Recently, the author of these lines has repeatedly visited the largest and one of the most interesting countries of the Arab West, the Maghreb, Algeria. Our Algerian colleagues are interested in Russian research in the field of their 20th-century literature, as well as artistic translations of the works of the best Algerian writers, performed by both Arabists and experts in French, since Algerian literature is at least bilingual. In addition, Algerian literary critics closely follow the achievements of our Arabic translation school and Russian Oriental studies, sometimes putting it above the Western one.

Keywords: Algeria, Khanshala (Henshela), Auras, Arab-Berber relations, traditional society, clan and tribal ties, Amazigh culture.

In September 2012 I received an invitation to attend a literary conference held by a relatively recent university in a place called Khanshala, somewhere in eastern Algeria, which I had no idea about at the time. Of course, I immediately agreed to go. Having decided that the thematic scope of the upcoming forum is quite broad, I first wanted to suggest the topic for my presentation "Studying modern oral folk art in Algeria: the view of a Russian Orientalist", especially since I had very advantageous materials for such a report1. However, the organizers of the conference informed me that the conference was devoted exclusively to contemporary Algerian literature (and not folklore) and that I was expected to report on how the literature of independent Algeria was translated in the former Soviet Union. I realized that my Algerian colleagues were interested in seeing themselves in the mirror of our translation and literary school, and I declared the topic of the report "Translations of modern Algerian literature into Russian", which was fully approved. This choice of Algerian colleagues was determined not only by their literary specialization, but also by a purely political circumstance - in 2012 Algeria celebrated the 50th anniversary of victory in the national liberation war and independence.

In preparing this report, I was strongly supported by Olga Vlasova, a specialist in North African literature, who provided me with an almost complete selection of Russian translations of Algerian prose from the second half of the 20th century. In the text of the report prepared in Arabic, I reviewed publications published in 1966-1987 by prominent Russian experts in Algerian literature in general and modern Arabic prose in particular, as well as the history of Algeria and the Algerian Revolution: O. A. Vlasova, O. M. Demkina, I. A. Ermakov, R. G. Landa, S. V. Prozhogina, L. M. Stepanov, V. E. Chagall, V. Tsoppi.

1 They were later summarized in a publication in the journal Vostok (Oricns) (see [Mikulsky, 2013]).

page 135
Khanshala - the venue of the forum-turned out to be a separate wilaya 2 with a population of about 100 thousand people. It is located in the north-east of Algeria, in the historical mountain region of al-Auras 3, 470 km from the capital of the country, Algeria. On average, the territory of the wilaya is located at an altitude of 1200 m above sea level. The bowels of Khanshala are rich in mineral waters; in some places, healing springs gush out of the ground. Once most of the territory of the present province was covered with forests. Recently, the wooded areas have significantly decreased, but even now they make up a significant array - more than 145 thousand hectares, and the forests are so remote and virgin that even bears can be found in them. Local authorities are doing a lot to restore the forest wealth of the Wilaya.

Khanshala received the status of an independent administrative unit relatively recently, in 1984, and according to the official administrative division of Algeria, it was assigned the number 40. Khanshala is bordered by the Tebessa 4 Wilaya to the east and Umm al-Buaghi Wilaya to the north.5, in the west - with the Batna wilaya 6, in the southwest-with the Biskra Wilaya 7, in the south-with the Al-Oued Wilaya (al-Wadi)8.

When we arrived to participate in the conference, we were going to live in the town of al-Hamma (or Hammat al-Salihin), the main attraction of which is the thermal sulfur spring, discovered by the Romans.

On the day of arrival, after lunch, the organizer of the conference, Professor 'A. 'Omar, who met us, invited us to visit another local town - Bagai (or de Bagai)9, located southeast of Al Hamma, and admire the statue of the famous

Wilayah 2 is an administrative division in Algeria (until 1968, such administrative divisions were called departments in French). Currently, there are 48 of them in Algeria [Listc des wilayas d'algéric / / Wikipédia. L'Encyclopédic librc].

