Timatarin — ⵜⵉⵎⴰⵜⴰⵔⵉⵏ
al-Hussein JOUHADÎ
dîwân shi’r amâzîghî
Casablanca, 1997
dîwân shi’r amâzîghî
Casablanca, 1997
With a preface written by Moroccan Academy member Mohamed Chafiq, this collection of poems covers the period from 1975, with a poem on the Battle of Amghala [1] in the Sahara, to 1996, with a poem on the events of the 1st of May in Guelmima [2]. The poet writes about the traditional subjects beloved of Berber poets: aesthetics (beauty, love for a women), politics (historic memory, the King’s speech on Tamazight, the elections, the constitution, tribal wars, the Gulf War, Bosnia, problems with identity and language), daily and social life (childhood memories, social morals with the Tabet affair [3], the misery endured by peasants faced with mounting debts, praise from friends and intellectuals, nature, especially about trees and animals, natural disasters such as the floods in the High Atlas mountains, and the introduction of new technology such as the radio and the television).
The language used is particularly rich, precise, varied and exquisite, and the author manages to convey to the reader his passion about the subject of the poem by a masterful use of this language. The collection contains some very beautiful poems such as those about the beau, the woman, the chameleon and the magic bird called Tingbiw. Other poems are, on the other hand, less interesting, especially those written for the circumstance. Moreover, some poems end in a rather facile moralizing (the consequences of drinking to excess and smoking cannabis, social vices responsible for natural catastrophes and so on.)
The meter used by the poet is generally classical; the additional rhyme at the end of certain poems is, however, regrettable as it is not usually used in Berber poetry. (AL/WO) |
Editor’s Note:
- Between the Algerian and Moroccan armies.
- On the 1st of May, 1994, militants of the Tilelli (Freedom) Association of Goulmima, displayed banners written in Tifinagh for the first time. They were arrested and imprisoned.
- Head of the Secret Service in Casablanca, he used his position to rape hundreds of women and young girls. Condemned to death in March 1993, he was rapidly executed.
Houcine Jouhadi
Afulay / A. Lakhsassi
October 2003
Translated from French by Liza BenBelkacem
October 2003
Translated from French by Liza BenBelkacem
Houcine Jouhadi, who retired from teaching secondary education this year, was born in Casablanca in 1942. He taught History at a Casablanca High school for forty years. From his roots in the Ayt Baaman of the Moroccan southwest, he studied the whole of the Koran in its many version (qir’a’at, "readings" ) in the halls of the rural universities of the Moroccan south. He then went on to join the National Education public system, where he received a Master’s Degree in History. A tireless seeker, particularly of the history of the Souss, he published several articles for the Encyclopedia of Morocco (Ma’lamat al maghrib). In 1997 he also published a booklet of poems: Timatarin (Symbols) (Dar Qurtuba, Casablanca)
Houcine Jouhadi belongs to the old religious tradition written in Amazigh, started in the Kingdom of the Berghwata and carried on in the many schools led by Marabouts (Muslim Hermits) in the Moroccan South since the 16th century. He hosted a radio show on National Radio on various theology themes, and published a biography (in Amazigh), Tagharast n Ureqqas n Rebbi, of the Prophet of Islam, Mohammed (Rabat, Publications de l’Amrec, 1995), before setting his sight on a translation of the Koran. Houcine Jouhadi translation the 114 Sura of the Koran, done in his spare time, took ten years. Prudently titled: "Translation of the meanings of the Koran", this volume – published at his own expenses - has been available since June 2003. His remarquable mastery of the Amazigh language and of the local Islamic tradition allow him to bring together this delicate undertaking. |
Beyond his literary output, Houcine Jahadi is an Amazigh activist. He was an active participant of the birth and development of the Amazigh cultural and linguistic revendication movement.
Tamazight ar tsawal
Nekkin a yegan tamazight is yi tannim Nekkin ayegan akafu ar ka sufux nsul Nekki tarbit lli ju ur telkemt ay afus Lsigh tizrar lsigh tasmert ar nttirir Negan isni tageldit as akw nttussan Amur inew agh ttidugh ur en akw netam Zegh Siwa ar Tiniggi ar keyyi a Ssinighal Nettan ad igan ljent gh ufella wakal A yenna trit illa gis max a t nsental Neghli d udrar neswa gis tamment ula aman Ngguz s uzaghar azzelgh ghikan wayyis Nkcem s ugrawal ddemgh zund ukan aslem Nayel s igenna ssufugh zund ukan ayyur Ghikan ad gigh gh mad izrin ula ghass ad Lligh gh uccbar nebidd amur iw af nekkat Nettây irumiyen mzigh Qertâj ar akal Nnerigh Windal nettây aàraben s ukuray Wannad yuckan inebgi ittêfar agh irim nnes Mac igh izri awettu han fellas akuray |
