A second-hand bookstore in a popular market in the state of Tizi-Ouzou. Picture by author. Used with permission

On the occasion of World Novel Week, which begins on October 13 each year, Global Voices spoke with a group of Algerian novelists who write in the Amazigh language. For these writers, writing in Tamazight reflects a deep connection to their mother tongue and a desire to preserve and promote it.

Algerian literature is difficult to fully grasp due to its multilingual nature, being produced in Arabic, French, and the Amazigh language, each with its own distinctive literary features.

In their responses regarding the motivation behind their choice to write in Tamazight, the novelists we spoke to, who are considered some of the most prominent Amazigh literary figures in Algeria today, expressed varying ways of articulating why they write in this language rather than in Arabic or French.

A history of Amazigh literature

The beginnings of literature written in the Amazigh language date back to the colonial period, with efforts to document oral popular literature, including poetry and stories, as done by Saïd Boulifa (c. 1865–1931), the “White Fathers,” or French officers. The first novel written in Tamazight was published in 1947 under the title “Lwali n Udhrar” (later translated to English as “All Rags’ Journey to Sacred Heights”) by Belaid Ait Ali.

Mural in a village of Tizi-Ouzou, depicting local figures, some of whom contributed to the Amazigh language in the artistic or literary field. Picture by author. Used with permission

Since then, Amazigh novels and literary works have continued to be published, spanning novels, poetry, short stories, and theater. These works have often mirrored the country’s general situation, both in terms of their themes and frequency of publication. Before Algeria recognized the Amazigh language as an official language and culture as part of its identity in 2016, most literary works produced in this language were characterized by their militant tone, both in form and content.

A language like any other

Writing in the Amazigh language was an effort to prove that the language, like any other, could be used to produce literature. Many novels from this period (late 1970s–late 1980s) addressed themes of identity and struggle.

The next phase, starting in 1990, saw the establishment of Tamazight language departments at Mouloud Mammeri University in Tizi Ouzou and Bejaia, leading to critical studies of Amazigh literature, including poetry and novels.

Amazigh literature and novels saw significant growth after the language was officially recognized as a national language in 2016. This period witnessed a rise in literary publications and awards, including official ones that honored the best works written in Tamazight. Writers continued to write with a sense of duty and connection to their mother tongue and identity.

Self expression and mother tongue

When asked why he chose to write in this language, 55-year-old novelist Djamel Laceb a former middle school physics teacher, explained that writing in Amazigh language was completely natural:

“لم أختر شيئًا… من الطبيعي أن أكتب باللغة الأمازيغية. إنها لغتي الأم التي تسمح لي بالتعبير بشكل أفضل عن مشاعري وحالتي المزاجية.”

I didn’t choose anything… It’s only natural to write in Tamazight. It’s my mother tongue, and it allows me to express my feelings and moods more accurately.

Novelist Tahar Ould Amar considers the question itself illogical, saying:

“لماذا اخترت الكتابة باللغة الأمازيغية؟ هذا السؤال طرحه عليّ أحد الصحافيين. أجبته: ‘لن تسأل رجلًا إنجليزيًا لماذا كتب بالإنجليزية، أو عربيًا لماذا كتب بالعربية.’ مما يدل على درجة الاغتراب التي أوصلتنا إليها القوى المتعاقبة، فمن الطبيعي أن أكون أمازيغيًا، وأكتب باللغة الأمازيغية.”

Why did I choose to write in Tamazight? A journalist friend once asked me this. I replied: “You wouldn’t ask an Englishman why he writes in English, or an Arab why he writes in Arabic.” This reflects the extent of alienation imposed by successive powers. It’s only natural for me to be Amazigh and write in Tamazight.

Zohra Aoudia, herself a high school Amazigh language teacher and a novelist who addresses women’s issues in her writing, says that writing in Tamazight allows her to express her emotions sincerely. She adds:

“اخترت الكتابة باللغة الأمازيغية لأنها لغتي الأم، التي تسمح لي بلمس المشاعر بعمق والتعبير عن أصدق أفكاري. من خلال لغته الأصلية، يستطيع الإنسان أن يبكي ويشعر ويتحدث بكل قلبه. الكتابة بالأمازيغية هي وسيلة للحفاظ على ثقافتنا ونقل القصص بأصالة لا يمكن أن تقدمها إلا هذه اللغة.”

