LeadStory

France 24

Moroccans fight to preserve ancestral whistled language in Azilal

France 24 · Just In
France 24
France 24
Just In

In Morocco's Azilal region, locals are fighting to preserve an ancestral whistling-based language that echoes through the valleys. People, they say, learn it "like they learn to walk or to talk".

Breakdown
  • Herders in Morocco's Atlas Mountains use a centuries-old whistled language. 5s
  • The language has been passed down through generations and evolved over time. 19s
  • Whistling is vital for communication in remote areas lacking roads, phones, or electricity. 47s
  • The whistled language can be heard up to three kilometers away and helps manage herds. 56s
  • Drought and poverty threaten the tradition, with only a few families remaining to preserve it. 1m 24s
History