Muziget Tamazight ('Berber Music')

Taos Amrouche (Ṭaweṣ A'meroush); the Goddess of Kabyle Song.
(4 March 1913 - 2 April 1976)
Her first album: Chants berbères de Kabylie (1966)
a powerful collection of traditional songs that ignited the (Berber music) revolution.

On The Etymology & Origin of The Guitar

The word "guitar" was said to have come from Spanish guitarra, originally from the Moorish qitara, which is identifiable with Indian jantra (sitar), Greek kithara, Latin cithara. Whereas the first sound of the name changes variably from one language to another, the root ending -tar is constant regardless of language. The root TAR means 'string' in various languages, like African, Semitic, Persian and Indian languages, as in Berber weter, Arabic water or Persian tar, and possibly also English cord and thread, where 'chord' was derived by etymologists from Latin chorda: ('string of a musical instrument''). Children in Africa still make guitar-like musical instruments using metal cans or wooden boxes (for the body) and chords tied tightly across for strings; and therefore the obvious etymology for guitar is: "a stringed-instrument". In relation to the shape of the harp (played by the first lady in the above engraving), Taylor recalled an ancient theory deriving the first "stringed instrument" from the "twanging of a bow".

Many of the sciences and inventions introduced from North Africa to Europe via Spain were labeled as "Arabic" or "Moorish" indiscriminately, whereas history was specific about the meaning of "Moorish", from Moor, the Berbers of North Africa, as in ancient Latin Maurus (the 'Berber inhabitant of Mauritania') [long before the Arabs invaded North Africa]; and hence 'morris dance' was rightly said to mean 'Moorish dance' (the 'Berber dance'), via Old French morois ('Moor'). Check the Berber Keska dance here. It follows then that "Moors" is more accurate term to use, since it refers to the 'Berbers', the original invaders of Spain.

It is an undisputed fact that 100% of the army that invaded Spain was Berber, and was also commanded by the Berber general Tariq Ben Zayyad (whence Gibraltar). Most of the scientists who were involved in the cultural revival in Spain at the time of the Andulusian period were of Amazigh origin from ancient Mauritania and Morocco. The arrival of the guitar in Europe coincided with the Moorish invasion of Spain, where two guitar-like instruments began to appear in medieval Europe, namely: the Moorish Guitar (guitarra moresca) and the Latin Guitar (guitarra latina); indicating that the Latin guitar may have been in use before the arrival of the Moorish guitar in Spain, and that it could have been introduced to Europe from Libya via the Greeks or the Romans (see the mosaic guitar below).

Origin of The Guitar

1 String

Ancient Mazigh Imzad (one-stringed instrument, played like a violin with a bow).
From Ghadames Museum: https://www.temehu.com/Cities_sites/museum-of-ghadames.htm

The origin of the guitar is not known. The ancient Mazigh imzad, and other similar one-stringed instruments, could provide an evolutionary origin for multi-stringed instruments, like the modern violin and guitar. Having strings and of similar shape (body & neck), the guitar's origin must be related to the same evolution of stringed-instruments.

2 Strings

Ancient Berber guitar, from the mosaic museum of Qasr Libya:
https://www.temehu.com/Cities_sites/museum-of-qasr-libya.htm

The above mosaic image comes from Qasr Libya Museum ('Castle of Libya'), in Eastern Libya (Cyrenaica), and dates to before the Arab invasions of North Africa. It was stated that the Castle's history goes back to, at least, the 4th century. It clearly shows a musical instrument very much like the present guitar, and therefore a proof that the instrument was in use in  Berber North Africa long before the Arab invasions of Libya (and North Africa) in the 7th century AD.

Following the museum link (above) leads to a bigger image in which it becomes clear that the ancient Berber one-stringed imzad had by then evolved to have two strings. Also note the right hand of the player comes from below the guitar, and not from above as it is played today, which explains the small body the ancient guitar had, clearly resting on the arm. This body then evolved to become much bigger (probably to produce better sound), and as a result it is now played with the hand from above the body. The dog, to say the least, is bemused by the music of his master. The liquid of music is left to cool in a clay jar.

It is interesting to note that the word "mosaic" comes from Latin musaicum ('mosaic work'), in reference to the sacred and inspirational work of the matriarchal Muses; as it is also interesting to add that medieval mosaics were often dedicated to the Muses, and thus the Greek word for "mosaic work" is mouseion. This means that 'Amazon', 'music', 'mazigh', 'muses', 'mosaic', 'mooriske', 'masque', 'mouzgo', and 'amuse' are all amazingly related, one way or another, to the Ancient Mediterranean Basin and to one form of expression: sacred art and ritual dance.
The ancient Mediterranean art.
The old days of civilisation!

3 Strings

Image from:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nuru_Kane_Guimbri.jpg

The Senegalese musician Nuru Kane playing the three-stringed Moroccan bass guimbri, with the band Bayefall Gnawa. The instrument is also called guembri, gimbri or ginbri, and consists of three goat-skin strings, wooden body covered with camel skin (with a small hole), and a stick for a neck. The shape of the guitar can be compared to the following European version of the 17th century:

The guitar player (c. 1672), a painting by Johannes Vermeer.
Image from Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jan_Vermeer_van_Delft_013.jpg

6 Strings (3 x 2)

The three-stringed guitar, at some time in history, doubled its strings to produce the common six-stringed guitar.

