Kabylia in Algeria, a linguistic rebellion in Algeria

Kabylia is a historic region in northern Africa, populated mainly by Berbers. It has an area of ​​25,000 km2 and a population of 7,000,000: the language of the region is Tamazight with more than 5 million speakers.
Its inhabitants call it Tamurt n Iqbaylyen ("Land of the cabillos") or Tamurt Idurar ("Land of the mountains"). It is part of the Atlas Mountains and is located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
Kabylia includes several provinces (wilayas) of Algeria: the whole territory of Tizi Uzu and Bugia, most of Bouira (Tubiret) and parts of the wilaya of Bourmerdes
Its traditional name, Tamurt Idurar, means "land of the mountains", evoking the high relief that marks its identity.
The Arabization that took place during the expansion of Islam in Algeria at the start of the second millennium led a large part of the Mediterranean coastal population to start speaking Arabic.
However, in the mountainous regions of Kabylia, the Berber language has remained the dominant language.
When the French took control of the country in the 19th century, they also imposed their language. Algeria has become a French-speaking country. Arabic continues to be spoken as the main language in the main cities and on the coastal strip.
With the success of the anti-colonial revolution in Algeria, efforts were made to eliminate French and impose Arabic on the whole country, including the Berber region.
It ignores the fact that a significant number of Algerians have their own language and resist being forced to speak Arabic.
In fact, the Amazight or Berber culture has become strong in Kabylia with its 7 million inhabitants, who speak mainly Berber.
The Berber nationalist movement has been suppressed by the central government of Algiers since the creation of the Algerian Republic. Much of the policy tended to make it difficult to use the local language.
However, the Berbers of Kabylia continue to resist, both in Algeria and in the migrant colonies themselves in France and in other European countries.
Recent protests
The recent demonstrations, which affected the main cities of Kabylia and the capital, came after parliamentarians rejected an amendment to the 2018 finance law that would have made the teaching of the Tamazight language official in local schools.
"A social upheaval is coming," said Lemnouar Hamamouche, a sociology student at Abderrahmane Mira University in Bejaia, in the Kabylie region of northern Algeria, where most of the protests took place.
Students and other activists have spoken out against the decision, which they say highlights the state's wider rejection of the language and identity of its Berber citizens, also known as Amazighs.
Hamamouche told Al Jazeera that this also reflects the policy of the government of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who said that he had not allocated money to help use the language nationwide.
"The masses are starting to protest" because "they reject the fact that [the state] marginalizes the mother tongue," said the Berber leader.
Linguistic and social context
The official languages ​​of Algeria are Arabic and Tamazight (Berber) , as specified in its constitution since 1963 for the former and since 2016 for the latter. Berber has been recognized as a "national language" by the constitutional amendment since May 8, 2002. In February 2016, a constitutional resolution was adopted which made Berber an official language with Arabic. Algerian Arabic and Berber are the mother tongues of over 99% of Algerians, Algerian Arabic being spoken in around 72% and Berber in 27.4%. French, although it has no official status, is widely used in government, culture, the media (newspapers) and education (of primary school), due to the colonial history of Algeria. Kabyle, the most widely spoken Berber language in the country, is taught and partially co-official (with certain restrictions) in certain parts of Kabylia.
Malika Rebai Maamri, author of "The Syndrome of the French Language in Algeria", said: "The language spoken at home and in the street remains a mixture of Algerian dialect and French words". Due to the number of languages ​​and the complexity of these languages, Maamri maintained that "[today] the linguistic situation in Algeria is dominated by multiple discourses and positions".

Berbers in North Africa

Berbers are the main native population of the Maghrebi countries (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia). They were invaded by arabic-speaking people in the 8th century and converted to Islam. Today, the official language in those countries is arabic, together with the formar colonial language (French). Berber languages are spoken by a minority but in some areas is the main local language. This is the case in the Kabylia region of Algeria. In Morocco also berber dialects are spoken in the Atlas mountains.

New Berber year: reclaiming the native cultures of North Africa

For centuries the Berber culture of North Africa was discriminated against and left aside.

the successive political, economic, cultural and religious imperialisms.

First it was the Phoenicians, then the Romans, then the Arabs, who imposed their language and religion, then the Ottomans and more recently the European colonial powers.

Now the Berber world continues to be colonized by the Arab-speaking majority, but gradually it is recovering the initiative and enthusiastically celebrating its traditional millenary celebrations.

Berbers in North Africa announce the Amazigh New Year, with festivities showcasing traditional food, music and dance planned throughout the region.

Friday marks the first day of the year 2968 for the indigenous inhabitants of North Africa, who are also known as Amazigh.

The Amazigh New Year, or Yennayer, as it is called locally, is the first day of the agricultural calendar used by the Berbers for millennia.

Ahmed Assid, an Amazigh activist, told Al Jazeera that the event has an "important historical connotation" for the Berbers: "It goes back to antiquity when the Amazigh king Shoshenq I was enthroned in Egypt, after defeating Ramses III." .

In Morocco, where Yennayer is celebrated by the Arab and Berber communities, some Arabs refer to the event as "Aam Alfilahi" or "Haguza", which means the "agrarian year".

