FIG. 1.  Idir and Lounis Aït Menguellet. Credit: Aït Menguellet family

K. Ouaras and N. Boudraa: The song “A Vava Inou va” was well received locally, of course, but it quickly became a global hit (with numerous translations). What was your interpretation of this song when it came out, and what interpretation do you have of it today (especially its cultural impact)?

L. Aït Menguellet:, The song A Vava Inou va was undoubtedly well received both in Algeria and abroad. Interpreting this song is both easy and difficult. It is difficult to know what magical detail makes a melody or a song popular or not. But it is true that this song made a deep impression first locally and then abroad. The interpretation that can be made is that Idir had the chance to perform a worthy hit, and Kabyle song in general greatly benefited from it. That is certain. Idir was one of the singers who quickly stood out as being of crucial importance for Kabyle and Amazigh music. His influence is among the greatest in local musical history. The lyrics of A Vava Inou va are particularly impressive and were beautifully written by the famous Kabyle poet Benmohammed,[7] better known as Ben—and with Ben, it couldn’t have been anything but excellent. In fact, Idir continued to work with him for a long time. I think that Idir’s musical genius and poetic sensibility played a predominant role in the history of Amazigh music and brought something new to Amazigh audiences. In my personal interpretation of A Vava Inou va, I believe that it was the vocal and musical performance that made this song a success. That is my opinion, and everyone can have their own opinion about it.

K. Ouaras and N. Boudraa: In your album entitled Awk nixde’ Rebbi (May God Betray You), released in 1992, Idir and yourself performed a masterful duet and brilliantly interpreted the mythical title Imsebriden (Passersby). How did this fabulous project begin? Were there other projects of this kind that you considered with Idir (that you could not carry out)?

L. Aït Menguellet: When I composed the song Imsebriden, in the village as usual, I told my son Djaafer[8] that Idir, as a more confident singer, would be a better choice than me to sing the part in the song dedicated to advice and recommendations. His voice was a perfect fit for this duet. So, I called Idir to tell him about the duet project. He immediately accepted, as I was certain he would. Things happened like that. We went to Paris to record the song. Idir quickly learned the lyrics, and everything went as planned. This collaboration with Idir gave me complete satisfaction because it was his voice that I wanted in the song. It should be noted that in all the albums I recorded in France, you can easily recognize Idir’s musical touch and friendship! When Idir could help, he always did so with pleasure, and I did not hesitate to ask him for it and solicit him when needed. Being excellent friends, we did not hesitate to help each other. That is how he contributed to all the albums I recorded in France and that is how our musical collaboration was born.

K. Ouaras and N. Boudraa: How did Idir manage to negotiate the dual approach (local and universal) through his music and especially through his performances on stage?

L. Aït Menguellet: Idir settled in France quite early on and was taken under the wing of Sony Music, a major label. This company had deep experience in launching singers’ careers, but it must be said that Idir was a “launchable…singer” (laughs). He was particularly suited for the international stage. Sony Music’s managers would not have been able to easily internationalize another local singer like they did with Idir, because with his talent and his voice he was predisposed, after the success of A Vava Inou va, to embark on a major musical career. Idir was a musical genius both in terms of composition and interpretation. This of course played in his favor, and his voice fit well with his musical style. Having said that, he had some weaknesses when it came to lyrics, but thanks to his intelligence, he always knew how to choose his songwriters and ask them for texts on the themes he wanted to address. He controlled everything. Even if he did not write poetry, he controlled what he sang as lyrics. Musically, he was unique. Idir was a magician of music.

K. Ouaras and N. Boudraa: Is Idir’s music typical of his own style (a new style) or is it the result of musical mixtures and fusions?

L. Aït Menguellet: I would say both, because Idir had an extraordinary quality. He was an unconditional fan of Kabyle traditional music and had an admiration for old singers. Idir was trained in music at a young age, which added to his talent as a musician. I think this resulted in a perfect fusion and created a magical blend between the “authentic” old style and his own modern composition.

FIG. 2.  Idir. Credit: Hayat Aït Menguellet.

K. Ouaras and N. Boudraa: Kateb Yacine referred to a group of socially engaged singers from the 1970s and 1980s as les maquisards de la chanson (the guerrilla fighters of song). How does this apply to Idir?

L. Aït Menguellet: I think it applies to all singers who are determined to sing socially engaged lyrics. It’s easy enough to explain because, at the time, singing in the Kabyle language was already a form of commitment and advocacy for linguistic and cultural rights. Because they sang socially engaged lyrics during the era of the single party system that denied the Amazigh dimension of Algeria, Kateb Yacine said those singers were Maquisards de la chanson (Guerrilla fighters of song). I believe it perfectly applied to Idir as it did to many other prominent advocates of the Amazigh language and culture.

K. Ouaras and N. Boudraa: What is Idir’s contribution to Kabyle music and Amazigh activism in general?

L. Aït Menguellet: Idir’s work made a considerable contribution to both Kabyle music and Amazigh culture in general. Contemporary Kabyle music served (and still does) as the spearhead for the Amazigh claim in North Africa and played a foundational role in protecting, revitalizing, and promoting Amazigh identity. Idir ranked high among the singers who made the Amazigh claim visible and audible by creating and performing music.

K. Ouaras and N. Boudraa: What is the best way, in your opinion, to celebrate Idir and all the artists and singers who have proudly and loudly raised the voice of Amazigh culture?

L. Aït Menguellet: I feel a little embarrassed to answer this question since I myself am concerned by this issue. First, I would say that if the artists and singers have supported and helped the Amazigh cause, it is because it was their duty to do so. It seems to me that they do not expect any homage, tribute, celebrations, or anything else. They honestly and admirably accomplished their mission to assert the Amazigh language and culture, which were both marginalized and targeted. Secondly, I would say that the best way to celebrate the advocates of Amazigh cause is to never forget them because they have dedicated their lives to this cause. The best way to celebrate them is to listen to them, to continue to fight as they did, and ensure that their struggle is not in vain. Let’s do our best to save the Amazigh language and culture, which are still in danger.