I chose to write in Amazigh language because it’s my mother tongue, allowing me to deeply connect with emotions and express my most genuine thoughts. Through their native language, people can cry, feel, and speak with all their heart. Writing in Tamazight is a way to preserve our culture and convey stories with a level of authenticity that only this language can offer.

Preserving a heritage

Aldjia Bouhar, who has written a novel and a collection of short stories in Amazigh language, says:

“أكتب بالأمازيغية، لغتي الأم، لأني أحب الكتابة بها، ولأنها اللغة التي تعلمتها من أمي. أكتب بها لأساهم في ترقيتها والحفاظ عليها، حتى تصبح مثلها مثل غيرها من اللغات.”

I write in Tamazigh, my mother tongue, because I love writing in it. It’s the language I learned from my mother. I write in it to help promote and preserve it, so that it becomes just like any other language.

Hocine Louni’s books. Picture by author. Used with permission.

This militant goal of promoting and advancing Amazigh writing is shared by Hocine Louni, poet, novelist, and translator, also self-employed in book publishing. He says:

“في البداية، هو اختيار يمكن اعتباره نوعًا من النضال. الأمازيغية هي لغتنا الأم التي تربينا عليها ونتحدث بها يوميًا. مثل كل الشعوب التي تمتلك لغتها الخاصة، لدينا لغة نرغب في الحفاظ عليها لأنها جزء من هويتنا. كما أن من واجبنا العمل على ترقيتها لتصبح مثلها مثل أي لغة أخرى. لم تحظَ الأمازيغية بحقها الكامل، فمن سبقونا لم يكن لهم الحق في الكتابة بها أو دراستها أو استخدامها في مؤسسات الدولة. لكن اليوم، من الممكن الكتابة بالأمازيغية، مثلما يكتب الياباني باليابانية أو الألماني بالألمانية، اليوم، هناك العديد من الكتاب الذين يكتبون وينشرون بالأمازيغية، وهناك أيضًا الكثير من القراء.”

Initially, it was a choice that could be considered a form of activism. Tamazight is our mother tongue, the one we grew up with and speak in our daily lives. Like all peoples with their own languages, we also have a language, and we want to preserve it because it’s part of our identity and lives. We have a duty to work towards its advancement so that it stands on par with any other language. Amazigh language hasn’t received its full rights. Those who came before us didn’t have the right to write in it, study it, or use it in state institutions. But today, we’ve found that it’s possible to write in Tamazight  just as the Japanese write in Japanese or the Germans in German. Nowadays, there are many writers publishing in Amazigh language, and there are also many readers.

Room for improvement

Commenting on the recent quantitative boom in Amazigh literature, journalist and researcher Nourredine Bessadi told Global Voices that, while there has been a quantitative improvement, there is a need to refine it in terms of quality:

“أشكال التعبير المختلفة هي التي تضمن بقاء اللغة. لذلك يساهم التعبير الأدبي بالأمازيغية في بقاء اللغة واستمراريتها. لكن يبدو لي أن الكتابة الأدبية بالأمازيغية أصبحت في السنوات الأخيرة غاية في حد ذاتها، وغالبًا على حساب الجودة. وقد حان الوقت لظهور نقد أدبي موضوعي في مجال الأمازيغية لتمييز الأعمال الأدبية الحقيقية عن تلك التي لا تخدم سوى ملء الصفحات.”

Different forms of expression ensure the survival of a language. Thus, literary expression in Tamazight naturally contributes to the survival and continuity of the language. However, it seems to me that literary writing inTamazight has recently become an end in itself, often at the expense of quality. Now is the time for the emergence of objective literary criticism in the field of Amazigh literature to distinguish genuine works from those that merely fill pages.

He added that state support for Amazigh writing must be accompanied by strategies to improve the quality of these works.

“بدأت تمويلات الكتابة التي تخصصها مؤسسات مثل المحافظة السامية للأمازيغية، والتي توزع بهدف تحفيز الكتابة بهذه اللغة، تظهر محدوديتها عندما يتعلق الأمر بجودة الأعمال المنتجة. الكتابة بالأمازيغية، نعم. الكتابة من أجل الكتابة، لا.”

The funding provided by institutions such as the High Commission for Amazighity to encourage writing in this language has shown its limitations when it comes to the quality of the produced works. Writing in Tamazight? Yes. Writing for the sake of writing? No.