Dr. Mounia Mnouer (Princeton University Near Eastern Studies) has embarked on a three-year project to center oral histories and narratives from various Amazigh communities in North African Indigenous lands and the diaspora. Traveling to locations such as Morocco, the Canary Islands, and France, Dr. Mnouer has engaged with Amazigh elders, community leaders, educators, activists, and artists to create a digital archive that captures their lived experiences in areas like history, language, education, environment, art, representation, and cultural engagement. With the consent of Amazigh communities, these histories, which can be incorporated into curricula, have been made available on Princeton’s digital platforms, while ensuring that the Amazigh custodians retain copyright. Through the Amazigh Oral Narratives Digital Archive, the broader Princeton community will be exposed to diverse Indigenous voices from North Africa and the diaspora, often marginalized and underrepresented, helping students and faculty learn how to position themselves when exploring Indigenous content. Since Indigenous research is relational, it is essential for students and faculty to engage with stories and perspectives shared by Indigenous peoples themselves, ensuring that scholarship is both holistic and inclusive.

The Amazigh Oral Narratives Digital Archive is an ongoing project. New materials will be added as they become available.

For more information about this project, please visit the Land, Language, and Art grants page at the Native American and Indigenous Studies Initiative at Princeton University.