Masmuda facts for kids

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The Masmuda are a big group of Berber tribes from Morocco. They are one of the largest tribal groups in the Maghreb region, along with the Zenata and the Sanhaja. Today, many Masmuda people speak the Shilha (Tachelhit) Berber language. However, some groups, like the Regraga, now speak Arabic.

History of the Masmuda

The Masmuda people settled in many parts of Morocco. They mostly stayed in one place and were good at farming. Their leaders lived in a town called Aghmat in the High Atlas mountains.

Changes Over Time

Starting in the 10th century, other Berber tribes, like the Sanhaja and Zenata, moved into Masmuda lands. Later, in the 12th century, Arab Bedouins (nomadic people) also arrived.

The Almohad Movement

In the early 12th century, a leader named Ibn Tumart brought the Masmuda tribes together. He started a powerful movement called the Almohads. This movement helped unite all of the Maghreb region and Andalusia (parts of Spain and Portugal).

After the Almohad empire became weaker, the Masmuda tribes started to focus more on their own groups again. Because of this, they lost their strong political power. By the 16th century, many of their lands were taken by other groups. The Masmuda mostly lived in the mountains after that.

Masmuda Sub-tribes

Before the 12th century, the Masmuda were generally split into three main groups:

• The Ghumara lived in the north.
• The Barghawata were in the central part of Morocco.
• The Masmuda proper lived in the south.

Main Masmuda Groups

An old book from 1312, called Kitāb Mafāk̲h̲ir al-Barbar, lists some of the Masmuda sub-tribes. These include the Haha, Regraga, Warika (Ourika), Hazmira, Gadmiwa, Henfisa, Hezerga, Doukkala, Hintata, Maghus, and Tehlawa.

In the south, the Masmuda were divided into two main areas:

• Masmuda of the Plains: These groups lived north of the Atlas mountains. Important groups included the Dukkala, the Banu Magir, the Hazmira, the Ragraga, and the Haḥa.
• Masmuda of the Mountains: These groups lived in the High Atlas and Anti-Atlas mountain regions. Some of the main groups were the Glawa, the Warika (Ourika), the Hintata, and the Gadmiwa.

Related Tribes

Historian Ibn Khaldun noted that the Haskura or Hasakira group, who were originally from the Sanhaja, also lived in the Atlas mountains. They were often linked with the Masmuda because they supported the Almohad cause.

See also

In Spanish: Masmuda para niños

• Banu Dānis (Masmuda clan in al-Andalus)
• Hintata