The Sahrawi Tribes and Their Allegiance
The Sahrawi are the Arabic- and Hassaniya-speaking people of the desert south. Historic tribal allegiances to the Moroccan sultans are central to Morocco's sovereignty argument.
A desert people
Sahrawi society is organized around tribes spanning southern Morocco, Mauritania and Algeria's Tindouf region.
Many Sahrawi live and participate fully in Morocco's southern provinces.
Allegiance and the bay’a
Morocco cites the bay’a — pledges of allegiance from Saharan tribes to the sultans — as evidence of pre-colonial sovereignty.
Tribal leaders in the south are prominent backers of autonomy.
Frequently asked
Who are the Sahrawi?
The Hassaniya-speaking desert people of the south.
What is the bay’a?
A traditional pledge of allegiance to the Moroccan sultan.
See it on the map: explore the full territory of Morocco — coast to Sahara — on our interactive map of Morocco →