Afulki
Igh illa ufulki gh tergwa lghenbaz ur ntlen Igh illa gh rregw azenkwêd as nnan iwit Igh illa gh wawal amarg aghn akw imun Igh illa gh tît udad yuf kullu tiwallin Igh illa gh igenna han ayyur igh ilul Igh illa gh wakal ijjigen aghen akw imun Igh illa gh udem tazûlt a yyit immalan Ig as udlal ifrig idêlan slin akal Igh illa gh umgrêd izîlen ili tiwallin Han tannirt ayenna dagh tufit awi tent Mac afulki han ur gin yan ssen fellas Igat urgaz igh ibidd yasoi taqammut Ar ikkat f wamur ad nnes ar ass an immut Ifelt i warraw idusen idûf ar ikkat Afulikin wannat igweran ur sar as iqqur Nettan a yelan atig yuf kullu tayafut. |
Turrugza
Turrugza ti urgaz igh tent usin Ur sar ittâs u sar intil inna gh llan Turrugza tga bezziz yan mu tella gh ufus Iqqan d as tawi ayada nnes negh aqellal Turrugza ur a tilli s ugmar negh ikerwan Wanna mu tellan gh idammen ur at issental Tamatart n trrugza ur ntilent i yan Igh munent d lbarud d wayda yili wawal Tili tagwemat yili gh usgawer mak issen Ass nna tsawelt ighwêzan a kullu ttinin Igh illa umeqqun ad ur tawent i wawal Ar digh isawel ma ggisen illan awal nnes Ar digh ihric tzzuzert ghayelli s nnan Awal iga turrugza igh ifren ar lkkmen Turrugza tga zund lhint imik a terwas Tezwar uka uzzal takwi gh ujarif Nettat as d usigh uzzal ammas n takat Nettat a yenwan d igilem ayelligh iqqur Turrugza tla atig izzâyen a yan ur issen Igh ur tzêdi yan ur rzîn yakwiten wattân Negh iga attân ibidd ar yattâ mas ittut Han ur imdî turrugza ur ratent lkmen Turrugza tla id bab nnes kuyan imik nnes Illa ma tengha f iggi n wayyis ar ikkat Illa ma yudên iggawer awal as ikkat Admesir hatin imdî kwen ay attân immut Tedda gis turugza d usghar nnek ay awal Taguri tga zund lhint nettat as ikkat Gigan a yebidd gh tuzzûmt negh ar issillif Ar immal i wiyyâd ar ten sul issannun Ackun izêran gh taggugt ayellin ur netam Izêra n angi ikcemd anwal ula arraw nnegh Ar agh islilli s ljir ighal is rwan Ademsir ghass an ibrrêh awal nnes nnan "icca wuccen i wagerzamen tifeyyi gh ufus uka ar ittemnad ur as akw inna yat a butuzlin im rebbi ak raren fellatengh han ur gigi tadût maf mmaqarent ?" ademsir han ibidd ar yattâ tufawin umêzen accbar ur jju kwenin a t inna yan amezruy yura mad isker mas ittussan Isawel f uggren gint ammas n tillas isawel f tmezgida fkin as akuray isawel f wawal ad inew akweren inna nnan iga taghuyyit s messi skkufren awal nnes albensir uggug ad ifel ur sar iqqur ifeld izlan nnes ngin ka ar sswan arraw ifeld ayt imurig icwan ula rrîh nnes wanan d iflen ghwid isul ur akw immut amin a ten irhêm rebbi inat as amin |
Amghar
A wad ikwesan ulli gh udghar n tuccanin Ass nnz tgunt hanuccen a tent iwalan Amghar af tinn nega d a yedûf ar agh immal Sul igdel kem a tamazirt ig asafar nnes Amghar ur d ajllabiy negh axasiy as usin As usin d ayt tmazirt iriten kuyan |
Anefcad n Rrâhmani àbdullah al-Jactimi
Is ay aytmatengh tûdenem kullu ghilli udêngh Udêngh ixef udêngh adif gh ixs udêngh ul Ur jjun telli tad isker messi ur asent Isker ixef keyyin ad tahêlt nekki nnigh Ar talla tmazight idammen ar allan ussan Ar yalla wul inu yaddum lâh as aytmas Idda yas wallid iggawer wallis isawal Wallid gisen yaguren ghass a lâh iyyit Idda àabd llid drugh tilila ifel agh Ukan neggru d i wadân sul ar as allagh Ar allan ayt tmazirt ula sul ussan Mekli talla tad ixwelan f warraw nnes Tît ur tengi tasa nu ukan a yallan Manik ur allagh mdêlgh tin ukan nfelt Nekkatin innagh neggawer yat inu yat nnes D ufulki d uzaha d wassas iman Imil a gwema ghass ad izêra uggug aman Adû yiwi tagelzimt lâh agh asafar Is d kullu ghikad iqqan d a yan issulten A kullu tgim inagan taram inna nnigh Ula sul kra ittidun f ufella wakal Is ur nezdâr nekki ad neggru i tsmdêlt nnes Ur lligh a messi dark illigh a ttarat Azemz inew a yi giddin d imedukkal inew Igh nsmed ghid neddu dars ar ak nttirir Zud igdâd zud ajjig n flulu gh inummar Tamunt agh tella tudert dûfen k aytmak Ass nna bdânt tiddukla tenfassay akw Ur jju tengi tergwa s temqit n waman Igda yagh gh umettâ d usmammay nekki nnigh Wannad igweran ibidd gh uccbar n wanna lâh Neg afus gh ufus ndûf nasi asatur Nasi tabrat nara tent s lqelm n wanas Ssmêh a yeg uzzal ar digh tlkemt tasutin Imma han turrugza ddant icca tent wakal Tezzâ wass ayyur tezzâ ttyara tters ukan Nettat agh immut had adghar nnes ar allan Ikkatin gan amazzal kuyan issen sers Tudert nbêdat igh idda lxir ur aten ttugh Ad ak nghêr a messi ad as trhêmt iman nnes Yan igan inebgi dark ur ksûden yat Ssefld at kullu a mad ismun messi ghass ad Is nsamêh i àabd irigh gis netta tayâd. |