Libya's Concert for Amazigh New Year, and Belated Greetings

From MEI Editor's Blog Wed Jan 16 2013, 01:45:00

I'm a day or so late this year in wishing my Amazigh readers a happy New Year 2963. Due to other commitments I let it slip past me. But this gives me occasion to link to this report of the unprecedented Amazigh New Year's concert held in Tripoli on Saturday. As theThere has been nothing like it in Tripoli ever seen before. Libya Herald's report notes, "There has been nothing like it in Tripoli ever seen before." Further from that report:

A huge jubilant crowd poured into the main football stadium in Tripoli last night, Saturday, for the first celebration in more than 40 years of the Amazigh New Year, which started today. It is the year 2963 in the Amazigh calendar. From around 5pm, several thousand people from all Amazigh and non-Amazigh towns and places across the country descended on the stadium in Tripoli's Sport's City for a concert that it was -- so far -- one of its kind. The crowd filled the entire stadium and seats were eagerly sought by them families that had come along for the event. There were far more people than had been expected. "It means everything to us " said Salam Al-Arussi, a teacher and Amazigh rights activist. "It has always been a dream and I never thought I would live to witness such day, I am so overwhelmed with happiness -- and frustration that I didn't do what youngsters did and overthrow the tyrant" said Ahmed Abodaya, a 47-year-old engineer attending the event. I explained here last year how the traditional North African Berber or agricultural calendar begins its new year on the old Julian calendar New Year, now January 14 (though many Algerian Amazigh observe on January 12). ...

[view whole blog post ]
 See More    |     Report Abuse


You might also be interested in the following news stories:

Algérie:  L'écrivain Boualem Sansal renonce à se pourvoir en cassation (news)
Radio France Internationale
5 July 2025

L'écrivain franco-algérien Boualem Sansal, emprisonné en Algérie depuis novembre 2024 et condamné à 5 ans de prison pour atteinte à l'unité ... [read more]

Algérie:  Bejaia se remémore les scènes de joie du 5 juillet 1962 (news)
Algerie Presse Service
5 July 2025

A l'occasion du 63e anniversaire du recouvrement de la souveraineté nationale, les moudjahidine et des habitants de Bejaia se remémorent les scènes de liesse, le 5 juillet 1962, ... [read more]

Algérie:  Pas de grâce présidentielle pour l'écrivain Boualem Sansal (news)
Radio France Internationale
5 July 2025

C'est la douche froide ce soir pour les proches et les amis de Boualem Sansal, arrêté à Alger en novembre 2024, puis condamné à cinq ans de prison pour des propos ... [read more]



blogAfrica is allAfrica.com's platform to help you keep an ear on the African blogosphere. We draw diverse voices from around the world who post regularly and insightfully about African issues. Bloggers, submit your blog's rss-feed!