Berber Music

Politically speaking, the Imazighen until recently were denied the use of their language in most forms of culture and expression. But traditionally, they have kept their music alive and very well for thousands of years, as it is a fundamental pillar of Berber life, religious ceremonies and festivities, like marriage ceremonies, seasonal festivals, agricultural calendars, and even during mourning and death; where the ancient mourning ceremony described by Herodotus still invokes fear in the hearts of many men, who attempted in vain to suppress this most ancient and unique practice; in which the earth trembles beneath the pounding feet of distressed women, screaming with shrieking cries in complete trance, to compensate the loss of beloved ones. Words alone may not suffice to convey the atmosphere endured by such deeds, and one must hear it first in order to feel its full magnitude. It certainly did catch the attention of Herodotus, some 2500 years ago.

The very-long suffering endured by the peaceful Imazighen, either due to the continuous onslaught of "exemplary political leadership" or as a result of the "hardship of life" under the bare minimum, is a vital component of Berber song; rich in "emotional sonority", folklore, ancient traditions, comedy, rhythmic patterns, jubilant ululations, and the pounding drums calling the ancestors from the underworld; composed together to produce a new type of entertainment that not only carries the heritage forward but also entertains the soul and makes the mind momentarily happy and free of tense. Berber music is essentially social, joyful and spiritually sacred.

In addition to being sacred, entertaining and traditionally informative, Berber music is also infused with political forces to convey the current state of persecution, where in a number of occasions masquerades the surrounding "triviality" so much becoming "intricate order"; particularly the powerfully hypnotic song of the Tuareg, extending one's  sorrows to the distant horizon of "Mother Sahara", where reality and mirage perform in unison - the obfuscating twilight zone of people without identity or country but 'soul' and 'jazz' .

Where no other forms of Berber expression were encouraged to flourish, and even barred, passionate Berber poetry and music provided the mortal soul with compassion and companionship. Music is something you hear through your ears but the mind signals to all the organs and the senses powerful emotional signals that heal throughout the body and the mind, that made music where it is today: nearly in every household on the planet.

Berber’s shining star: Hamid Chereit, known worldwide as Idir: “At a time when many epidemics were raging, new-born babies were called Idir to ward off bad luck; I chose it as a tribute to my culture.”

I remember the 1970s in Libya when we had only music tapes and records of Ṭaweṣ A'meroush, Idir and Imazighen Imula as a source of information about the Imazighen of Algeria and Morocco. Idir's vivid vocal imagery, evoked from Berber mythology, made his album A Vava Inou Va (1976) a great hit in Libya, and still stands alone among other forms of Berber song, far more complex than the triviality popularised by common pop culture. While Ferhat's revolutionary power had inspired many Berberists to take a more active role in the new revolution then sweeping North Africa - still the peaceful revolution.

Where the press and other media were suppressed, music conveyed the word with ease across the borders of segmented North Africa. Hence, it was illegal to possess Tamazight music at the time in Libya, and so listening to forbidden Berber music underground added the benefit of another dimensional excitement.
[The Imazighen group of Morocco and UK's Pink Floyd were also popular in 1970s Libya.]

Tuareg, "Les Chasseurs De Lumières", Idir, 1993.

Meksa, Anz'ar ('Rain').

Meksa was a Berber activist and a singer who dominated early 1970s Algeria with his unique music, rich in mythology and folklore, as in the above rain ceremony. The artist died on the 31st of October 1988, at the age of 34. No doubt, still remembered as one of the heroes of the Berber Cultural Revolution in Algeria.

• Amrouche, Taos.
• Amrouche Chaoui
• Amadiaz
• Aissa Djarmouni
• Aït Menguellet
• Alileche Moh
• Alitura
• Ayen
• Aziri
• Belilli Malik
• Cherif Kheddam
• Cyvia
• Debza
• Dihya
• Djura Djura
• Fella Bellali
• Ferhat Mehenni (Imazighen Imula)
• Hadj Bouroga'a
• Hamsi Boubeker
• Idir
• Iness Mezel
• Izenzaren Iqvayliyen
• Jamal A'ellam
• Karimouche (Carimaamarouche)
• Karim Ziad
• Les Imazighen
• Litham
• Lounes Matoub
• Lounis Mohand Ameziane
• Malika Domrane
• Markunda Aures
• Massilia
• Massinissa
• Mazryah (Taziri) Soltani
• Meksa
• Merkunda
• Mihoub
• Numidia
• Nurimas
• Rachid Chalal
• Takfarinas
• Thaziri
• Thiguyer
• Thissas
• Trio Gani
• Samail Ferrah
• Siham
• Sliman Azem
• Slym
• Ubizar
• Zohra

Ferhat Mehenni

The unique music of Ferhat (Imazighen Imula) is infused with strong political messages and rich in oral traditions. *Wikipediatists say that his, "song acts like the newspaper or political speeches in European societies".  Among the Berbers he is a pioneer and "romantic" revolutionary.

Among the albums he produced are:

• Tuγac n ddkir - Songs of steel, love and liberty (1994)
• Tuγac n tmes d waman - Songs of Fire and Water (1996 and 2001)
• I Tmurt n Leqvayel - Hymn to Kabylia (2002)
• Adekker d usirem - Requiem and Hope (2004)