Aires linguistiques du nord-est algérien

The Chaoui people or ''Shawia'' ( arq, الشاوية, shy, Išawiyen) are an

Amazigh , image = File:Berber_flag.svg , caption = The Berber ethnic flag , population = 36 million , region1 = Morocco , pop1 = 14 million to 18 million , region2 = Algeria , pop2 ...

(Berber) ethnic group to the Aurès region in northeastern

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , religi ...

which spans

Batna Batna or BATNA may refer to: *Batna (city), Algeria *Batna Province, Algeria *Best alternative to a negotiated agreement In negotiation theory, the best alternative to a negotiated agreement or BATNA (no deal option) refers to the most advantageou ...

and

Khenchla Khenchela ancient Mascula ( ar, خنشلة) is the capital city of the administrative Khenchela Province ('' Wilaya''), number 40, in the north east of Algeria. Situated in the Aures Mountains, 1200 m above sea level. The city is mainly po ...

, Oum El Bouaghi provinces located in and surrounded by the

Aurès Mountains The Aures Mountains ( ar, جبال الأوراس) are an eastern prolongation of the Atlas Mountain System that lies to the east of the Saharan Atlas in northeastern Algeria and northwestern Tunisia, North Africa. The mountain range gives its na ...

. They also live in provinces of

Tébessa Tébessa or Tebessa ( ar, تبسة ''Tibissa'', ''Tbessa'' or ''Tibesti''), the classical Theveste, is the capital city of Tébessa Province region of northeastern Algeria. It hosts several historical landmarks, the most important one being the ...

, Constantine, Setif and other parts of Eastern

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , religi ...

coextensive with ancient Massylii of

Numidia Numidia ( Berber: ''Inumiden''; 202–40 BC) was the ancient kingdom of the Numidians located in northwest Africa, initially comprising the territory that now makes up modern-day Algeria, but later expanding across what is today known as Tuni ...

, as well as in some parts of adjacent North-Western

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

. They call themselves ''Išawiyen''/''Icawiyen'' (pronounced ) and speak the

Shawiya language Shawiya, or Shawiya Berber, also spelt Chaouïa (native form: ''Tacawit'' ), is a Zenati Berber language spoken in Algeria by the Shawiya people. The language's primary speech area is the Awras Mountains in Eastern Algeria and the surrounding a ...

. They are the second largest Tell Atlas

Amazigh , image = File:Berber_flag.svg , caption = The Berber ethnic flag , population = 36 million , region1 = Morocco , pop1 = 14 million to 18 million , region2 = Algeria , pop2 ...

-speaking ethnicity , alongside

Kabyles The Kabyle people ( kab, Izwawen or ''Leqbayel'' or ''Iqbayliyen'', ) are a Berber ethnic group indigenous to Kabylia in the north of Algeria, spread across the Atlas Mountains, east of Algiers. They represent the largest Berber-speaking pop ...

and Chenouas.

History

Historically, the

served as a refuge for

Berber people , image = File:Berber_flag.svg , caption = The Berber flag, Berber ethnic flag , population = 36 million , region1 = Morocco , pop1 = 14 million to 18 million , region2 = Algeria , p ...

s, forming a base of resistance against the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post- Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Medite ...

, the

Vandals The Vandals were a Germanic people who first inhabited what is now southern Poland. They established Vandal kingdoms on the Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean islands, and North Africa in the fifth century. The Vandals migrated to the area be ...

, the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantin ...

and

Arabs The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...

. Aurès was also a district of Algeria that existed during and after the

Algerian War The Algerian War, also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence,( ar, الثورة الجزائرية '; '' ber, Tagrawla Tadzayrit''; french: Guerre d'Algérie or ') and sometimes in Algeria as the War of 1 November ...

from 1954 to 1962. It was in this region that Berber independence fighters started the war. Medghasen

The patriarch of Berbers is believed to have been ''Madghacen'', the common ancestor of the

Zenata The Zenata (Berber language: Iznaten) are a group of Amazigh (Berber) tribes, historically one of the largest Berber confederations along with the Sanhaja and Masmuda. Their lifestyle was either nomadic or semi-nomadic. Etymology ''Iznaten (ⵉ ...

and of the Botri as well.

