The chronology of recognition and demarcation in Morocco
Written by: Walid Al-Bormaqi - Professor of the Amazigh Language in the M’diq Fnideq Directorate
Talking about “Asgas Amino,” or the Amazigh New Year, and raising its discussion in Moroccan family and community circles, during the second half of the last century, that is, after Morocco’s independence in 1956, was one of the taboos and social taboos that were difficult to engage in with all freedom and fluency within the societal structure of the North. Africa in general and Moroccan society in particular, regardless of their political and ideological forms and characteristics. Not to mention the widespread restrictions and arrests that affected a group of detainees and political and human rights activists during the sixties and seventies of the last century, when it came to the arrest of the leftist activist defending his Amazigh identity, “Ali Sidqi Azaykou,” in 1981 and his sentencing to effective imprisonment for a full year because of a simple article he called “In A true understanding of our national culture.” This article carries within it many topics that are socially silent, the most important of which is raising the conversation about the national identity and Amazigh culture of North African countries.
In this article, Azayko spoke about the basic components that scientifically define the Amazigh identity of North Africa, and highlighted the main and direct role played by the human sciences such as: archaeology, anthropology, and sociology... in determining the basic pillars of the identity of the indigenous people who have existed in North Africa since history itself was known, as he expressed: That philosopher “Ibn Khaldun” in his famous introduction.
The Amazigh Sunnah remained absent from the general Moroccan political scene and from the most important national events and celebrations, but the marginal regions remained clinging to their historical and cultural specificities and its intangible legacy, consciously or unconsciously, in the various Amazigh-speaking regions: the Atlas, the south-east, Souss, the Rif... etc.
After that, the scope of commemoration will be expanded little by little and this important historical station in the history of the Amazigh people will be made known to the university community for students regardless of their affiliations and socio-economic circles. Before these first initiatives to bring it out of homes and into society as a whole, the Amazigh language was considered one of the forgotten and overlooked matters in most of the vital fields in Morocco: education, medicine, judiciary, media... On the other hand, various holidays and other occasions, both national and religious, are celebrated with the complete exclusion of the language. Amazigh.
The nineties of the last century witnessed a number of restrictions on some activists of the “Tilili” association concerned with Amazigh affairs, for writing a banner with the Amazigh letter “Tifinagh”, as the authority at that time considered this act a threat to its cultural, historical and religious specificities and a departure from the general legal texts framing the behavior of individuals within Moroccan society. .
The controversial intellectual, as Ahmed Chirac puts it in his book The Intellectual and Power, Ali Sedqi Azaykou, is considered one of the activists who gave a lot to the Amazigh cause, along with other academic thinkers.
Through his publications (Ali Sidqi), books of great scientific and academic importance, such as: The History of Morocco or Possible Interpretations. In it, he spoke about the chronicle of the direct military invasion of North Africa by various foreign colonial powers, as well as the intellectual and cultural invasion, which contributed greatly to the removal of the Amazigh culture and language from the public space and the priority basic sectors and to detract from its social value and legal status.
The celebration of the Amazigh New Year has been limited to some Amazigh associations since 1967, with the Association for Cultural Exchange and the Amazigh Movement in the political street to a very limited extent, due to the lack of interest in the matter in the beginning. Then I moved to the university space in the early 1990s, immediately after the emergence of the Amazigh cultural movement at the University of Fez, Errachidia and Meknes, and I found...as a student component that defends the Amazigh and their ancient history and is interested in their historical stations and their legacy of struggle that extends for thousands of years. Which will enhance the spread of (the Amazigh Sunnah) in a tremendous and significant way among student circles after it was banned and forbidden by the leftist organizations that control matters and the management of the conferences and decisions of the trade union organization “Otum” starting from the 13th conference in 1969, until 1981, when the 17th conference of the organization will fail and it will live. Fragmentation and dispersion at the level of organization and practice.
The role that the Amazigh democratic activities played in introducing “Asgas Aminu” within the societal structure in various ways and methods... played an important and essential role in expanding the scope of its immortality among many components of the Moroccan people, and it received great acclaim after the third millennium, even from non-Amazigh speakers.
This new phase in Morocco’s contemporary history was marked by a renewal of the future vision, breaking the prevailing taboos, breaking with all kinds of discrimination, and opening up to various issues that have been pending for decades, in order to resolve them and adopt a culture of recognition as a basic gateway to peaceful coexistence between all parties and components of the Moroccan people.
Building the new era characterized by pluralism through the royal speech on October 17, 2001 and turning the page on the past once and for all was one of the smart and correct decisions in order to move forward by investing in the various cultural and linguistic aspects of our country, by consolidating the principle of acculturation and peaceful cultural coexistence.
The establishment of some official institutions (IRCAM) to pay attention to the Amazigh language and culture and to integrate it into the education and training system since 2003 is one of the things that restored the reputation of the Amazigh language that had been lost for decades, and established an important transitional phase in the history of Morocco, as it culminated in its demarcation in the 2011 Constitution as stipulated. The third paragraph of Chapter Five, where the Amazigh language was considered an official language of the state alongside the Arabic language, and a common heritage for all Moroccans without exception.
Despite the relative delay in bringing Regulatory Law 26.16 into existence, and then its official publication on September 26, 2019... it was the result of a long effort of important preparations and preparations, which contributed to highlighting the Amazigh language in various sectors, perhaps the most important of which is education, by raising From the number of its professors nationally, and supporting specializations in universities that have a Department of Amazigh Studies by creating new positions and opening many master’s degrees and doctoral centers there. This in itself is the result of a very long and difficult path of struggle, waged by the Amazigh movement on the level of the general political street, and by the Amazigh cultural movement within Moroccan universities.
After Algeria recognized the Amazigh New Year 2969 and considered it a paid holiday, as well as some parties in Libya, this year it is Morocco’s turn to recognize this historical and cultural symbolism among the Amazigh people so that January 14, 2024, positions for January 1, 2974, are considered a paid holiday.
Today, the celebration of the Amazigh New Year has become an achievement and has imposed certainty on all components of the Moroccan people and others, regardless of their pronunciations and political and intellectual orientations, far from all narrow calculations.
Standing at this important historical station is one of the urgent basics that requires appreciation and confirmation from all components of the people, both Amazigh speakers and non-Amazigh speakers, and also introducing its most important cultural and civilizational characteristics after its absence from the public space for many years.
As January 13 of each Gregorian year approaches, coinciding with the Amazigh New Year, the public political arena is witnessing intense debates between supporters and opponents of Islamists and Marxists for this exceptional anniversary, due to its difference from the rest of the other Gregorian and Hijri calendars. As an agricultural year par excellence, extending to the year 950 BC, in celebration of the symbolism of the historical victory of the Berber King Sheshnak over the Pharaohs in the person of “Ramesses III” in the year 950 BC. This occasion depends on the preparation of some natural products and all the agricultural materials and goods that the land produces.
Finally, it can be said that commemorating or celebrating: “January Day” is a gain for the Amazigh people who have struggled for many centuries to preserve their culture, civilization, and language from extinction, disappearance, and complete erasure from existence. The recognition that we are experiencing today is nothing but a consolidation of the culture of preserving the Amazigh cultural heritage and an affirmation of the justice of the linguistic and cultural rights that Imazighen called for decades ago, and which were signed under the dome of the United Nations General Assembly on 11/18/1979.
Source : websites