Rachid Bouhaddouz
National Coordinator of AGraw for Amazigh—PAM
Statistics are more than just a tool for data collection or mere numbers; they are a complex process with political, cultural, and social dimensions that help in deeply understanding the demographic, economic, and social composition of any society. These vital data are used by the state to shape public policies and allocate resources more efficiently. The choice of questions asked to citizens and the way results are interpreted can significantly influence how national identity is understood, and sometimes, it may be used to reinforce certain policies at the expense of others.
Statistics and Ethnic Identity
In Morocco, language is primarily used as a criterion to determine ethnic identity in public policies and population statistics. Speakers of Darija are considered “Arabs,” while speakers of Amazigh are deemed “Amazigh.” This division is based on the assumption that language is a direct reflection of ethnic identity. However, this approach overlooks the genetic and cultural complexity of the Moroccan people, as well as the changing linguistic structure of Moroccans over the past century, which has seen intense Arabization policies and a process of homogenization and devaluation of Amazigh identity, forcing many Moroccans to distance themselves from it.
Darija: Between Authenticity and Modernity
Moroccan Darija, at its core, is the product of a complex linguistic process where most of the original Amazigh terms have been replaced by Arabic, French, and to a lesser extent, Spanish ones. However, it retains the linguistic structure, syntax, and way of thinking that are rooted in Amazigh culture. This linguistic phenomenon reflects the depth of Amazigh identity among Darija speakers and their origins, highlighting that language is not just about words but a means of thinking and expressing reality in a way that is indirectly tied to the speaker’s authentic identity.
For instance, the phrase “l-lḥem khḍer” (the meat is green) is used in Moroccan Darija to express that the meat is uncooked. This expression does not align with the traditional Arabic way of describing food but reflects an Amazigh sentence structure where the color green is associated with ripeness or readiness, not necessarily the actual color.
Similarly, when considering the omission of the glottal stop (hamza) at the end of words such as “sma” instead of “samāʾ” (sky) and “lma” instead of “almāʾ” (water), we find that this change reflects Amazigh influence on Moroccan Darija. This is not merely a change in pronunciation but a result of the Amazigh rules being transferred into Darija, reinforcing the idea that Darija is more than just a colloquial dialect of Arabic. Additionally, the phenomenon of dropping the sukūn (vowel silence) at the end of words is part of this influence, where words in Amazigh are often pronounced without clear endings, and this rule has been transferred into Darija.
For example, the expression “ṭāḥt š-šta” (it rained) is used in Moroccan Darija to describe rainfall. In Standard Arabic, verbs like “hatala” or “nazala” would be used, while in Darija, the verb “ṭāḥ” (fell) is used, reflecting the Amazigh influence in perceiving and describing natural phenomena. Language can be compared to a vessel containing liquid; it is easy to replace the liquid with another, but it will necessarily take the shape of the original vessel. This is what happened with Amazigh and Darija; the terms may have changed, but the linguistic structure and composition remained Amazigh.
Furthermore, the Amazigh influence is evident in numerical expressions in Darija. For example, in the phrase “ʿṭīni wāḥed jūj swārt” (give me two keys), the word “wāḥed” (one) is used as an article, and “jūj” (two) as a number, reflecting the unique Amazigh influence on the use of numbers and words.
Other examples that illustrate the deep Amazigh influence in the subconscious of Darija speakers and reflect their cultural origins include expressions of love. In Amazigh culture, the liver is considered the center of strong emotional feelings, and this concept has transitioned into Darija, where the expression “lkbda dyāli” (my liver) is used to express deep affection, a phrase unfamiliar in Standard Arabic but common in Amazigh.
These examples and others demonstrate that Moroccan Darija does not represent a mere vernacular level of Standard Arabic as commonly believed, but rather a language that embodies deep Amazigh elements, reflecting a complex identity that represents a long history of cultural and linguistic interaction in Morocco and an Amazigh identity rooted in Moroccan culture.
The Ethnic Identity of Darija Speakers
To understand the ethnic identity of Moroccan Darija speakers more deeply, we must analyze the language from a scientific and linguistic perspective. A scientific analysis of Darija reveals that this language is not merely the replacement of Amazigh vocabulary with Arabic terms but a reflection of an Amazigh way of thinking deeply rooted in the culture of its speakers. Darija, as we know it today, is the result of a historical process where Amazigh people adopted Arabic terms but retained the Amazigh thought structure in sentence and linguistic construction.
This linguistic adaptation would not have occurred if the original speakers were Arabs. It is known that changing vocabulary in a language might be relatively easy, but altering the structure of thought and the ways people perceive the world around them is far more difficult.
In this context, Professor Mohamed Chafiq, in his book *Moroccan Darija: A Field of Convergence between Amazigh and Arabic*, notes that Moroccan Darija is a natural product of the intermingling of Amazigh and Arabic languages, making it a hybrid and independent language in its own right, carrying the characteristics of both languages. The book serves as a fundamental reference for understanding the extent of Amazigh influence on Darija, containing a glossary of more than 1,500 words of Amazigh origin still used in Darija today.
How to Classify Darija Speakers?
Classifying Moroccan Darija speakers is not a simple task due to the linguistic and cultural complexity surrounding this hybrid language. As previously mentioned, Darija is the result of a fusion between Amazigh and Arabic, making the classification of its speakers as “Arabs” alone neither accurate nor fair. This classification ignores the deep Amazigh roots that constitute a significant part of the cultural identity of Darija speakers.
If we rely solely on language to classify identity, we fall into the trap of oversimplification. A Darija speaker may have direct Amazigh ancestry, or their ancestors may have been Arabized in previous decades. Even if their daily language is Darija, this language itself carries clear Amazigh imprints, whether in pronunciation, grammar, or sentence structure. Therefore, classifying Darija speakers requires acknowledging the plurality of their identity. They may have adopted an identity or culture they perceive as Arab, but this should not be imposed on their genetic origins. The Moroccan person reflects a long history of cultural and linguistic interaction in Morocco.
This linguistic and cultural interaction shows that ethnic identity cannot be determined based solely on language. The Moroccan Darija speaker may be Amazigh in their cultural and genetic roots, despite using Darija in their daily life. Hence, relying on language as a criterion for determining ethnic identity in population statistics is misleading and does not reflect the complex reality of Morocco’s social fabric.
Towards a Comprehensive and Fair Classification
It becomes clear that statistical classifications based on language to determine ethnicity need a comprehensive review. Moroccan identity today requires a more inclusive approach that recognizes linguistic and cultural diversity on the one hand and the genetic homogeneity of Moroccans on the other. This is confirmed by all the genetic analyses conducted by Moroccans and published on social media, debunking traditional classifications that do not reflect reality. Adopting a unified Moroccan identity that encompasses all components of society, regardless of language and local cultures, is the path towards building a cohesive and stable society in the future, a society deeply connected to its homeland, appreciating its homogeneity, and proudly embracing its regional cultural diversity without ethnic implications.
Insisting on classifying Darija speakers based on narrow ethnic criteria ignores these complexities and reinforces artificial divisions within society. In the past, we may understand the state’s stance after colonialism in attempting to create a balance by instilling the concept of ethnic plurality in Morocco, but now we are in a new phase towards building a national state that upholds the values of “Tamazight.” Therefore, it is essential to develop new classification criteria that reflect the reality of cultural and linguistic diversity and highlight the ethnic unity of Moroccans, who are among the most homogeneous peoples in the world. This would enhance the collective Moroccan identity that transcends traditional divisions, showing that we are all one people, homogeneously united for thousands of years, an independent nation that has fought for its independence since the dawn of history and continues to preserve it.
