Yennayer, the berbere new year, explanation given by Professor Youcef Allioui
Yennayer was the festival of light. Yennayer was one of the largest Amazigh or Berber feast. It was a divine and light . According to our traditional beliefs , it is during Yennayer that the Supreme Sovereign turned darkness into light . The first day of the Amazigh year or – Yennayer – corresponds to what is called the solar Amazigh calendar the ” first day of cold white .” Cold white last 20 days : 1 to 20 yennayer ( January 12 to February 01 or February 14 to 3 ) .
Yennayer told to the Kabyle’s Veterans : “In my beginning to the ” separation ” (21-23 yennayer ) , I will show you all the colors , but as you ‘re among the first people , I will bring you happiness and good harvests ! ” According to our grandmothers , it was a wise young girl who had promised to offer Yennayer pancakes in the morning of the first day and a good supper for the evening if he was been more conciliatory with the poor kabylians of mountains !
Yennayer replied: ” I agree with offering choice , full of food utensils , pancakes and couscous without forgetting the part of the absent.
During the Yennayer , feast of lights , forgiveness and divine day , everyone must ensure treat his conduct to refrain from uttering words that annoy and have bad thoughts that offend the Engineering Guard home. Everyone must ask forgiveness from everyone. More precisely, ” for the divine days , everyone must forge the link and be closer to his family ! ”
As the holiday Yennayer lasted seven days , the day when the snow ” bound ” Kabyle federation: when the At Wadda mountains and At Oufella mountains , the Babors and Guergour mountains were bound by the snow : sheep were sacrificed . As already I said, Yennayer is also the festival of light . By “light” , the Kabylias means happiness, joy of life, wisdom , righteousness , knowledge, but also and especially democracy.
Just before Yennayer dinner , Kabyle mother toured with a lamp every corner of the house to wish happiness to his house and all family members . It was customary that it begins with the parents. She held the lamp in the direction of each family member in making wishes of joy . She concluded by making the same wish in respect of pets : ” Be happy my father and mother! Be happy my husband ! Be happy my children! Be happy guardian angels of the house! Be pleased , O house’s cat ! O Be happy dog of house ! Be happy horse !O Be happy Mule ! Be happy oh the ass! Be happy sheep oh ! Be pleased , O goats, etc. . then Kabyle mother opened the door, taking care that the flame does not go out to wish “the light of happiness” to the nature ( tarwest ).
Tarwest refers to the environment and nature in ancient Kabyle . In the minds of Imazighen , Tarwest also means interdependence of all living beings on earth : from the smallest insect to man. Under the interdependence of all living beings on earth, Kabyle mother came out on the doorstep to wish a happy new year also , “a year of light ” to all living beings on the earth who inhabit nature ( tarwest ) : all wild animals and birds , not to mention insects that contribute to the well -being of mother earth . Kabyle mythology also says: “The day when there isnt snows , the earth will dry as an old man. His bones crack and die. When the snow falls , It is the Master of Heaven which blows fresh air on the earth. ” Finally, the evening dinner , the women talked with verve and emotion of their day. All the doors stood open wide , because this day was also the day of the carnival, called “the old wise to shard .” People stayed outside to accommodate children who masked roamed the village singing the first day of the year.
Kilde : youcefallioui.com