List of Berbers

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of famous Berber people.

Contents 1 In ancient times 1.1 Pharaoh 1.2 Kings of Numidia 1.3 Roman Emperors and Generals 1.4 Writers 1.5 Christians 1.6 Others 2 In medieval times 3 In modern times 3.1 Politicians 3.2 Figures of the Algerian resistance and revolution 3.3 Artists 3.4 Writers 3.5 Sport 3.6 Others 4 Famous people who were either Berber or Punic 5 Famous people who may have had some Berber ancestors

[edit] In ancient times

[edit] Pharaoh

• Shoshenq I, Egyptian Pharaoh of Libyan origin, founder of the Twenty-second dynasty of Egypt

[edit] Kings of Numidia

• Masinissa, King of Numidia, North Africa, present day Algeria and Tunisia
• Jugurtha, King of Numidia
• Juba II, King of Numidia

[edit] Roman Emperors and Generals

• Macrinus, Roman emperor for 14 months in 217 and 218
• Clodius Albinus, governor of Britannia
• Lusius Quietus, governor of Judaea and one of the best Trajan's chief generals
• Quintus Lollius Urbicus, governor of Britannia from 138 to 144

[edit] Writers

• Terence, (Publius Terentius Afer), Roman writer
• Apuleius, Roman writer ("half-Numidian, half-Gaetulian")
• Priscian, Latin grammarian of the 5th Century, born in modern Algeria

[edit] Christians

• Saint Augustine of Hippo, from Tagaste, was Berber
• Saint Monica of Hippo, Saint Augustine's mother
• Arius, who proposed the doctrine of Arianism
• Donatus Magnus, leader of the Donatist schism

[edit] Others

• Tacfarinas, who fought the Romans in the Aures Mountains
• Firmus, who fought the Romans Between 372 and 375
• Gildo, who fought the Romans in 398

[edit] In medieval times

• Adrian of Canterbury, Abbot of St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury
• Dihya or al-Kahina
• Aksil or Kusayla
• Salih ibn Tarif of the Berghouata
• Tariq ibn Ziyad, one of the leaders of the Moorish conquest of Iberia in 711.
• Ibn Tumart, founder of the Almohad dynasty
• Yusuf ibn Tashfin, founder of the Almoravid dynasty
• Ibn Battuta (1304 - 1377), Moroccan traveller and explorer
• al-Ajurrumi (famous grammarian of Arabic)
• Fodhil al-Warthilani, traveler and religious scholar of the 1700s
• Abu Yaqub Yusuf I, who had the Giralda in Seville built.
• Abu Yaqub Yusuf II, who had the Torre del Oro in Seville built.
• Ziri ibn Manad founder of the Zirid dynasty
• Sidi Mahrez Tunisian saint
• Ibn Al Djazzar famous doctor of Kairouan, 980.
• Muhammad Awzal (ca. 1680-1749), prolific Sous Berber poet (see also Ocean of Tears)
• Muhammad al-Jazuli, author of the Dala'il al-Khairat, Sufi
• Imam Buseiri, poet and author of the famous poem Qasida Burda - lived in Alexandria

[edit] In modern times

[edit] Politicians

• Mohammed Arav Bessaoud, Described as the spiritual father of Berberism, Bessaoud was a Muhjahedin during the war of liberation 1954-62, founder of the Academie Berber in Paris during the 1960's, designer of the modern Berber flag, author of several books recalling the war, its aftermath and the history of the Berbers, he was one of the leading lights of Berberism during the the 20th and early 21st centuries.
• Saïd Sadi, secularist politician.
• Hocine Aït Ahmed, Algerian revolutionary fighter and secularist politician.
• Sidi Said, Leader of the Algerian syndicat of workers : UGTA.
• Khalida Toumi, Algerian feminist and secularist, currently spokesman of the Algerian government.
• Ahmed Ouyahia, Prime Minister of Algeria
• Belaïd Abrika, one of the spokesmen of the Arouch.
• Ferhat Mehenni, politician and singer who militates for the autonomy of Kabylie.
• Nordine Ait Hamouda, secularist politician and son of Colonel Amirouche.
• Saadeddine Othmani, deputy of Inezgane, an outer suburb of Agadir, is the leader of the Justice and Development Party (Islamist).
• Driss Jettou, Prime Minister of Morocco.

