{"id":80373,"date":"2021-03-16T18:05:06","date_gmt":"2021-03-16T18:05:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/voiceofsalam.com\/?p=24638"},"modified":"2021-03-16T18:05:06","modified_gmt":"2021-03-16T18:05:06","slug":"7-ethnic-groups-that-highlight-the-ethno-cultural-diversity-across-the-middle-east-and-north-africa-mena-region","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/03\/16\/7-ethnic-groups-that-highlight-the-ethno-cultural-diversity-across-the-middle-east-and-north-africa-mena-region\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Ethnic groups that highlight the ethno-cultural diversity across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA region)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
By Elizabeth Arif-Fear<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As someone who used to be married to an Amazigh<\/strong> man \u2013 and has worked, lived and travelled across North Africa \u2013 I can\u2019t tell you how annoying it when people dismiss Amazigh identity, language and culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People would automatically presume that because my ex-husband was from the Maghreb<\/strong> (annoyingly lumped together with the Middle East in what\u2019s known as the MENA region \u2013 the Middle East and North Africa), that he was Arab<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It wasn\u2019t true! There are people in the Maghreb who identify as Arab but there are also many who don\u2019t!<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, many people unfamiliar with the region don\u2019t know who Amazigh people (Berbers) are<\/strong>. And that\u2019s why I\u2019m writing this blog!<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important not to homogenise a geographical group of people and to understand the ethnic, cultural and religious diversity of the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, read on to find out more about the Amazigh population and six other ethnic groups that highlight the ethno-cultural diversity of the MENA region<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Kurds: A proud people<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n