3 Al-Auras (Auras) is a mountain range in Algeria, part of the Eastern Sahara Atlas. The meaning of the word auras is not clear. The overwhelming majority of the population of al-Awras is Berbers [Yvcr G. Awras // The Encyclopedia of Islam. CD ROM Edition].

4 Tebessa (Arabic) Tawassa is a vilayet in Algeria, located in the extreme east of the country. It is bordered to the east by Tunisia; to the north by the Souk al-Ahras Wilaya; to the west by the Hanshala and Umm al-Bawaki wilayas; and to the south by the El-Usdh Wilaya. L 'Encyclopédic libre].

5 The wilaya of Umm al-Bouaghi (Umm al-Bawaki) is located in eastern Algeria. It is bordered to the north by the Constantine and Gslma Wilayas; to the east by the Tebessa and Suk Ahras Wilayas; to the north by the Batna and Hanshala Wilayas; and to the west by the Mila Wilayah. L'Encyclopédic libre].

6 Batna Wilaya, located in the north-east of Algeria. It is bordered to the north by the Mila Wilaya: to the northeast by the Umm al-Bawaki Wilaya; to the east by the Hanshala Wilaya; to the north by the Biskra Wilaya; to the east by the M'sila Wilaya; and to the northeast by the Sstif (Satif) Wilaya. Wilaya dc Batna// Wikipédia. L'Encyclopédic libre].

7 Biskra Wilaya in present-day Algeria: bordered by Khanshala to the east; Batna Wilaya to the south; M'sila Wilaya to the northwest; Jslfa Wilaya to the west; Ouargla Wilaya to the south; and El Ousd Wilaya to the southwest [Wilaya dc Biskra / / Wikipédia. L'Encyclopédic libre].

8 Wilaya El Oued (Arabic) Al-Wadi), formed in 1984, is located in the north-east of Algeria. It is bordered to the east by Tunis; to the north by the Tebessa and Hanshala wilayas; also to the north and northwest by the Biskra Wilayah; to the south and southeast by the Warglah Wilayah [Wilaya dc El Oucd // Wikipédia. L'Encyclopédic libre].

9 Bagai (Bagai) is a small town, the center of the district (commune) located in the north-eastern part of the Hanshala Wilaya, which has a long history. In the late Roman era (IV century), the arena of struggle between supporters of the Orthodox Church and adherents of the Donatist sresi. At the end of the fifth century, it was captured and looted by the Berbers, who burned the rich library there. At the end of the seventh century, one of the centers of resistance to the Muslim Arabs. Subsequently, it was ruled by the Fatimids (909-972) (it was in 972 that the power of this dynasty in North Africa fell), the Zirids (Zayrids) (972-1148) and the Hammadids (1007-1152). It was devastated in the XI century during the invasion of North Africa by the Arab tribes Banu Hilal and Walu Sulaym, two related tribes that originally lived in al-Hijaz; in the VIII century, a number of related groups of both tribes moved to Egypt. In the middle of the XI century, according to historical legend, at the instigation of the Fatimid Wazir al-Jazuri, banu hilal and banu Sulaym made a devastating invasion of North Africa, where by that time the Zirid state had been separated from the Fatimid Caliphate [Idris H. R. Hilal; Lcckcr M. Sulaym // Encyclopedia of Islam. CD ROM Edition); Baghai // Wikipédia. L'Encyclopédie libre].

page 136
Berber Queen al-Kahina 10. The statue was installed there, because, as is commonly believed, it was on this place that the capital of the legendary empress was located.

Sama Khanshala 11, the administrative center of the wilaya (it is located to the northwest of Bugai), is a city with an ancient history, formerly called Maskula. New houses are being built everywhere, even in the old quarter. In the city center, built up under the French rule, the main attractions are the railway station, the gendarmerie building, and the army barracks. The station building is now used as a market: the fact is that the railway was destroyed, and it was decided not to restore it. The barracks are famous for the fact that on November 1, 1954,12 they were attacked by Algerian patriots (mujahidun)13.

