Hi everyone. I’m from Kasserine, Tunisia. After watching and reading some things about the Amazigh people, I started asking myself a lot of questions. Right now, I’m wondering whether I have the right to live in Tunisia and call it my home, my country, the homeland,... . because I honestly don’t know who I am. Am I Arab, Berber, Amazigh, or simply African?

My last name is Bellili, and researching its history has been very difficult because there are many similar family names, such as Belili and Blayli, which makes things even more complicated.

What I know is that I was born here in Tunisia, as were other members of my family, although I believe our family has only been here for a few generations. According to what my grandfather told me, his father was originally an Algerian Jew who later converted to Islam. He also fought during World War II and eventually ended up fighting alongside Tunisians during the struggle for national independence.

So, I’m trying to understand my family’s history and, more importantly, understand who I am. I don’t know whether I should identify as Arab, Amazigh, Berber, or simply Tunisian. I’m very curious about what being Amazigh really means and how people recognize each other as Amazigh or Arab. Like, how would you know that someone is Amazigh and someone else is Arab?

And thanks for your time