By N. Bouzeboudja

This year, the Algerian authorities were able to exploit the celebration of Yennayer for political purposes, transforming the event into a tool to strengthen their stinking nationalism, as if Amazighity was so dear to them. The Imazighen were invited to the Algiers streets, and were exhibited as “Folkloric Objects”, ” Animals in the Zoo”, or “Indians in Reserve” to animate the gallery and satisfy the desires of the seraglio. 

We, Imazighen, are only beautiful and interesting when we shut up, we make joyful galleries with our traditional clothes and other dancing songs. We even fill the Dome when they distribute privileges to our “Stars”! As long as we do not fight for our rights, languages and dignity on our own land! However as soon as we speak out, criticize, demonstrate.  Reproach, banishment, or accusations of terrorism fall on us.

The new phenomenon that catches the eye and mind is the indignation of some people subdued to the dogma of “Zaimism“, who doesn’t accept that we ask questions about some of our artists who belong now to the Kabylians seraglio (KDS), a specious that the Bouteflika era had highly underscored. Further, we argue from their own words, their own poems, and songs that they shamelessly deny today. No, they are not free! Not free as a public personality as long as they have used the pronoun “WE” in their poems, their songs, their productions! This same “WE”, who made them stars, stems from a deep collective self, far from being a simple rag to wipe their shoes. It is rather a tie, and sometimes, we tighten it firmly to shake and remind them the essence of the “WE” they have fed on. It’s because we cherished the message, they conveyed to us that we shake them! It is because we have given them our love and respect that we challenge them today! 

The current context is risky! And worse than during the Boumedienne era! 

University teachers and artists are banned from leaving the territory, others are in prison for their online publication, often on social media, or for a preface written by an opponent, publishing companies are monitored and pushed to self-censorship, citizens are gagged even on social media. TV, radio, salons, and ceremonies are tolerating only those who are malleable, silent, or fearful that belong to the institutions of the State, under the aegis of the president of the moment. Some are appalled in secret, others are afraid that the regime will take away their “children’s bread”, still others turn their heads elsewhere by invoking rehashed generalities: Tamazight “progress” well! 

Thousands of Kabylians living abroad cannot even go back to visit their relatives or simply talk to them on the phone because of threats they receive. KDS abound in our villages.

What about mothers, fathers, wives, children of “innocent” inmates? Ignore, and hide that from us, and come dance, have fun, and entertain us!

How on earth they deprived us of the right to demonstrate to support our detainees? Entire families endure an unjust sentence, living without their loved ones, wrongly and arbitrarily sentenced to prison, some of them got a life sentence! Hundreds of activists are harassed daily and summoned to police departments, telling them (and to all of us): “you just have the right to party, but not politics. It’s forbidden.” 

Fortunately, today some of our villages are a great example of resilience and dignity because they did not capitulate or surrender, and kept the spirit and soul of Yennayer still alive, through theater, poetry, tales and sweet communions.