Ibn Khaldun Ibn Khaldun (; ar, أبو زيد عبد الرحمن بن محمد بن خلدون الحضرمي, ; 27 May 1332 – 17 March 1406, 732-808 AH) was an Arab The Historical Muhammad', Irving M. Zeitlin, (Polity Press, 2007), p. 21; "It is, o ...

identified the Zenata as Berbers. Modern historians rank this Berber region within the group of Numidians and

Gaetuli Gaetuli was the Romanised name of an ancient Berber tribe inhabiting ''Getulia''. The latter district covered the large desert region south of the Atlas Mountains, bordering the Sahara. Other documents place Gaetulia in pre- Roman times along the ...

or the much more ancient

Meshwesh The Meshwesh (often abbreviated in ancient Egyptian as Ma) was an ancient Libyan Berber tribe, along with other groups like Libu and Tehenou/Tehenu. Early records of the Meshwesh date back to the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt from the reign of ...

Maesulians The Massylii or Maesulians were a Berber federation in eastern Numidia, which was formed by an amalgamation of smaller tribes during the 4th century BC.Nigel Bagnall, The Punic Wars, p. 270. They were ruled by a king. On their loosely defined west ...

and Mazaxes, from whom the Zenata formed, the main inhabitants of the Aurès in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

. Chaoui clans known by Ibn Khaldoun were the Ifren, Maghrawa, Djerawa, Abdalwadides, Howara and Awarba. According to de Slane, translator of the books of Ibn Khaldun, the term Chaoui/Shawi means "

shepherd A shepherd or sheepherder is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards flocks of sheep. ''Shepherd'' derives from Old English ''sceaphierde (''sceap'' 'sheep' + ''hierde'' ' herder'). ''Shepherding is one of the world's oldest occupations ...

" and designates the Zenata Berbers. After the independence of Algeria, the Chaouis remained localized mainly in the Auresian region. They are the second largest Berber-speaking group in terms of number of speakers, the first being the Kabyle.

Language

The Chaoui traditionally speak the

(''Berber:'' Tachawit). It belongs to the Berber branch of the

Afro-Asiatic The Afroasiatic languages (or Afro-Asiatic), also known as Hamito-Semitic, or Semito-Hamitic, and sometimes also as Afrasian, Erythraean or Lisramic, are a language family of about 300 languages that are spoken predominantly in the geographic ...

family, and is a variety of the

Zenati languages The Zenati languages are a branch of the Northern Berber language family of North Africa. They were named after the medieval Zenata Berber tribal confederation. They were first proposed in the works of French linguist Edmond Destaing (1915) (1 ...

. Shawiya is a closely related cluster of dialects spoken in the Aurès region (''Berber:'' Awras) of eastern Algeria and surrounding areas including

Khenchela Khenchela ancient Mascula ( ar, خنشلة) is the capital city of the administrative Khenchela Province ('' Wilaya''), number 40, in the north east of Algeria. Situated in the Aures Mountains, 1200 m above sea level. The city is mainly po ...

, south

Sétif Sétif ( ar, سطيف, ber, Sṭif) is the capital of the Sétif Province in Algeria. It is one of the most important cities of eastern Algeria and the country as a whole, since it is considered the trade capital of the country. It is an inner ci ...

, Oum El Bouaghi, Souk Ahras,

, and the north part of

Biskra Biskra ( ar, بسكرة ; ; Latin Vescera) is the capital city of Biskra Province, Algeria. In 2007, its population was recorded as 307,987. Biskra is located in northeastern Algeria, about 248 miles (400 km) from Algiers, 71 miles (115&n ...

. Recently the Shawiya language, together with the

Kabyle language Kabyle () or Kabylian (; native name: ''Taqbaylit'' , ) is a Berber language spoken by the Kabyle people in the north and northeast of Algeria. It is spoken primarily in Kabylia, east of the capital Algiers and in Algiers itself, but also by v ...

, has begun to achieve some cultural prominence due to the Berber cultural and political movements in

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , religi ...

