Meet The Tattooed Berber Women Of The Atlas Mountains

Tattoos carry different weight from culture to culture. Photographer Giulia Frigieri explores the symbolism of the ancient Berber tradition of facial tattooing.

To visit a traditional Berber village, book Culture Trip’s six-day group adventure where you’ll get to meet the locals during a hike of the Atlas Mountains.

As it is with so many things in life, multiple meanings are attached to tattoos; they can represent a mark of unity or one of division. In Japan, for instance, tattoos are banned from public saunas due to their link to the underworld; in 1600, criminals were branded to separate them. Meanwhile, in Samoa culture, women are known for their intricate malu ink designs – usually below the knee to the upper thigh – to represent the protection, shelter and security that they provide the community.

In Berber culture – an indigenous Northwestern African group – the act of tattooing has also long been a stamp of cultural identity and womanhood: the different etchings symbolise a woman’s marital status, fertility and tribe. Typically, they decorate her face, hands and feet – though some women have been known to cover every inch of their bodies. But it’s a dying act among younger generations. These tattoos are now loaded with stigma and shunned as a sin against God. C’est Haram, as the wider Arabic culture calls it.

It’s this name that photographer Frigieri gave to her series that captures the few women alive today with such markings. Based in rural Morocco in the High Atlas Mountains, these women, now in their 70s, have a much different relationship with getting inked to the youth. To them, C’est pas Haram.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.