Zaian Amazigh

The Zaian Amazigh are a group of seminomadic people primarily found in the Middle Atlas mountains of central Morocco. They are a branch of the Amazigh (Berber) people, who are the indigenous inhabitants of North Africa. The Zaian are known for their horsemanship and traditionally live in fortified villages called ksars, raising sheep and cereals.123

Historically, the Zaian were led by Muha ū Hāmū al-Zaiyānī, who established a market and town at Khenifra in the late 19th century, eventually declaring independence from the sultan. French troops occupied Khenifra in 1914, and full control of the region was not established until 1921. The Amazigh language, Tamazight, is spoken by the Zaian and became an official language in Morocco in 2011.14