Culture and art

Chaoui music is a specific style of Berber music. The Shawia dance is called Rahaba; men and women dancing at weddings. There are many 20th century singers, such as

Aïssa Djermouni Aïssa Djermouni or Aïssa El Jermouni or Aissa Merzougui or Aïssa L'Jarmouni (1886–1946) is an Algerian poet and a singer of Berber origin. Biography Aïssa Djermouni was born in M'toussa ( Kenchela) in 1886, Merzoug came from the great B ...

Ali Khencheli Ali Khencheli or Mahmoud Djellal (born at Khenchela) was an Algerian Algerian may refer to: * Something of, or related to Algeria * Algerian people This article is about the demographic features of the population of Algeria, including popul ...

, Massinissa, Ishem Boumaraf, Djamel Sabri,

Groupe Iwal A group is a military unit or a military formation that is most often associated with military aviation. Air and aviation groups The terms group and wing differ significantly from one country to another, as well as between different branches o ...

, Houria Aïchi, etc. Chaoui painters and sculptors (of whom there are many) include

Cherif Merzouki Cherif Merzouki or Cherif Merzougui or Merzogui (February 8, 1951 Amentan, Menaa, Aurès - April 4, 1991 Aurès ) was a painter and Illustrator An illustrator is an artist who specializes in enhancing writing or elucidating concepts by p ...

, Abdelkhader Houamel,

Hassane Amraoui The Hassane is a name for the traditionally dominant warrior tribes of the Sahrawi-Moorish areas of present-day Mauritania, southern Morocco and Western Sahara. Although lines were blurred by intermarriage and tribal re-affiliation, the Hassane ...

, Adel Abdessemed, and

Mohamed Demagh Mohamed Demagh (4 July 1930 – 16 August 2018) was an Algerian sculptor. Biography During the Algerian War Mohamed Demagh survived a bombing of French aviation in the maquis in Aures under the command of Abdelhamid Boudiaf (not to be confu ...

. The fantasia is a traditional exhibition of horsemanship in the Aurès performed during cultural festivals. The Chaoui were featured in

Amor Hakkar Amor Hakkar (Arabic: عمر حكار; born 1 January 1958), is an Algerian filmmaker as well as a producer, screenwriter and actor currently active in French film industry. He owns the film production company "Sarah Films". Personal life He was ...

's 2008 film ''

La Maison jaune ''The Yellow House'' (french: La Maison jaune) is a 2007 Algerian film. Synopsis In Algeria, in the arid mountainous landscapes of the Aurès , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = Natural region , image_skyline = ...

''.