* * *

Now it's time to tell you about the conference for which I was invited to Khanshala. The event was called "The First International Forum on Algerian literature in the Languages of the World" (al-Multaka al-duwali al-awwal haul al-adab al-jaza'iri fi lugat al - ' alam). The meeting was organized by the Laboratory for the Study of Discourse and Translation (Mahbar tahlil al-khitab wa-ttarjama) of the Faculty of Literature and Languages (kulliyat al-adab wa-l-lugat). University named after 'Abbas Lagroure in Khanshala (Jami'at' Abbas Lagroure Khanshala) with the assistance of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Algeria (Vizarat at-ta'lim al - 'ali ea-l-bahs al -' ilmi).

10 Al-Kahina ("Sorceress") queen of the Berber state in al-Aurass. This state was formed in 477 as a result of the first successful Berber revolt against the rule of the vandals who ruled North Africa in 431-534. Al-Kahina led the Berbers ' struggle against the Arab-Muslim conquerors led by the military commander Hassan b. an-Nu'man al-Ghassani (see about him below). The Berbers, on the other hand, actively resisted the Muslim Arabs after the latter captured Carthage, a stronghold of Byzantine rule in North Africa, in 73 AD (692-693). The real name of the queen is unknown (several variants of it are given in Arab-Muslim sources): al-Kahina is a nickname given to her by Muslim Arabs. Perhaps al-Kahina's parent was a Greek-Byzantine. One of her sons was descended from a Greek father, and the other from a Berber father. Most likely, al-Kahina professed Christianity, not Judaism. The fact is that the native tribe of al-Kahina, Jarawa, which belonged to the Zenata tribal group, initially really accepted Judaism, but then became committed to Christianity. When al-Kahina became the head of the Berber militias, she was already a widow and was at a very advanced age (according to legend, she lived 127 years). Arab sources say that the Berber queen had the gift of foresight. This ability was sharpened when she fell into ecstatic states. That's why the Muslim Arabs called her " The Witch."

The first military clash between the army of al-Kahina and the Muslim Arabs ended in a heavy defeat of the newcomers - the defeated army of Hassan b. an-Nu'man retreated all the way to Tripoli (the capital of modern Libya). Al-Kahina released the captured soldiers of Hassan, thus wanting to make peace with the Muslim Arabs. However, seeing the persistence of the enemy, she began to lay waste to the areas where he, according to her assumption, was going to invade again. Meanwhile, having received reinforcements, Hassan b. an-Nu'man around 698 began a new campaign against the brave warrior. Perhaps, in the army of the Arab commander, Berbers also served, dissatisfied with the actions of al-Kahina. Now the Berber queen's military fortune had failed her. Having been defeated, al-Kahina, according to historical legend, anticipating her imminent death, bequeathed her sons to conclude peace with the Arabs and convert to Islam. She herself took refuge in the mountains of al-Auras and died in battle, overtaken by Hassan b. an-Nu'man [Talbi M. Al-Kahina / / Encyclopedia of Islam. CD ROM Edition].

11 See about this city, see: Khcnchcla / / Wikipédia. L'Encyclopédic libre.

12 November 1, 1954-the beginning of the national democratic revolution in Algeria, which resulted in the independence of Algeria in 1962 and the formation of the Algerian People's Democratic Republic (ANDR). On the night of November 1, Algerian patriots carried out more than 100 attacks and acts of sabotage in thirty locations [Landa, 1999, p. 108].

Mujahidun 13 (leading jihad-holy war) - fighters for the faith. This was the name of the soldiers of the military branch of the National Liberation Front (FLN) of the National Liberation Army (ANO). According to R. G. Landa, this terminology indicated that the FLN's ideology had strong Islamic elements, which were particularly pronounced in the organization's newspapers and leaflets published in Arabic [Landa, 1999, p. 108, 116]. The presence of such elements in the TNF ideology is explained not only and not so much by the influence of "doctrinal" Islam, but also by the significant role of Islamic ideologues, including jihad, in Algerian folk culture (see: [Mikulsky, 2013, No. 1, pp. 180-181].

page 137
The conference sessions were held on November 21-22, 2012. A total of 18 reports were heard, including mine. The working language of the forum was Arabic.

