This article advances research on nation-building by examining narratives of national identity in the Amazigh (Berber) population of southern Morocco, home to the largest population of Imazighen (Berbers) in the country. The overarching question I attempt to answer is: What causes an ethnic group to accept or reject a state’s national identity narrative? Based on 14 months of ethnographic fieldwork, over 40 interviews, ranging from 2 to 6 hours each, and discourse analysis of the kings’ speeches, public school history textbooks, and other state publications, I explore whether Imazighen buy into state narratives of national identity and what factors cause Imazighen to accept or reject the state discourse. The central argument in this study is that nation-building policies and narratives that marginalize a specific ethnic population cause that population to reject the narratives of national identity constructed by the state. Thus, because Moroccan Imazighen experience both state and community-level marginalization based on Arabization policies and discourse, they construct narratives of national identity that differ from those of the state. The novelty of this work is that it examines social marginalization of Imazighen in Morocco on the community level. The study uses interviewee stories to explain the various terms and identities Imazighen use to define themselves, how Moroccans are able to identify whether or not an individual is Amazigh, and in what ways, and through which words and actions, Arab Moroccans discriminate against the Amazigh population. The findings demonstrate that the state and societal definition of “Arab” is a fluid concept and allows for, and encourages, any Moroccan to define herself as such. The paper also explains how a person of Amazigh heritage is able to redefine herself as Arab and the incentives she would have for doing so. The article further contends that beyond Arab discrimination against Imazighen, the culture of Morocco is one of ethnic tribalism, where individuals from the same ethnicity, whether it be Amazigh or Arab, give preferential treatment to people they identify as being from their own ethnic group.