The Berbers, on the other hand, refer to the event as "Id Suggas", which means "night of the year".

North Africans celebrate the occasion with activities such as Amazigh dance shows called "Ahwach" and "Ahidous".

The celebrations also feature performances by Berber artists, along with educational activities.

To commemorate the occasion, the Berbers prepare traditional dishes, such as the tagola, a meal composed of corn grains mixed with lard, accompanied by ghee and with the seed of a date hidden inside.

"It is believed that the person who finds the seed of the date inside the plate of the tagola is blessed throughout the year," said Hafida Id Abbou, a Moroccan Amazigh who celebrates every year.

Another dish, known as orkimen, is made with wheat and dried beans. It is served as a soup.

As with most meals in North Africa, couscous is also served.

Many Moroccans believe that, given the country's deep Berber roots, Yennayer should be a national holiday.

Neighboring Algeria, which also has a large Berber population, already declared January 12 as a national holiday, and Amazigh activists in Morocco want their government to do the same.

At the end of December, several Amazigh groups signed a memorandum addressed to the Moroccan Prime Minister, Saad Eddine el-Othmani, urging him to declare the national holiday in Morocco.

New Berber year: reclaiming the native cultures of North Africa

For centuries the Berber culture of North Africa was discriminated against and left aside.

the successive political, economic, cultural and religious imperialisms.

First it was the Phoenicians, then the Romans, then the Arabs, who imposed their language and religion, then the Ottomans and more recently the European colonial powers.

Now the Berber world continues to be colonized by the Arab-speaking majority, but gradually it is recovering the initiative and enthusiastically celebrating its traditional millenary celebrations.

Berbers in North Africa announce the Amazigh New Year, with festivities showcasing traditional food, music and dance planned throughout the region.

Friday marks the first day of the year 2968 for the indigenous inhabitants of North Africa, who are also known as Amazigh.

The Amazigh New Year, or Yennayer, as it is called locally, is the first day of the agricultural calendar used by the Berbers for millennia.

Ahmed Assid, an Amazigh activist, told Al Jazeera that the event has an "important historical connotation" for the Berbers: "It goes back to antiquity when the Amazigh king Shoshenq I was enthroned in Egypt, after defeating Ramses III." .

In Morocco, where Yennayer is celebrated by the Arab and Berber communities, some Arabs refer to the event as "Aam Alfilahi" or "Haguza", which means the "agrarian year".

The Berbers, on the other hand, refer to the event as "Id Suggas", which means "night of the year".

North Africans celebrate the occasion with activities such as Amazigh dance shows called "Ahwach" and "Ahidous".

The celebrations also feature performances by Berber artists, along with educational activities.

To commemorate the occasion, the Berbers prepare traditional dishes, such as the tagola, a meal composed of corn grains mixed with lard, accompanied by ghee and with the seed of a date hidden inside.

"It is believed that the person who finds the seed of the date inside the plate of the tagola is blessed throughout the year," said Hafida Id Abbou, a Moroccan Amazigh who celebrates every year.

Another dish, known as orkimen, is made with wheat and dried beans. It is served as a soup.

As with most meals in North Africa, couscous is also served.

Many Moroccans believe that, given the country's deep Berber roots, Yennayer should be a national holiday.

Neighboring Algeria, which also has a large Berber population, already declared January 12 as a national holiday, and Amazigh activists in Morocco want their government to do the same.

At the end of December, several Amazigh groups signed a memorandum addressed to the Moroccan Prime Minister, Saad Eddine el-Othmani, urging him to declare the national holiday in Morocco.

Berbers welcome Amazigh New Year

By Oumnia Rais

In Morocco, Yennayer is celebrated by both Arab and Berber communities [Reuters]

Berbers in North Africa are heralding in the Amazigh New Year, with festivities showcasing traditional food, music and dance planned throughout the region.

Friday marks the first day of the year 2968 for North Africa's indigenous inhabitants, who are also known as Amazigh.

The Amazigh New Year - or Yennayer, as it is locally called - is the first day of the agricultural calendar used by Berbers for millenia

Ahmed Assid, an Amazigh activist, told Al Jazeera the event has a "significant historical connotation" for Berbers: "It dates back to ancient times when the Amazigh king Shoshenq I was enthroned in Egypt, after defeating Ramses III."

In Morocco, where Yennayer is celebrated by both Arab and Berber communities, some Arabs refer to the event as "Aam Alfilahi" or "Haguza", which mean the "agrarian year".

Berbers, on the other hand, refer to the event as "Id Suggas", meaning the "night of the year".

North Africans mark the occasion with activities such as Amazigh dance performances called "Ahwach" and "Ahidous".

Celebrations also feature performances by Berber artists, along with educational activities.

To mark the occasion, Berbers prepare traditional dishes, such as tagola - a meal comprising corn kernels mixed with butter, accompanied by ghee, and with the seed of a date hidden inside.

"The person who finds the seed of date inside the tagola plate is believed to be blessed throughout the whole year," said Hafida Id Abbou, a Moroccan Amazigh who celebrates every year.

Another dish, known as orkimen, is made using wheat and dry fava beans. It is served as a soup.

As with most North African meals, couscous is also served.

From Al Jazeera