In-depth academic research reveals that North Africa is primarily built upon an ancient Amazigh foundation, whose recognition is crucial for understanding the region’s complex historical and identity-related dynamics. Archaeological and historical evidence attests to a continuous human presence in North Africa since prehistoric times. The Tamazight language, belonging to the Afro-Asiatic family, is part of this continuity and represents one of the major foundations of North African identity. The term Tamazgha is thus used to designate the Amazigh historical and cultural space that extends across all of North Africa. Its exclusive use can lead to a reductive interpretation of North African history, privileging the Arab-Islamic period at the expense of the millennia of Amazigh history that preceded it.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 11, 2026 22:52 UTC