Khanshala University (or University Center) is located a few kilometers north of Al-Hamma. The university campus is new, apparently built in the 1980s and 2000s. I was not able to establish the date of foundation of the educational institution, but, apparently, it was formed shortly after the acquisition of the status of a separate wilaya by Hanshala in 1984. I was also unable to find out when the university was named after the hero of the national liberation struggle 'Abbas Lagrour (al-Garour in classical pronunciation) (1926-1957), who was born near the town of Khanshala. 14
The national banner of Algeria was installed in the conference hall of the university complex, where the meetings were held. The forum began with the reading of the welcoming speech of the President of the Republic, after which one of the students recited several Quranic verses in a singsong voice. Then the national anthem of Algeria was sung. This was followed by speeches from university leaders. After that, the meeting started hearing scientific reports. It was agreed that questions would be put in writing by the audience and that speakers would respond to them at the end of each session.

According to the program, I was to be the second speaker, after the famous Algerian writer V. La'raj, who was the most prominent guest of the forum. Sitting in the presidium, I noticed that most of the students in the hall were girls in Muslim headscarves and long cloaks - a style of clothing that has been widespread in Algeria since the 1990s.

I was followed by an old friend of mine, Abd al-'Aziz Boubakir, a graduate of the Faculty of Journalism at Leningrad State University, a well-known journalist who represented the University of Algiers, and Professor Husain Hamri of the University of Constantina.

It turned out that 20 (!) notes with questions were addressed to me. The questions, of course, but mostly repeated, were divided into 1) very specific ones: why did I start studying Arabic literature and Arabic culture in general; how did I manage to master Arabic well, where did I learn it, and whether there were any Arabs among the teachers; what is my native language; and 2) scientific and theoretical ones Questions: what are the traditions and current state of teaching Arabic in Russia; what primarily influenced the acquisition of Western forms of Algerian literature - whether it was directly due to Western (French) influence or the literature of the eastern part of the Arab world; whether translations of Algerian literature influenced the literary process in Russia itself.

At the same meeting, a report by Professor Marcel Bois, a French researcher of 20th-century Algerian literature, was presented. Due to his advanced age, he was unable to attend the forum in person - the text of his message was read out in French by Professor 'A. 'Omar and subsequently translated into Arabic by' A. ' Omar. Bubakir.

On the second day of the meetings, the number of people in the hall was somewhat reduced, but it cannot be said that they had to speak in a half-empty hall - it was clear that the students were genuinely interested in what was happening.

The second day of the forum was opened by Professor Sultan Sa'd al-Qahtani of the University of Riyadh. The topic of his report was formulated as follows: "Perception of Algerian literature in the Arab (Persian. - D. M.) of the Gulf". Basically, S. S. Qakhtani talked about how in the Saudi Arab Republic-

14 See about ' Abbas Laghrour: [Abbas Laghrour // Wikipédia. L'Encyclopédie libre].

15 Vasini La'raj (born 1955) is a well-known Algerian writer. Currently, he lives in Paris, France, and teaches at the Sorbonne, which he represented at the conference.

page 138
The wii perceived the struggle of the Algerian people for independence and its ultimate victory. The Saudis, the speaker noted, knew almost nothing about either the Algerians or Algeria. It was naively assumed that Algeria is located on the islands-al-Jaza'ir (this is the Arabic name of this country; literally, "islands"). It was thought that the Mujahidun of Algeria were fighting against the Kuffar non-believers or against the Christian colonialists. We collected donations for Algeria and Algerians. For this, Saudi women even took off their jewelry. When Algeria's independence was announced, residents of many Saudi cities rejoiced. The people said: "The Mujahideen have won; they are driving their enemies from island to island."

