Ahmed Haddachi, Memmi s n ifesti d awal (Speech is the Child of Silence), novel, printed by Walili, Marrakech, 2002

A new type of literary genre needs to be looked at which began to appear in Morocco a few years ago. It is Moroccan literature written in Amazigh (Berber). Thanks to these writers, who have all published their works, it is beginning to become more and more popular and plays a major role in the revalorisation of the Amazigh cultural identity. Although poetry, published since the end of the seventies, remains the dominant genre, novel-writing has recently become one of the favourite genres of Amazigh writers. Following Askkif n inzaden (Hair Soup) written by Ali Ikken, Imula n tmktit (Shadows of Memory) written by Afulay, Ticri n tama n tsarrawt (The Foot of the Guillotine) written by Bouzaggou, Tawargit d imik (Dream and a Little) of M. Akunad, Haddachi has published a singular tale entitled Memis ifesti d awal (Speech is the Child of Silence) that we will review in order to illustrate this emerging literature.

In Amazigh societies, before the constitution of the nation-states of which they later to become a part, the oral tradition dominated the cultural landscape. Written tradition was confined to the religious world and circulated only in religious circles, especially those attached to the marabout tradition. Written literature is, in a sense, a recent activity, and is closely linked to the phenomenon of cultural renewal undertaken by these societies following the transformations wrought by the colonial period and national reconstruction. Besides their significance as regards identity and politics, current Amazigh writings all present certains traits which differentiate them from classical literature and demonstrate their closeness to oral tradition. Because of this, Hadachi’s tale deserves closer attention. The author has included in his writings certain symbols and figures from the cultural memory of the Amazighs. The tale takes the form of fragments of conversation between certain characters appearing in traditional tales. Asklu (Tree) begins conversing with Iselli (Stone) or Acal (Earth) who, in turn, questions Aghyul (Donkey), Agdid (Bird), Asif (River), Anzar (Rain), Aslem (Fish), Tifighra (Viper) or Insi (Hedgehog). These familiar heroes of the Amazigh oral tradition talk about mankind and the catastrophic effects of his actions on the world. The novel has taken inspiration from earth culture, to use the novelist M. Khair-Eddine’s expression, which gives both meaning and function to these remarks and to the attitude of the characters. The absence of the usual hero of these oral tales, Jackal (Uccen), is however very significant. But he is not completely absent. All of the tale and the remarks made by the other characters probably revolve around him. The image of Jackal, this symbol of an ambiguous Tihrci, to take up the concept of Tassadit Yacine on the cunning of those who are dominated, and his shadow, hover over the tale and its illusions.

The tale has a surprising beginning, with, on the first page, the tree, fragile as it is, wondering: As the water itself has caught fire, what is left for it to consume? It was certainly thinking about its leaves and roots and cursing the person who had lit the fire and stoked it and warning anyone who was trying to warm himself by it. Can water catch fire? If it does, it would be the end of the world! With these questions, the tale opens the door to let us enter the complex world of relations between nature and man, who, with his economic, social and cultural activities, puts the ecological balance between human beings and the natural world in danger. During this journey, the shortcuts taken through loans from the oral tradition confronted with human experience, are extremely revealing. A journey into a world where the philosophy of life is couched in the most delicate of languages, overflowing with metaphors and parables, taken from the vocabulary of a pastoral tribe of farmers from the high valleys of the High Eastern Atlas. “That which is unwritten is more eloquent than that which is written in this book”, an “illiterate” critic of the Ayt Merghad tribe told the author, after having listened to the written tale. Besides the riches offered to the reader by this text, the silences also constitute a material which it is worth contemplating and discovering. In short, the Amazigh language, because it is oral and integrated into the social and cultural dynamic of an important part of the national population, gives expression to everything that is deep, rich and creative in Moroccan culture, of which this books is the perfect example.

Translated from French by Wendy Ouali