‘A scorpion may sting a woman as many times as she has tattoos, but God will be merciful if she donates an amount of money equal to the cost of covering her tattoos to the poor.’

This is one of the many answers one can expect when asking Berbers about their tattoos. Many of them believe that the Koran forbids the practice, and that God will punish anyone with tattoos. Ironically, this North African people also have one of the oldest tattooing traditions in the world. Research by Susan Searight indicates that in certain regions, especially in the Rif and Atlas mountains, more than half the female tribe members are tattooed. Until recently, a Berber man would refuse to marry an untattooed woman.