By Ruba Hattar
This week, Algeria, France, North Africa and all lovers of Kabyle and Berber cultures folk music fusions bid farewell to the brilliant Algerian singer and musician Hamid Cheriet, better known by his stage name Idir or Yidir.
The Berber-speaking Kabyle people are a sub-group of North and West Africa’s wider Berber ethnic population. In Algeria, the Kabyles are a minority that have historically been repressed by the central government and are indigenous to the north of the country, spanning the Atlas Mountains. Many Kabyle settled in France following the Algerian civil war.
the Kabyles are a minority that have historically been repressed by the central government and are indigenous to the north of the country
Idir, who passed away at the age of 70, in a hospital in Paris, two days ago, led a life full of distinguished musical and cultural experiments faithful to his own folk culture but also presenting it to the world in a modern and unique fusion style that brought it close to hearts of many.
Idir participated in many concerts supporting different causes. For example, on 22 June 1995, more than 6,000 people attended a concert for peace, freedom and tolerance performed by the singer and his friend Khaled, initiators of the association "l'Algérie, la vie" (Algeria and life). Idir also took part in the concert in memory of Lounès Matoub, the Kabyle singer who was assassinated in 1998.
In 2001, Idir defended his national identity once again at "Le Zénith" in Paris at the "21st Berber Spring", a celebration of Berber culture. On 8 July that year, he organised a special fund-raising concert to support the population in Kabylie, at a time when anti-government riots were taking place in the predominantly-Berber region. Idir was joined by a number of stars and thousands of Algerian and French fans who turned out to "Le Zénith" to support the population in Kabylie.
Al-Bawaba English lists a few of his brilliant works here for your listening pleasure.
1. A Vava Inouva
According to many “the style of Idir music, with lone vocals and acoustic guitar, championed the sounds of Kabyle music, and as such he was widely considered an ambassador of the Kabyle culture.”
