BJAA: In a village nestled in the mountains of north-eastern Algeria, locals and visitors gathered under a cold winter sky to celebrate Tamechrit, a centuries-old Berber tradition rooted in sharing.

Seeking to preserve a practice that faded during the Algerian civil war of the 1990s, villagers marked Tamechrit with Berber music and food on the occasion coinciding in January with the Amazigh new year.

The minority community of Berbers refer to themselves as the Amazigh, meaning “free people”. They have long fought for recognition for their ancient culture and language in modern states across North Africa.

Berbers are descendants of pre-Arab North Africans, whose historic homelands stretched from the Canary Isles and Morocco to the deserts of western Egypt.

“We hope to perpetuate this tradition during cultural or religious festivals,” bringing together different people from the village and even those who have left, Dahmane Barbacha, a 41-year-old from Ath Atig village, said.

Children wore temporary Amazigh face tattoos at the event that dates back to the 13th century, according to historian Saleh Ahmed Baroudi.

Tamechrit means “offering” in Tamazight, the community’s language recognised as an official language alongside Arabic in Algeria.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2025