Tamazight is not one language

Pr. Mettouchi clears up a misconception, “This is not only a question of scientific truth, but it is also a trap for Berber languages, to talk about Tamazight as one language because then individual languages die in silence since as long as some speakers of major varieties still speak those varieties, one believes that “the language” is alive and does not involve themselves in documentation and preservation. This is what has happened in the last decades, and it is time we reverse the trend and celebrate and document the beautiful diversity of Berber languages.”

What can the average person do?

“The most urgent is to collect recordings from threatened Berber languages, make audio and video recordings of elders telling stories, evoking memories, remembering ancient traditions, songs, poems, proverbs, riddles etc.”

She continues, “One crucial thing also is that speaking a language to talk about modern realities in our Western lives is good, but doing only that leaves unseen the whole iceberg, which is the wealth of traditional knowledge that characterizes indigenous cultures,” regarding the environment, medicinal plants, philosophies or world-views, history, “that we do not use on an everyday basis to go shopping or talk about our feelings or our jobs.”

Pr. Mettouchi suggests setting up kindergartens where children can learn a respective Amazigh language in an interactive and organic way. “They are easy to implement, even in diaspora contexts at a smaller scale, but they are only possible if we think about it in a radically new way, by empowering women, especially older women who still are skilled in traditional activities and language, and by being confident in the value and importance of oral transmission.”

How can we spark interest in some Arabophones who may believe the preservation of Amazigh languages does not concern them?

“All studies on bilingualism or multilingualism in the last decades have proved that speaking several languages is better for everything, from health to wealth, than being monolingual. The idea that for instance, an Arabic speaker must, for her children, choose between learning English and learning Rif Berber is beside the point.”

Pr. Mettouchi’s favorite project and final remarks

“I have a soft spot in my heart for the first international project I coordinated, CorpAfroAs, because it was very innovative at the time, and there were several young Ph.D. researchers involved, whose input was crucial, and whose energy carried the project onwards. But the most exciting endeavor for me is the one I am developing right now, this large-scale project on the documentation of the diversity of Berber languages, which interacts with other more academic interests of mine. I love the fact that my academic work might make a difference in the lives of children who are in danger of never having the opportunity to speak their ancestors’ language, and who will perhaps be given back that opportunity because everyone will feel responsible for that, and act in that direction.”

For full story: https://insidenorthafrica.com/2019/03/23/linguist-and-professor-amina-mettouchi-endangered-berber-languages/

1- The so called Arab Army and its commander, had become a direct threat to the Amazigh people in Libya, due to the stance of the Amazigh people that rejects the return of dictatorial military rule and rejects the terrorist ideology.

2- ASC calls the international community to assume their legal responsibility on protecting the Amazigh civilians in Libya, in accordance with the international treaties and conventions signed by the state of Libya.

3- ASC calls all Libyans to refuse and reject all forms of racial and religious hatred, and their resulting incitement of conflicts and threat to the social peace in Libya.

4- ASC calls all the Amazigh people to be aware of grave threats to the security situation, the plots planned by certain racists and their attempts to implant conflict among our people. Furthermore, we urge you to enforce your positions against those plots threatening our region‘s security and stability.

See Original Statement here

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[dropcap]N[/dropcap]orth Africa, including Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia and Sudan; are often referred to as part of the Arab world, or as Arabic countries. Although many of these countries have been, “Arabised,” since the Arab/islamic conquests in 632AD, the native people of North Africa are not at all Arabic.

The indigenous people of North Africa are called the ‘Imazighen’, or ‘Amazigh’, meaning ‘free born’ and often use the feminine pronoun ‘Tamazight’ to describe themselves. Within Imazighen culture, women are hugely important members of society, with many historical and religious figures being female. For example the Tamazight warrior queen Dihya, who defeated the armies of the islamic conquest repeatedly during the seventh century. Also the goddess Tanit, the moon goddess, associated with fertility, creation and destruction.

Not only were the Tamazight not ethnically Arabic, they didn’t speak Arabic either. Their own language, and the consonantal alphabet, tifinagh, are far older and totally unlike most languages. Despite this, many Imazighen have been prevented from using and teaching their language ever since the  Arab/islamic conquests. For example, under the rule of  Muammar Gaddafi, Tamazight language in Libya, as well as its culture, was brutally oppressed. In his pursuit of complete Arabisation of Libya, Gaddafi consistently and aggressively oppressed all ethnic minorities, outlawing the teaching of any other languages or cultures except Arabic.  Those who continued to teach their own language and culture, risked life imprisonment, torture and execution.

