may think. If we were an Amazigh living in Siwa in 2023, our life would be exactly like this:

We mostly spoke Siwa (local Berber language) in our daily lives.

The language spoken by Amazigh people is often called “Tamazight”. Amazigh language, or Berber language as some call it, is spoken in a wide area extending from the mountains to the deserts in the north of Africa. The language spoken by the Amazigh people living in Siwa is called “Siwi” differently.

Imagine, this language managed to survive among changing kingdoms, empires and cultures for thousands of years. This language, which is quite unique in this respect, has different dialects in different regions. So much so that sometimes there can be big differences between the dialect spoken in the mountains of Morocco and the dialect spoken in the desert.

However, this language is a language that Amazigh people only use to communicate with each other in daily life. It is not very common in written language or educational language. For example, they also speak Arabic with Egyptians living in the same regions.

We could have known 3 different Alphabets.

The most famous alphabet used by the Amazigh throughout history is called “Tifinagh”. When you see this alphabet, it attracts your attention with its interesting characters that resemble geometric shapes. But, as I mentioned, this alphabet is not very common among the new generation. In other words, the number of people who can read and write is very low among the Amazgihs.

It is said that Arab domination in the region greatly suppressed both language and culture. In modern times, when writing, we generally write in Arabic and use the Arabic alphabet. Some prefer to write this language with the Latin alphabet.

In summary; The language and script of the Amazigh people have a unique heritage that reflects the rich and diverse history and culture of North Africa. If one day you see these letters somewhere, you will now know what they mean!

We could engage in agricultural activities such as going to our date garden in the early morning hours and dealing with irrigation works.

Living as an Amazigh in the beauty of Siwa brings a life in touch with nature. If we were born Amazigh in Siwa, agriculture would be at the heart of our lives. We would wake up at the first light of the morning, maybe drink a cup of hops tea and set out towards our date palm garden.

Date is the golden fruit of Siwa; It is both delicious and abundant. A life revolving around these sweet fruits every day would remind us how lucky we are with the gift nature offers. On the other hand, weather conditions averaging 45 degrees and sweltering desert heat would be an ordinary thing for us.

We would wear colorful dresses and colorful jewelry or traditional white, long dresses.

If we were born as a Berber living in the Siwa oasis of Egypt, our choice of clothing would of course be shaped by both traditional and environmental factors. Since Siwa is a region with a hot desert climate, our clothes had to adapt to these conditions.

That famous long white dress for men is called “djellaba”. It’s as if Djellaba was designed to cool off on hot days in the desert or to protect against the cool breeze in the evenings. And of course, it keeps you cool by reflecting sunlight with its white color. However, it is possible to see djellaba not only in white, but sometimes in brown or other natural colors.

As for the daily clothes of Berber women, they also have their own version of colorful djellabas. The djellaba for women is usually more colorful and decorated. Some of them have such beautiful embroidery that they are like a work of art.

Women also wear colorful scarves or traditional dresses called “takchita” to wear on their heads. These dresses are often used at special events, festivals and entertainment.

Speaking of fun:

Amazigh; It is known for its festivals, music and dances. Each region carries its own unique rituals and celebrations, but what they all have in common is the community’s desire to come together and keep their traditions alive.

If you come across an Amazigh festival, it is impossible not to be fascinated by their unique instruments, dances and songs in the Amazigh language. However, interestingly, they are against these songs and entertainments being recorded on video and shared on social media. For this reason, it is not possible to find it on the internet.

In addition to these enthusiastic entertainments, they are also known for their traditional alcoholic beverages called “arak”. Arak is an anise-based drink produced especially in North African countries and is an indispensable part of social gatherings, celebrations and sometimes even daily conversations among the Amazigh.

It is usually drunk by mixing it with water and ice, and as a result of this mixture, it turns white. In addition, you should definitely try their sweet tea, which they prefer to drink in the desert, especially after sunset.

In short; Siwa is an oasis in the middle of the desert, the hidden treasure of Egypt. The Amazigh people living here can fascinate you with their historical and cultural richness. If you want to see date palm trees, old temples, a completely different and less spoken language, and the Berber people who continue their struggle to preserve their own identity, visiting Siwa will be an experience that meets your expectations.

Bonus:

Sources: Britannica, Washington Institute

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