Lounès Matoub

Lounès Matoub (Kabyle: ), more commonly called Matoub Lounès , is a Chanteur and Poète Kabyle, in particular known for its engagement in the identity claim Berber. It was born in Taourirt Moussa, the January 24th 1956, and was assassinated the June 25th 1998 on the road of Ath Douala. Officially, this assassination is atribué with GIA but its family shows the Algerian capacity to have assassinated it.

Biography

As of adolescence, it composes of the songs. In Algeria it does not like teaching because, the school curriculum vitae deprives it of its identity. Lounès, very waked up, as of its young age raised the question: I speak Berber at the house and at the school I learn: my ancestors Arabs. The former generation learned: my ancestors the Gallic ones. But then which are we? Lounès is said. Thus it rejects other very " colonization morale" and becomes young autodidact in the life. Its concern always was of " restaurer" identity of origin to knowing Amazigh (Berber). In 1978, Matoub Lounès records its first album, Ay izem , which imposes it like a great hope of the Algerian song of Berber expression.

In 1983, the bard kabyle then already known in its country occurs for the first time at the Olympia. It records " then; Aurifur" , an album which gains a sharp success.

From does the exit of its first album have Yizem anda tellid? ( O lion where are you? ) Matoub Lounès celebrates the combatants of independence and fustigates the leaders of the Algérie with which it reproaches for having usurped the capacity and to attach freedom of expression. Leader of the combat for the recognition of the Berber Language, it is seriously wounded by a gendarme in October 1988. He tells his long convalescence in the album the Irony of fate (1989).

In 1998, it leaves the album " tavrats I lhukem" and " ilehqed zhir" .ces last is typically chaabi, it denounces there cowardice, the stupidity of the capacity algérien.la famous song N°5 " tavrats I lhukem" is in fact in the form of " kacide" (sequence of different musics), the last music is a parody of the Algerian official anthem, this last cost him the life.

Matoub Lounès the committed man

The texts of Matoub Lounès are clearly claiming and are summarized with the defense of the culture Amazigh E which occupies a central place. He denounces the dictatorship and Islamism in Algeria. He is opposed to the policy Arabisation monoculture which according to him was unbearable with living. He speaks the Tamazight and French, and includes/understands Arabic but only speaks it very little. Matoub Lounès is a burning partisan of the Laïcité and Démocratie, which is made the spokesperson of the misfits and the women. Opposed to Islamism and the islamist Terrorism, it condemns the assassination of intellectuals, it was removed on September 25th 1994 by the GIA (Islamic Group Army), then released at the end of a strong mobilization of the opinion kabyle. The same year, it publishes an autobiographical work the Rebel and receives the Prix of the memory hands of Danielle Mitterrand.

In 1996, it takes part in the walk of the branches in Italy for the abolition of the capital punishment whereas in in March 1995, the S.C.I.J. (Canada) to him the Price of Freedom of expression gives.

The June 25th 1998, it is assassinated on the road carrying out of Tizi Ouzou to Blessed-Douala in Kabylie a few kilometres from its native village (Taourit Moussa). The conditions of this murder were never elucidated. The funeral of the singer drained hundreds of thousands of people, while all the area knew several weeks of riots. Its last album Open letter with… , appeared a few weeks after the assassination, contains a parody of the Algerian national anthem in which he denounces the capacity in place.

The June 30th 1998, the GIA asserts its assassination.

A foundation bearing the name of the singer was created by his close relations to perpetuate his memory, to make the light on the assassination and to promote the values of humanism defended during the life of Matoub Lounès.

Two streets bearing the name of Matoub Lounès were inaugurated in France with its memory:

In the commune of Saint-Martin-in Hères close to Grenoble.
With Vaulx-in-Vellum close to Lyon on November 22nd, 2003.

Matoub Lounès is of all the artists kabyles, most known in Kabylie as in the whole world because of its engagement, as of its music which is based on the use of traditional instruments as the mandole and takes again the topics more envoutants folklore kabyle.

In 2001 the Corsican Group Canta U Populu Corsu in their album Rinvivisce pays homage to its fight and its sufferings.

Discography

(1978) two albums : Ay-izem, Daawessu
(1979) four albums : Ruh ay-aqcic, Yekkes-have I znad ucekkel, With hif the yuran, Ay ahlili
(1980) two albums : AD-twaligh, Recital in Olympia 80 (JSK)
(1981) three albums : Have-acted lligh, Slaavit ay abehri (vol.1: Slaavit ay abehri, vol.2: Yehzen L Wadi-Aissi), At yiraten
(1982) Tirgin
(1983) Tamsalt N Sliman
(1984) l-hif A-tarwa
(1985) two albums : Dda Hammou, Lvavur
(1986) two albums : ougadhegh akerwin (=Les two accomplices), Tamurt-iw
(1987) Tissirt n-enndama
(1988) two albums : El-drove, Rwah rwah
(1989) the irony of fate
(1991) Regard on the history of a country damné (vol.1: Glance on the history of a damné country, vol.2: Izriw yeghlav lahmali)
(1993) Communion with the fatherland (vol.1: Communion with the fatherland, vol.2: anthem with Boudiaf)
(1994) Kenza

(1996) Tighri G-gemmated (vol.1: Assirem (=l' hope), vol.2: Tighri G-gemmated)

(1997) In the name of all mine (vol.1: Semehthiyi, vol.2: Selkane)

(1998) Open letter with… (vol.1: Ayen ayen, vol.2: Iluhqed to zhir)

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