S. S. Kakhtani's report gave rise to a scandal. As soon as the speaker had finished speaking, several young people in the audience jumped up and started talking in French. They shouted something like this: "The report shows that the Arabs are uneducated ignoramuses, barbarians. They don't know and don't want to know anything about Algeria. They came to this land as colonizers, invaders...In addition, heated young people were outraged that the working language of the forum was Arabic, not French or Berber (Amazigh 16), and that the conference did not discuss the problems of Algerian literature in Berber. This is a great injustice, they said, because Berber, Amazigh, identity and culture are an essential element of Algerian identity.

We must pay tribute to S. S. Kakhtani: he did his best to mitigate the conflict. Answering questions at the proper time, i.e. after the meeting, he said that, indeed, in the 1950s and 1960s, very little was known about Algeria in his homeland, but this is more a misfortune than the fault of the Saudis. This is the first time he has ever heard about the" colonizing "or" occupying " habits of the Arabs in the countries that came under their rule during the Arab-Muslim conquests of the seventh and eighth centuries. (I will say in this connection that, according to the Arab-Muslim historical tradition, these conquests are called futuhat-literally "discoveries", because, according to Muslims, Allah opened many countries to the followers of the Prophet Muhammad)17. If the Arabs behaved like colonialists, Professor Qahtani stressed, they would inevitably be driven out.

The final chord of the conference, a kind of response to the "offended" young people, was the performance of two female students (they were wearing headscarves and long robes). One of the girls took the podium and gave a speech in the local dialect of the Amazigh language. Judging by the fact that the audience listened carefully to her, and then clapped in unison, this dialect was understandable to everyone. Then she read a poem of her own composition in Amazigh, which her friend had translated into Arabic. In a nutshell, it went like this: Berbers and Arabs are one people; we are Algerians, and we have nothing to share.

Summing up the forum, Professor 'A.' Omar read out a communique developed by a special editorial committee, among whose members the author of these lines was mentioned. Its essence was as follows. Modern Algerian literature is characterized by high aesthetic standards, it plays a significant cultural and social role. While previously Algerian literature was mainly written in Arabic and French, today Algerian writers also write in English, Italian and Spanish. The conference welcomes young writers who are also ready to write in the" second national language", i.e. in Amazigh (this one).

Amazigh 16 ("free people") is one of the self - names of the Berber people. The same word denotes the Berber language (tamazig). The term "Berbers" - of Russo-Latin origin, also borrowed by the Arabs (al-barabira) - is often considered contemptuous: Pellat Ch. [Preamble]. Berbers. [Preamble] / / Encyclopedia of Islam. CD ROM Edition.

17 It is characteristic that a similar position regarding the Arab-Muslim conquests was expressed by the 20th-century Algerian historian ' Abd al-Rahman b. Muhammad al-Jilali [al-Jilali, 1980, pp. 119-120]. As you can see, this position is not shared by everyone in Algeria.

page 139
the passage was apparently added in the wake of the incident. Modern Algerian literature enjoys the attention of researchers in various countries and is translated into different languages. This is evidenced by the participation of researchers from Denmark, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Serbia in the forum.

After the conference, its organizers and participants (Prof. 'A.' Omar, Prof. Yusuf al-Atrash and Professor ' A. Sharifi) discussed the problem of restoring scientific relations with Moroccan universities. General opinion: it is necessary to do this, but the task is difficult to solve. The fact is that in 1994, after the famous terrorist attack in Marrakesh18, the Moroccan side closed the land border with Algeria, because the authorities of the neighboring state decided that the explosion was organized by the Algerian special services. A visa regime was introduced. But then it turned out that the terrorist act was carried out by Moroccan Islamists. Recently, the Moroccan authorities began to apply for the opening of the border, but the Algerian side does not agree to this. The reason for this was explained by my interlocutors as follows. In Morocco, the standard of living is significantly lower than in Algeria. Prices for almost all products are 6-7 times higher. The Moroccans, on the other hand, are clever traders. If the border is opened, they will certainly start smuggling everything they can get their hands on, especially crude oil, gasoline, and food; in return, they will supply hashish and other drugs. So, the professors decided, let the situation remain the same - the development of Algerian-Moroccan university ties will have to wait for now.

