Navigation guide Refugee populations in the UK: Algerians - ICAR

egular journal (in French) containing new, full-length novels or collections of short stories and poetry,
motivated by the conviction that artistic production can contribute to the peaceful resolution of the
conflict. In the UK, two Algerian writers contribute to the association Exiled Writers Ink; the artist and
poet Nafissa Boudalia and the poet and short story writer Samia Dahnaan.
1 Djaout is perhaps best known for Les chercheurs d’os (Searching for bones) (1984) and Dernier été de la raison
(The last summer of reason) published posthumously in 1999.
2 Khadra, Y. (1998) Les agneaux du seigneur. Julliard, Paris; Khadra, Y. (1999) A quoi rêvent les loups. Julliard,
Paris.
3 Such Arezki Mellal (2000) Maintenant, Ils peuvent venir, Editions barzakh, Algiers.
Music
The tremendous diversity of musical styles and traditions in Algeria reflects the diverse ethnic origins of the
population. 79 The most common form of classical music originates in Andalusia, Spain, and arrived in
Algeria in the fifteenth century, following the expulsion of the Arabic population from Spain. This music is
often called maalouf or andalus and is played on traditional instruments. 80
There is also a tradition of folk music sung in Berber languages. Idir is currently one of the most popular
Berber musicians; he gave a rare concert in the UK in 2002 and played to a huge crowd at the Barbican.
Lounes Matoub, another Berber musician, was killed in mysterious circumstances in 1998. He was always
an extremely popular singer and since his death he has become an extremely powerful symbol of Berber
culture and his music is rarely absent from Berber demonstrations.
There is a further cultural influence from the pieds noirs; the tremendously popular Jewish-Algerian singer
Enrico Macias retains his links with Algeria, though he now lives in France. Finally there is a long tradition of
Arabic folk music or chaabi. Chaabi songs are concerned with classic popular themes of love and duty but
also relate a particular vision of developments in Algerian society from emigration in the 1950s to despair at
the current conflict today. Contemporary raï music has developed these concerns. In fact it is common for
modern raï singers to update classic chaabi songs, such as ‘Ya Raya!’ (O, you who are leaving). Written in
1954 about emigration, it has become a standard and most raï singers perform their own version of its
classic, easily recognisable melody.
Raï
A combination of traditional Algerian rhythms and modern electric instruments, raï developed in the town
of Oran in Western Algeria. It originated in the early 1980s and soon became associated with youth
rebellion and anti-establishment behaviour. Early raï musicians were strongly disapproved of as socially
deviant and morally corrupting by traditionally orientated mainstream society, similar to punk in Britain;
indeed musicians such as French-Algerian Rachid Taha continue to make a conscious effort to develop
the punk-raï connection. Rai was particularly disapproved of by Islamist groups. The local FIS
administration banned the 1991 raï festival in Oran due to the glorification of over-drinking and sex in
some raï songs. Raï singers such as Cheb Hasni were targeted in the wave of assassinations of 1993
and 1994 and many joined other artists in exile. Raï is sometimes seen as a form of resistance to
79 This is clear from Algerian radio. A good range of Algerian radio stations is available online at
http://www.vtuner.com/vtunerweb/static/staticAlgeriaoverall1.html [accessed 5 May 2004].
80 Musique andalouse d’Algérie (Harmonia Mundi 2003) by Nassima is an excellent, recent example of this music.
Navigation guide to refugee populations: Algerians
©ICAR 2004, moral rights Michael Collyer
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