On the evening of 12 January, dozens of bonfires burned on the rocky hillside above the village of Tisselday in Morocco's High Atlas Mountains. They were lit by families for Yennayer, the Amazigh (or Berber) new year celebrations. The Amazigh calendar starts at 950 BCE, when King Sheshonq ascended the throne of Egypt, meaning this year is 2974. For Amazigh communities in Morocco, this Yennayer will be particularly special. On the Amazigh calendar, Yennayer marks the ending of the agrarian year and the beginning of the next, said Agouni.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 13, 2024 14:36 UTC