K. Ouaras and N. Boudraa: Could you tell us about your last exchanges with Idir? His last concert in Algiers and his concerns about it?

L. Aït Menguellet: It’s a strange and difficult question. Idir was a little worried about his last concert, which took place in Algiers in January 2018, especially the possibility of not having a large audience at his concert after having not performed in decades. He kept wondering and asking himself if he was going to be appreciated and if people still remembered him in Algeria after all those years. My son Djaafer noticed, as I did, the anxiety that almost paralyzed Idir a few months before the planned concert. They called each other regularly. Djaafer loved Idir. I even sent him as an intern to work with Idir in 1990. Idir welcomed him, let him stay at his home, and, most importantly, introduced him to computer music. In my absence, Djaafer was, for him, something of a confidant. When they were talking, Idir always shared his concerns about his performance in Algeria. We reassured him as best we could. We had veritable therapy sessions to convince him that he was the great Idir, despite his long absence from Algeria. I was sincere as I reassured him because I knew that his concert would be one of the highest-attended concerts of his career. I made it clear to him that this long absence worked in his favor and that his concert would take place in front of massive crowds. The Algerian audience was hungry to finally see him perform and listen to him in Algeria. And that’s what happened. Idir’s last concert in Algiers was a resounding success. I managed to convince him, and I scored some points with him (laughs).

K. Ouaras and N. Boudraa: A word about your last meeting (your last exchange) with Idir before his passing.

L. Aït Menguellet: This is the most painful question because before his passing, I had the opportunity to visit him twice and spend two afternoons with him. Honestly, I was nowhere close to thinking that he was going to leave us. He was sick but not bedridden. His health had declined a bit, but his sense of humor was intact. We spent both afternoons telling each other jokes. He had a lot of humor, great humor. Of course, we talked about serious things, but we joked a lot. This was done in order to make him forget a little bit about his health concerns and challenges. After that, I returned to Algeria. When I learned of his death during the Covid pandemic crisis, it was shocking and painful. I couldn’t even attend his funeral. When I think about it, I feel a deep sorrow. His death is a big loss for all of us, for Kabyle music. We have lost a giant of Kabyle music and of Amazigh music, in general. We must never forget him.

Footnotes:

[1] Born in Ighil Bouammas in Kabylia (Algeria) on January 17, 1950, Lounis (Abdenbi) Aït Menguellet is an Algerian Kabyle poet, singer, songwriter, and musician. He is considered as one of the most emblematic figures of modern Kabyle music. He began his music career in the 1970s, and his music quickly gained popularity for its focus on themes of love (tayri), social justice, Amazigh cultural identity, and the beauty of Kabyle culture. His deep influence on Kabyle music and culture has been significant, and he is widely regarded as a national treasure in Algeria. His music and poetry have inspired generations of Kabyle artists, musicians, and singers, and his legacy continues to be celebrated by Amazigh audiences around the world.

[2] Chérif Kheddam was born in Kabylia in 1927. He was an Algerian Kabyle musician, singer, songwriter, and composer who was known for his contributions to Kabyle music. He started his musical career in the 1950s. He was a self-taught musician who played a variety of instruments, including the mandolin, ‘ud, the guitar, the banjo, and piano. He was also known for his powerful and emotive voice, which he used to sing about love, politics, and social issues. Kheddam was a prolific artist who recorded more than 20 albums throughout his career. He was also a cultural activist who advocated for the recognition of Amazigh language and culture. He was a member of the Berber Cultural Movement and was a vocal critic of the Algerian government’s policies towards the Amazigh community. Kheddam’s music continues to be popular in Algeria and among Kabyle and Amazigh communities around the world. His songs are known for their poetic lyrics, catchy melodies, and powerful messages about love, cultural identity, and social justice. He died in 2012.

[3] Mouloud Mammeri (1917-1989), Algerian Kabyle anthropologist, creative writer, and linguist. He is considered as one of the most prominent figures in modern Berber literature and culture. Mammeri’s work focused on promoting Amazigh culture and language, which had long been marginalized by French colonial rule and later by the newly independent Algeria. He wrote several books in both Berber and French, including the novel La Colline oubliée (The Forgotten Hill) in 1952, which is considered a classic of modern Berber literature. Mammeri died in a car accident in 1989, but his legacy continues to inspire Berber writers, scholars, and activists to this day.

[4] Idir’s civil name is Hamid Cheriet.

[5] Idir’s iconic song was a lullaby inspired by an ancient Kabyle tale about a young girl (Ghriba) trying to save her father, vava inou (my father), from a devouring ogre. It is one of the best-known songs in the Kabyle language and immediately gained international recognition. In the 1960s and 1970s, composing these kinds of songs was the best way to highlight that the Amazigh culture is an integral component of the Algerian identity and to affirm that Amazigh culture matters.

[6] Traditionally, the name Idir—which means "will live” in the Kabyle language—was given to fragile newborns as a way to protect them from disease and death.

[7] Born in Kabylia in 1944, Mohamed Benhamadouche, alias Ben, is a prominent and well-known Algerian poet, songwriter, and radio personality who wrote lyrics in both Kabyle and Algerian Arabic. His lyrics and poems were sung by the famous singers Lounès Matoub, Nouara, Takfarinas, Djamel Allem, and Hamid Medjahed, among others. Ben also translated some of Kateb Yacine’s plays into the Kabyle language.

[8] Like his father, Djaafer is a singer and musician.