5 July 1962 – 5 July 2011, 49 years

Anniversaries are usually there not only to remember and celebrate but also to take some minutes and reflect on what has been achieved, what has been missed and what has gone wrong. Many Algerian bloggers took the opportunity of this day to talk of the wrong-doings of our rulers, the issues our country still faces and the position Algeria holds in the world (which would not be deserved); and I agree with most of them. But, like last year, I am just going to remember and celebrate so I am sharing this song by the legendary Kabyle singer Cherif Kheddam (wiki link in Kabyle). It is titled “Algeria will heal inshAllah” and conveys a message of hope.

Happy Independence Day to Algeria and to all my compatriots.

I will of course switch back to normal mode starting from tomorrow :)

الله يرحم الشهداء

Tagrawla

This is the Kabyle word for revolution. Do we need one?

8 May 1945, the events which became an opportunity

Today the world celebrates the end of WWII. Algeria also commemorates 8 May 1945, but for us Algerians, this day was a bloody sad one. Like most of the old world’s populations, the Algerian people wanted to share their happiness after the end of WWII and remind the French colonizer and the other victors that they existed and wanted their freedom back, so they organized some peaceful demonstrations. But France didn’t intend it that way and massacres were perpetrated in many parts of Algeria, especially in Setif, Guelma and Kherrata.

So the commemoration of these events is a good way so nobody forgets the past and how dearly paid was our independence. The commemoration should also remind France and the world of the ugliness and inhumanity of the colonisation system. These last years’ talks between Algeria and France, and the more recent questions which arouse in France around the “Outside of the law” movie, show that we probably need more frequent and stronger reminders if we want to convince everybody.

Having said this, I would like to deal with another aspect of these events.

Guide to becoming the President

Lounis Ait Menguellet

Ait Menguellet is one of the few Algerian artists whose songs accompanied me throughout my life. His music, poetic and witty lyrics are combined with his voice to make a masterpiece out of most of his songs.

In one of the songs, “A mmi” (“My son” in English), he relates a dialogue between a young man and his father. The discussion is about politics and how to become the president of the country. The song, edited on 1983, tells us how age and experience replace noble values such as idealism, altruism, optimism, trust, ambition, etc. with some other values: realism, resignation, distrust, fear, treachery, etc.
And it is said that he got the inspiration for this song from The Prince of Machiavelli.