It is estimated that over 20million people speak Amazigh, or one of its variations. Many of them are based in Algeria where it has been a national language since 2002, an official language since 2006, and where 13million of Algeria`s 39million people are Amazigh.

In Libya, Amazigh is still not recognised as an official language, despite protests from its people. However Amazigh activists are working to build schools, and train teachers so that Amazigh children can learn about their history, culture and language, outside the confines of their own homes. In a country where this was once impossible, this is a huge victory for the Libyan Imazighen, and hopefully one of many to come.

[author title=”Amina Elmansouri” image=”http://www.amazighworldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/amina-1.jpg”]Aspiring writer and journalist[/author]

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The Amazigh poet and activist, Malika Mezzane, was sentenced today to spend two months in prison after she published a video on social media through which she threatened to decapitate and kill Arabs who refused to recognize the independence referendum conducted by Iraqi Kurds last month.

‘This is a clip from Yesterday’s concert. Performing Tabla, Izenzaren song. Thank you all for supporting this group of students who put in time and energy to learn Tamazight music. They honored and valued Tamazight heritage and Imazighen in general. These are not professional musicians, they all have their jobs and careers. They put that aside from time to time to embrace diversity. I am humbled by of their dedication and by your support in this community and elsewhere.”

Fattah Abbou

By Inas Miloud  July 18, 2017 

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Fatwa came lately in the beginning of July to forbid the practice of Ibadhi branch of Islam and to refer to Ibadhi Muslims as “Khawarij” and “Infidels”.

It is well known that Ibadhya in Libya is the main religious school of thought for the Indigenous Amazigh peoples of Nafusa Mountains and Zwuara, the double burden of being an indigenous ethnic group and a religious minority is what Amazigh peoples deal with in the face of the newly issued Fatwa.

This Fatwa not only threatens the existence of the Ibadhi Madahab, it is a crystal clear violation that threatens the ability of the Amazigh peoples to express and practice their religious freedom. As the ASC stated, it is “a direct incitement for genocide of the Amazigh people in Libya”.

The following is the statement of the Amazigh Supreme Council of Libya:[ads1]

ⵜⴰⵙⴳⵓⵔⵉ ⵏ ⵓⵎⵇⵉⵎ ⴰⵎⵇⵔⴰⵏ ⵏ ⵢⵉⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵏ ⵏ ⵍⵉⴱⵢⴰ

