The Souss peoples in Morocco and North Africa

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(Also known as Ishilhayn, Southern Shilha or Souss Berbers)

Souss Population: 3 million | Muslim: 99.9%

Some History of the Souss in Morocco

The original inhabitants of North Africa are known to the western world as Berbers and those of south-central Morocco call themselves Ishilhayn. With a population of more than three million, the Ishilhayn are 99.9% Muslim and one of the largest unreached people groups in the world today. Currently without any known church meetings in their language they are among the twenty largest people groups with only a small population of Christians.

The Ishilhayn or Souss lifestyle in Morocco

The Ishilhayn are predominantly light-skinned rural people with a solid work ethic, they have strong ties to extended families and traditional ways of life. Hundreds of thousands of Ishilhayn have migrated to Western Europe and to Moroccan cities like Casablanca, Marrakesh and Agadir, in search of employment. However many still live in thousands of small ancestral villages scattered throughout the Souss River valley, the High Atlas and Anti Atlas Mountain ranges, and the surrounding foothills and plains. A typical village is a huddle of packed earth or rough-hewn stone homes with flat roofs, many still without electricity.

Most Ishilhayn are farmers cultivating barley, corn, wheat, potatoes, or vegetables. Fruit trees, nuts, and olives provide subsistence farming for the family and much needed cash when traded. Many keep a cow and chickens to supplement their diet which is most frequently composed of tajine, an oil-based stew of vegetables cooked with a bit of meat and sopped up with bread. Another favourite dish is couscous. Some Ishilhayn keep sheep or goats and live a semi-nomadic life during summer months when they accompany their animals up to distant high mountain plateaus.

Many enterprising Ishilhayn come primarily from a single valley and have managed to establish a near monopoly of the small grocery stores throughout Morocco.

The Lord is at work and in recent years the Jesus Film video was translated into their mother tongue, Tashilhayt, and distributed widely in Morocco. In 1998 the entire Tashilhayt New Testament was published. The number of missionaries who speak Tashilhayt has grown but the task is enormous.

Prayer guide for the Souss peoples in Morocco:

* Pray for the Churches around the world to adopt the Ishilhayn people and that prayer, people and resources will be channelled to see these people reached with the Gospel.
* Pray for the Ishilhayn to have an open heart and mind to receive the Good News.
* Even though these people live in quite remote areas, pray that God will call forth labourers into the harvest field, people who can learn the Tashilhayt language and be able to relate to them in a daily level.
* Pray for the Ishilhayn to come to know Jesus and for His church to be established.

Background on Morocco (World Factbook)

In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa, successive Moorish dynasties began to rule in Morocco. In the 16th century, the Sa’adi monarchy, particularly under Ahmad AL-MANSUR (1578-1603), repelled foreign invaders and inaugurated a golden age. In 1860, Spain occupied northern Morocco and ushered in a half century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw Morocco’s sovereignty steadily erode; in 1912, the French imposed a protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle with France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were turned over to the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature, which first met in 1997. Parliamentary elections were held for the second time in September 2002 and municipal elections were held in September 2003.

Economy of Morocco

Poverty has increased due to the volatile nature of GDP, Morocco’s continued dependence on foreign energy, and its inability to promote the growth of small and medium size enterprises. Unemployment runs at 20%. Morocco’s financial sector is rudimentary. Moroccan authorities understand that reducing poverty and providing jobs is key to domestic security and development. Long-term challenges include preparing the economy for freer trade with the US and European Union, improving education and job prospects for Morocco’s youth, and raising living standards, which the government hopes to achieve by increasing tourist arrivals and boosting competitiveness in textiles.

Statistics on Morocco

Population: 34,343,219 (July 2008 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth: 71.52

Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Religions: Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Languages: Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy

Literacy: total population: 52.3% , male: 65.7% female: 39.6%