References

Bibliography

* Basset A., ''Atlas linguistique des parlers berbères'', Alger, 1936 and 1939 (+ cartes). * Basset A., "Présentation de cartes linguistiques berbères", ''Comptes Rendus du Groupe Linguistique d’Études Chamito-Sémitiques'', 1–2, 1934/1937, p. 42/p. 81-82. * Basset, A., "Sur la toponymie berbère et spécialement sur la toponymie chaouïa Aït Frah", ''Onomastica'', 1948, p. 123-126. * Basset A., ''Textes berbères de l'Aurès (parler des Aït Frah), Paris, Publ. de l'Institut d'Etudes Orientales'', 1961. * Basset R., ''Loqmân berbère'' ... , Paris, 1890 (15 textes de l’Aurès). * Basset R., "Notice sur le chaouïa de la province de Constantine (Sedrata)", ''Journal asiatique'', 1896, 36p. * Boughida B.K., ''Bibliographie sur l’Aurès de 1830 à 1880'', 103p., 2cartes, 760 réf. Bibl.:Mémoirede Licence Institut de bibliothéconomie Univ. De Constantine. * Boulhaïs, N., "Recherches sur l'Aurès, bibliographie ordonnée", ''Etudes et Documents Berbères 15-16 (1998)'', pp. 284–312. * Chaker S., "Chaoui/Chaouia (linguistique/littérature)", ''Encyclopédie berbère'', XII, Aix-en-Provence, Edisud, 1993, p. 1875-1877. * Chaker S., "Aurès (linguistique)", ''Encyclopédie berbère'', VIII, Aix-en-Provence, Edisud, 1989–90, p. 1162-1169. * Dejeux J., "La Kahina: de l’Histoire à la fiction littéraire. Mythe et épopée", ''Studi Magrebini'', 15, 1983, p. 1-42. * Dejeux J., "Le bandit d’honneur en Algérie, de la réalité et l’oralité à la fiction", ''Études et Documents Berbères'', 4, 1988, p. 39-60 (deux poèmes sur Ben Zelmat, p. 56-7). * Dejeux J., ''Les femmes d’Algérie; légendes, tradition, histoire, littérature'', Paris, la Boîte à documents, 1987, 347 p. * , "Un conte chaouï: Hend utteγyult", ''Awal, Cahiers d’études berbères'', 1, 1985, p. 163-175. * Djarallah A., "Baγyay, un conte chaouï", ''Awal, Cahiers d’études berbères'', 3, 1987, p. 198-201. * Djarallah A., "Un conte dans le parler des Aït Abdi (Aurès méridional)", ''Études et Documents Berbères'', 4, 1988, p. 139-142. * Djeghloul A., ''Éléments d’histoire culturelle algérienne'', Alger : ENAL, 1984, 244 p. * Faublée J. "A propos de Thérèse Rivière (1901-1970) et de ses missions dans l’Aurès",''Études et Documents Berbères'', 4, 1988, 94-102. * Fery R., "Aurès (Le Haf)", ''Encyclopédie Berbère'', (43), 1988, 1p. * Galand L., "Libyque et berbère", ''Annuaire EPHE'' (IVe section), 1977–78, p. 199-212. * Gaudry M., ''La femme chaouïa de l’Aurès'', Étude de sociologie berbère, Paris, P. Geuthner, 1929 (texte poétique, p. 274-279). * Hamouda N., "Les femmes rurales de l’Aurès et la production poétique", ''Peuples méditerranéens'', 22–23, 1983, p. 267-269 (texte poétique). * Huyghe R.P., ''Dictionnaire français-chaouïa'' (Qamūs rūmi-caui), Alger, Jourdan, 1906, 750 p. * Huyghe R.P., ''Dictionnaire chaouïa-arabe-kabyle- français'', Alger, 1907, 571 p. * Joly A., ''Le chaouiya des Ouled Sellem, suivi d’un vocabulaire'', Alger, 1912, 88 p. (= Revue africaine, 1911–4, p. 441-449 et 1912–2, p. 219-266). * Lafkioui M. & Merolla D., ''Contes berbères chaouis de l'Aurès d'après Gustave Mercier.'' Köln, Köppe, 2002. * Maougal M., "L’arabisation des Chaouïa", ''Nedjma'', Paris, 1, 1981, p. 20-42. * Maougal M., "Une étude sociolinguistique en pays chaouïa", ''Nedjma'', Paris, 6, 1984, p. 35-50. * Masqueray, E., ''Comparaison d’un vocabulaire des Zenaga avec les vocabulaires correspondents des dialectes Chawia et des Beni Mzab'', Paris, Imprimerie Nationale, (Archives des missions scientifiques et littéraires 3/5), 1879, p. 473-533. * Masqueray, E., ''Formation des cités chez les populations sédentaires de l’Algérie. Kabyles du Djurdjura'', ''Chaouia de l’Aourâs'', Beni Mezâb. (Réed.) Aix-en-Provence, Edisud, 1886–1983, 374 p. (Archives maghrébines, CRESM) (Fac-sim. Del’éd. De