The Kabylian Force

Music

The Norwegian artist Moddi sings “Aɣuru” of the Kabylian singer Lounes Matoub

moddi-2016-3_foto-jorgen-nordbyModdi is a sensitive Norwegian artist with the just causes. An activist engaged in ecological and political front. He has participated in several demonstrations against the installation of the oil companies in northern Norway and Arktis. Faithful against his principles, he refused to receive funds from the foundation Statoil amounting to € 100,000

The Norwegian musician Pål Knutsen Moddi started his international tour Tuesday evening with a concert in Paris on the occasion of the release of his album “Unsongs” in which he took 12 songs censored or banned in their time as well as those of ‘murdered artists, imprisoned or exiled for their political commitment. The album also includes “Aɣuru”, a song that parodying the Algerian national anthem in Kabylian language. This song was one of the reasons that the Kabylian singer, Lounes Matoub was assassinated by power Algerian Arab-Islamic in 1998.

On his blog, the Norwegian artist explains the reasons that gave birth to Unsongs: “I asked myself the question: Why do we censure a song? I decided to accept all plausible answers, even the most embarrassing and uncomfortable. After two years of reflection and research, UNSONGS is the answer ”

Among the songs chosen contained therein “Aɣuru” parody the work of the Algerian national anthem, which has killed Lounes Matoub Dda. Moddi presented it as the flagship of the Kabyle identity struggle.
Impressed by the courage and determination of Matoub and awareness of the political situation of the Kabyle people. He told Kaci he wants to go in Kabylia to make a documentary. However, he said that for now, he has neither the means nor the time to complete this project.

 

Lyrics of the song Aɣuru , written by the Kabyle singer, poet and freedom fighter Lounes Matoub. Translation by Pål Moddi Knutsen and Maren Skolem. The melody is based on the Algerian national anthem.

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Open Letter

What’s the point waiting for the doorman to drop the key?
You’ll be gone long before this evil falls asleep.
What’s the point waiting for a better day to come along?
They will bow to their dogs before they see our reign come.

First the French decamped and left us with the garbage.
Then our flag was dyed with Islam and Arabic.
They forgot to whom this country once belonged.
There is always someone here to take the throne.
Traitors, traitors, traitors.

Did you believe that they would listen just because they said they would?
How naïve! They’ve always been too righteous for their own good.
For you know, power is addictive to the one it wields.
They have sown with evil hands and harvest our tragedy.

First the French decamped and left us with the garbage.
Then our flag was dyed with Islam and Arabic.
They turned a blind eye to Algeria’s free men.
We could have it all but were enslaved again.
Traitors, traitors, traitors.

All the same we will never let them have their filthy ways.
We remain! These are our mountains; this is our place.
We will break through the the door and have what’s ours all along.
For without us Algeria is suffering on her own.

So come the rain, come the wind come the hunger.
We won’t sit and wait for freedom any longer.
We must sacrifice the arm to save the heart.
We will split the land before it falls apart.

First the French decamped and left us with the garbage.
Then our flag was dyed with Islam and Arabic.
But our roots go deep and our will is strong.
We will cling onto the land where we belong.
Traitors, traitors, traitors.

—http://www.siwel.info/Le-norvegien-Moddi-chantera-A%C9%A3uru-du-kabyle-Lounes-Matoub_a9756.html

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