UNESCO A group of experts working for UNESCO have just finished a study dealing with the issue of the longevity of languages of the world. The study revealed an astonishing truth. Of the estimated 7,000 languages spoken in the world today, linguists say, nearly half are in danger of extinction and likely to disappear in this century. In fact, one falls out of use about every two weeks. It was in 1987 that UNESCO initiated an international programme,... 

The Aith Waryaghar of the Moroccan Rif Book A new version of David Montgomery Hart’s “The Aith Waryaghar of the Moroccan Rif” has to be presented in Arabic language. The SMDN (The Voice of the Moroccan Democrats Resident in Nederland) has launched the Arabic version of the masterpiece mentioned above. “The Aith Waryaghar of the Moroccan Rif” written by the famous American anthropologist David Montgomery Hart was first... 

North Africans may have beaten Celts to Ireland When the Celts landed in Ireland 2,500 years ago, they may have been met by a population of North Africans, scientists now believe, writes Jan Battles. Linguists say a study of Irish and other Celtic languages has produced possible evidence that when the Celts invaded Ireland and Britain there were already Afro-Asiatic speakers here. Celtic languages – Irish, Scots Gaelic and Welsh – incorporate... 

Tamiri With a profound and gorgeous voice, a young female star, Tamiri, has appeared in the world of the Amazigh song in the recent years. This Rifian artist has been appeared for the first time in the famous theater play that commemorates the unforgettable history event of Rif, Dhar Oubaran. Supported by the Rifian singer Massin, she always had the courage to sing on the stage, which lead her to launch her first single album called “Ssendâ€?... 

Tamazgha The Berber seems to be content to be drawn gradually into and assimilated by his country’s general ethos, to lose his identity in Arab society. Berber nationalism has become an outmoded doctrine, if it ever existed in the first place. The Berber of today may remember the tales of his father’s father, of the glory of the Berber tribes; but he will not attempt to emulate his forebears. Instead, when asked his... 

Takfarinas His name may not be familiar to Americans, but for millions of people in North Africa and Europe, his name is synonymous with “Yal music.” At a time when all the youth of Algeria were caught up in raï music, Takfarinas was forging his own sound, a sort of musical esperantos deriving from the Kabyle songs of the last century. He named it “Yal music” after the rhythmic vocalized syllable “yal…laaa... 

The etymology of the word "Berber"? For some people, the origin of the word “Berber”? would be Greek; their argument rely on the fact that the Greeks called people who spoke a language other than Greek “the Barbarians”?. For the Arabs, the above word would be borrowed from Arabic, since in this language there is the verb “Barbara”? (to roar) and “Al-barbarah”? (“roar”? and by extension,... 

he 3rd Mediterranean Festival of Al Hoceima The 3rd annual festival of Al Hoceima was surprising this summer; the pioneers of Amazigh music from many regions of Tamazgha and other bands that are in the diaspora joined the event. The festival started on Monday July 23 and ended on Sunday 29 of the same month. The artists that marked the event are Khalid Izri, Imetlaa, Takfarinas, Thifridjas, Zirly, Tifyour and the famous humorist Thuzzarin narrif .... 

Towards a Unified, Common and Standard Amazigh Language For many decades, we witnessed, especially in the Amazighophone circles, rational consciousness raising whose consequences are promoting, normalizing, standardizing and unifying Amazigh language, one of the old languages that has been living for several millennia. As far as can be traced back in the field of Amazigh studies, the theory of the Amazigh language has always been brought to the fore.... 

The 3rd Amazigh Festival of Tangiers The 3rd edition of the Tangiers Amazigh Festival has been a remarkable event in the memory of Tangiers (the bride of the north of Morocco). Artists from different parts of Tamazgha (north of Africa) including Rif, Sous, Atlas, Kabylia, Twareg… made of this manifestation a magnificent meeting to celebrate the openness of Tamazight on the world cultures. The artists that marked this edition are: Takfarinas...