Paris, Leroux, 1886). * Masqueray, E., "Le Djebel-Chechar", ''Revue africaine'', 22, 1878, p. 26-48, 129–145, 202–214, 259–281, 1885, p. 72-110. * Masqueray, E., "Traditions de l’Aourâs oriental", ''Bulletin de Correspondance africaine'', 3/185, p. 72-110. * Masqueray, E., "Voyage dans l’Aourâs", ''Bulletin de la Société de Géographie'', juillet 1876 (texte, p. 55-56). * Mercier G., ''Cinq textes berbères en dialecte chaouïa'', Paris, Imprimerie Nationale, 1900. (Journal asiatique). * Mercier G., "Étude sur la toponymie berbère de la région de l’Aurès", ''Actes du XIe Congrès International des Orientalistes'', Paris, 1897, sect. "Egypte et langues africaines", p. 173-207. * Mercier G., ''Le chaouïa de l'Aurès'' (dialecte de l'Ahmar-Khaddou) (Étude grammaticale, texte en dialecte chaouïa) Paris, Publications de la Faculté des Lettres d'Alger, 1896, 326 p. (Bulletin de correspondance africaine 17). * Mercier G., "Les noms des plantes en dialecte chaouïa de l’Aurès", ''XVIe Congrès International des Orienatlistes'', Alger, 1905, 2/4, p. 79-92. * Merolla D., "Il ‘Tempo di Roma’ in alcuni racconti orali dei gruppi berberofoni chaouia dell Aures (Algéria)", ''Studi e materiali di Storia delle religioni'', 54 (12-1), 1988, p. 133-150. * Morizot J., ''L’Aurès ou le mythe de la montagne rebelle'', Paris, l’Harmattan, 1991, 273 p. * ''Note concernant les Aoulad-Daoud du Mont-Aurès'' (Aourâs), Alger, A. Jourdan, 1879 * Papier A., "De l’étymologie des mots employés par les Grecs, les Romains, les Arabes pour désigner le Djebel Aurès", ''Revue de l’Afrique française'', 1887. * Penchoen Th.G., ''Etude syntaxique d'un parler ber''bère (Ait Frah de l'Aurès), Napoli, Istituto Universitario Orientale(= Studi magrebini V), 1973, 217p. * Plault, "Études berbères, La langue berbère dans la commune mixte de Barika", ''Revue africaine'', 1946, p. 194-207, (vocabulaire, bovins). * Riviere Th., "Coutumes agricoles de l’Aurès", ''Études et Documents berbères'', 3, 1987, p. 124-152 (informations sur les documents recueillis par Th. R., Cinq textes de chansons, p. 148-152). * Servier J., Chants de femmes de l’Aurès, Thèse complémentaire pour le doctorat des Lettres, Paris, 1995 (Inédite). * Sierakowsky A., ''Das Schaui, ein Beitrag zur berberischen Sprach- und Volkskunde'', Dresde, Kraszewski, 1871, 137 p. * Sorand C., "La Fibule berbère: le type chaouïa", AWAL No.3, Paris, 1987 et CNRS: * Stricker B.H., "Compte rendu de: A. Basset, ''Textes berbères de l’Aurès, 1961'', Kroniek van Afrika, Leyde, 1967, p. 122-125. * Stuhlmann F., ''Die Kulturgeschichtlicher Ausflug in den Aures'', Atlas von Süd-Algerien, Hamburg, Friederichsen, 1912, XII/205 p., ill. * Stumme H., ''Arabische und berberische Dialekte'', Berlin, 1928, p. 14-19. * ''Tafsut'' (série normale, Tizi-Ouzou), 4, 1982, p. 24-28: Dihya, neγ tigγri n Wawras (Dihya, ou l’appel des Aurès), (texte berbère sur une chanteuse aurésienne). * Vycichl W., "Un probléme de cartographie historique: Claude Ptolémée et la cartographie de la Tunisie actuelle", ''Polyphème'' (Genève), 1, 1969, 31–33. (dénominations des points cardinaux).

External links

*
Pictures of Chaouis

Videos in Chaoui

chawinet.com
(in French) * http://www.truveo.com/khouya-ya-chaoui/id/2928217872
''Among the hill-folk of Algeria: journeys among the Shawía of the Aurès Mountains (1921)''
by

Melville William Hilton-Simpson Melville may refer to: Places Antarctica *Cape Melville (South Shetland Islands) *Melville Peak, King George Island * Melville Glacier, Graham Land * Melville Highlands, Laurie Island * Melville Point, Marie Byrd Land Australia *Cape Melville, ...

{{authority control Berber peoples and tribes Berbers in Algeria Ethnic groups in Algeria Indigenous peoples of North Africa