[edit] Figures of the Algerian resistance and revolution

• Abane Ramdane, Algerian revolutionary fighter, assassinated in 1957.
• Krim Belkacem, Algerian revolutionary fighter, assassinated in 1970.
• Colonel Amirouche, Algerian revolutionary fighter, killed by french troops in 1959.
• Lalla Fatma n Soumer, woman who led western Kabylie in battle against French colonizers.

[edit] Artists

• Takfarinas - Kabyle singer
• Ait Menguellet - Kabyle singer
• Khalid Izri - Singer from Rif
• Lounes Matoub, Berberist and secularist singer assassinated in 1998.
• Idir - Kabyle singer
• Sliman Azem - singer
• Si Mohand, Kabyle folk poet.
• Souad Massi, a young, female Kabyle singer who performs mainly in French and Maghrebin Arabic.
• Aît Ouarab Mohamed Idir Halo (Al Anka), Chaabi singer in Both Kabyle and Algerian Arabic.
• Karim Ziad - singer
• El Hachemi Guerouabi, Chaabi Singer from Mostaghanem, North of algéria.
• Taos Amrouche, (March 4, 1913 in Tunis, Tunisia - April 2, 1976 in Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire, France) Algerian writer and singer.
• Rim-K, rapper
• Cheb-i-sabbah - DJ and composer in Algeria

[edit] Writers

• Mouloud Feraoun, writer assassinated by the OAS.
• Tahar Djaout, writer and journalist assassinated by the GIA in 1993.
• Salem Chaker, Berberist, linguist, cultural and political activist, writer, and director of Berber at the Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales in Paris
• Mouloud Mammeri, writer, anthropologist and linguist. His interest and work about Tamazight is behind the popular galvanization towards the Amazigh (Berber) culture and language.
• Taos Amrouche, (March 4, 1913 in Tunis, Tunisia - April 2, 1976 in Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire, France) Algerian writer and singer.
• Mohamed Chafiq, Moroccan writer and the dean of the IRCAM.

[edit] Sport

• Zinedine Zidane (1972 - ), French football superstar.
• Rabah Madjer, Algerian football superstar, Winner of the European Champion's League in 1987 with Porto FC
• Mustapha Hadji (1972-), Moroccan soccer player nominated best African player of the year 1998.

[edit] Others

• Abd el-Krim, leader of the Rif guerrillas against the Spanish and French colonizers.
• Walid Mimoun - Protest Singer from Rif
• Ali Lmrabet, Moroccan journalist.
• Kateb Yacine, Algerian Writer.
• Mohamed Choukri (famous writer)
• Liamine Zeroual, President of Algeria between 1994-1999.
• Mohamed Chafik
• Abdallah Oualline Berber Warrior & freedom fighter. Fought against the Spanish occupation in Ait Baamrane, south of Agadir.
• Driss Jettou, Prime Minister of Morocco
• Didouche Mourad
• Cherif Khedam - composer
• Cheikh El Hasnaoui - singer
• Abdallah Nihrane -Scientific Investigator, Assistant Professor, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York USA
• Tinariwen - critically acclaimed band of Tuareg musicians
• M. Toufali - Writer and composer from the Rif (Melilla)
• Sawajiri Erika - Japanese actress. Japanese, Algerian-French mix.
• Kamel Ouali - Choreographer, Dance teacher, Teacher on the french reality TV show Star Academy France.

[edit] Famous people who were either Berber or Punic

• Septimus Severus (Roman emperor from the mainly Punic Libyan city of Lepcis Magna, founded by Phoenicians)
• Caracalla, his son
• Tertullian, an early Christian theologian (born in the highly multiethnic, Phoenician-founded city of Carthage)
• Vibia Perpetua (early Christian martyr, also born in Carthage)
• Cyprian (also born in Carthage)
• Roos, Amirouche, Famous Swedish poet.

[edit] Famous people who may have had some Berber ancestors

Nearly all North Africans - and many Andalusi Moors - fall and fell into this category, but do not in general identify themselves as Berber. For lists of them, look under the respective countries.

• Édith Piaf - one of France's most loved singers, her grand-mother was berber