ⴰⵎⵇⵉⵎ ⴰⵎⵇⵔⴰⵏ ⵏ ⵢⵉⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵏ ⵏ ⵍⵉⴱⵢⴰ ⴰⴷ ⵉⵍⵖⵓ ⴰⴳⵉ ⵙⴳ ⵓⵎⴰⴳⴷⵣ ⴼⴰⵜⵡⵜ ⵏ ⵜⵔⴽⴼⵜ ⵜⴰⵎⵇⵔⴰⵏⵜ ⵏ ⵉⴼⵜⴰ, ⵏ ⵣⵓⵏⴰⴽⵉⵏ
ⵜⴰⵏⴱⴰⴹⵜ ⵜⵓⵄⴹⵉⵍⵜ, ⵜⵓⵍⴰ ⵜⵍⵍⴰ ⴳ ⵓⴳⵎⵓⴹ ⵏ ⵍⵉⴱⵢⴰ. ⴷⴳ ⴼⴰⵜⵡⵜ, ⴱⴷⵔⵏ ⵉⵎⵙⵍⵎ ⵉⴱⴰⴹⵏ ⴷ ⵜⴰⴳⴳⴰⵢⵜ ⴷ ⵜⵉⵎⵣⵍⵉⵜ,
ⵙⴳ ⵅⴰⵡⴰⵔⵊ, ⴷ ⵖⵔⵙⵏ ⵉⵙⴽⴽⵓⴷⵏ ⵏ ⵓⵏⵎⵣⵔⴰⵢ. ⵜⵓⵍⴰ ⴷ ⴰⴽⵙⴰⴼ ⴷ ⵓⵙⵔⵉⴷ ⵉ ⵢⵉⵏⵖⴰ ⵏ ⵉⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵏ ⵏ ⵍⵉⴱⵢⴰ, ⴷ ⵜⵉⵔⵥⵉ
ⴷ ⵜⴰⵎⵇⵔⴰⵏⵜ ⵏ ⵜⵉⵎⵢⴰⵇⴰⵏ ⵜⵉⴳⵔⴰⵖⵍⴰⵏⵉⵏ, ⴷ ⴰⵍⵖⵓ ⵉ ⵓⵎⴰⴳⵔⵓ ⴰⴳⴰⵔ ⴰⴳⴷⵓⴷ ⵏ ⵍⵉⴱⵢⴰ ⵙⴳ ⴰⵜⵛⴰⵜⵉ ⵏ ⵓⵙⵔⴰⴷ ⴰⵎⵉⵜⵜⵉ
ⴳ ⵍⵉⴱⵢⴰ, ⴷ ⴷ ⵓⵍⴼⵓⵙ ⵉⵡⴰⴹ ⵏ ⴰⵏ ⴱⴽⴽⵉⴷ ⵉ ⵜⵎⵓⵔⴰ ⵣⵔⵏⵖ; ⴷⵣⴰⵢⵔ ⴷ ⵜⵓⵏⵙ;
ⵎⵎⴰⵍⴰ, ⴰⴷ ⵏⵎⵍ ⵉ ⵢⴰⵍ ⵉⵍⵉⴱⴰⵏⴻⵏ, ⵓⵔ ⴰⴷ ⵓⴳⵓⵔ ⴷⴼⴼⵔ ⵉⵍⵖⵓⵜⵏ ⵉⵎⴰⵙⴰⵥⵥⵓⵔⵏ ⵉⵎⵏⵉⵀⴰⵏⴻⵏ.
ⴷⵉ ⴰⵏ ⴰⴽⵓⴷ ⵉⴳⵔⵎⴻⵎ, ⴰⴷ ⵏⴰⴽⵙⴰⴼ ⵢⴰⵍ ⵉⵎⵇⵉⵎⵏ ⵉⵙⵔⴷⴰⵙⵏ ⵏ ⵉⴼⵔⴷⵉⵙⵏ ⵓⵏⴱⴰⴹⵜ ⴰⴷⵉⴳⴰⵏ, ⵉⵍⴰ ⵖⵔⵙⵏ ⵉⴳⵎⴰⵎⴻⵏ ⴷⴳ
ⴰⵎⵇⵉⵎ ⴰⵎⵇⵔⴰⵏ ⵏ ⵢⵉⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵏ, ⴰⴷ ⴱⴷⴷⵏ ⵓⴼⵓⵙ ⴳ ⵓⴼⵓⵙ ⵉ ⵓⵎⵙⵜⵏ ⵏ ⵜⵖⵍⵍⵉⵙⵜ ⴷ ⵓⴽⵔⴰⴷ. ⵓⴳⴰⵔ, ⴰⴷ ⵏⴰⴽⵙⴰⴼ
ⵜⵉⵎⵉⵜⵜⵉ ⵜⴰⴳⵔⴰⵖⵍⴰⵏⵜ ⴰⴷ ⵜⵇⴷⵛ ⵉⵖⴰⵏ ⵏⵏⵙ ⵏ ⵓⵎⵙⵜⵏ ⵏ ⵉⵖⴰⵔⵉⵎⵏ.

ⵜⵔⵉⴱⵓⵍⵉⵙ, 27/06/2967 ⵣ (10/07/2017 ⴳ)

Statement of the Amazigh Supreme Council

The Amazigh Supreme Council, declares absolute rejection of the fatwa issued by the High Committee
of Fatwas, affiliated to the so called Interim Government, located in eastern Libya. In that fatwa, they
stated that Ibadhi muslims are a deviant astray group, belonging to Khawarij and possess infidel
doctrines. Which is a direct incitement for a genocide of the Amazigh people in Libya, a blatant violation
of international treaties and conventions, a call for unrest among Libyans by threatening the social peace
in the country, and the possibility of propagation of this menacing speech to neighboring countries;
Algeria and Tunisia;
Therefore, we call all Libyans to refrain from being persuaded by such racist and menacing speech.
During these difficult times, we urge all the military councils of all the Local Governance Units within the
membership of the Amazigh Supreme Council, to unify their work and efforts to guard security and
stability. Furthermore, we call the international community to commit to its duties of protecting civilians.

Tripoli, 10/07/2017 (27/06/2967ⵣ)

See the original

[author title=”Inas Miloud ” image=”http://www.amazighworldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/IMG_9569.jpg”]is co-founder and director of Tamazight women’s Mouvement, an organization concerned with gender and ethnicity identities in Libya[/author]

When:
June 23, 24 2017
Where:
Theatre De La Sucriere
Marseille
Event Website:
www.festivaltamazgha.org
Admission:
15€
Info:
06 95 51 04 72
Event Program:
Friday June 23th at 22h : Azal Belkadi & Ezza.
Saturday June 24th at 22h : Ait Menguellat