Despite some rough edges and the explosion of emotions described above by some participants, the organizers of the conference were satisfied with the results of the conference. My escort to the airport was ' A. Boubakir said that the administration of Wilaya Khanshala and, more importantly, the Ministry of Culture of Algeria are also very satisfied with the fact of holding the event, which will allow Khanshala University to receive additional funds from the state to organize similar events in the future.

* * *

Regarding the key issues raised during the conference, I will allow myself to give some thoughts, putting them in the form of appendices to the article.

Appendix 1

Assessment of the role of Arab and Berber 19 in the cultural history of Algeria. Manifestations of regional identity

Such a clear conflict that occurred at an event in which I happened to participate clearly indicates the severity of Arab-Berber relations in Algeria today. I will give you the information that I managed to collect during my trip on this issue.

Quite often, my interlocutors expressed negative opinions about the role of Arabs in the development of Algeria and Algerian culture. In particular, Professor ' A. ' Omar, on the first evening of our acquaintance, bluntly stated that the Arab tribes of Banu Hilal and Banu Sulaym, who invaded North Africa in the XI century, did not bring it

18 In late 1994, a group of unidentified men broke into the lobby of the Atlas Leni Hotel and shot at a group of Spanish tourists, killing two of them. After an investigation, Moroccan authorities blamed the Algerian security services for preparing the attack, although several hundred local Islamists were previously arrested. Most of the killers of Spanish tourists were executed, and a number of their accomplices were sentenced to life imprisonment [Vidyasova and Orlov, 2008, p. 296].

19 On the vicissitudes of politics regarding the Berber problem in independent Algeria, see: (Landa, 1999, p. 195).

page 140
"nothing good. The Romans are another matter. This people, according to the organizer of the conference, played a great civilizing role in the vast area from Ireland to the Sahara. Dr. Hassan, who met us at the airport in Constantina, was also a big fan of the Roman civilization, which was crucial for the" cultivation " of Khanshala.

Another university employee, a native and patriot of Khanshala, was even more blunt: "Here in Khanshala, we try not to mix with the Arabs. We have practically no such marriages. The same thing happens in other areas where Berbers live compactly. The Arabs are an alien and racially alien element. Another thing is the conclusion of marriage unions with Russian or Ukrainian women. After all, in this case, two people who are racially close are related. I take this position not because I share separatist sentiments, but because I strive to preserve our people. It's not us Berbers who are racists, it's the Arabs who are racists. They immediately begin to emphasize the alien nature of the "stranger" who finds himself in their midst, and reject it."

Wilaya Hanshala itself is seen as a stronghold of Amazigh history and culture in the minds of its residents. This opinion is shared by Dr. Hassan, who met Prof. 'Avatif and me at the airport in Constantine. He is a native of the small town of Qais, which is located in the north-western part of the wilaya (we passed it on the way to Al-Hamma)20. One of the first phrases addressed to us was a statement: "We are the Amazigh." The driver of the university car sent to pick us up also chimed in: "I'm also an Amazigh. We are the original inhabitants of this area, the Berber ash-shawiyya21. We speak Berber at home. The special feature of Khanshala is that it has preserved a lively Amazigh folklore." Dr. Hassan himself uses both Amazigh and Arabic to communicate in the family, but he is too shy to speak Arabic with his parents.

In general, Dr. Hassan continued the conversation, Khanshala bears traces of the presence of various peoples on its territory. Its oldest inhabitants are Berbers. Later it was inhabited by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Muslim Arabs, Turks, and the French. Interestingly, Dr. Hassan did not fail to mention Hassan b. an-Nu'man, an Arab-Muslim military leader who carried out the conquest of the territory of the mountainous region of al-Auras, to which the current Khanshala also belongs.22
For him, the dean of the Faculty of Philology at Khanshala University, Khanshala is a region where the people are a true mujahid (fighter), constantly suffering adversity

20 Qais is a city and the administrative center of the district in the Hanshala Vilayet. Most of the residents are engaged in agricultural work and traditional crafts, as well as public service. Local cuisine is also popular. According to legend, the city of Qais was founded by al-Kahina on a land that she considered blessed. The modern city was founded in the colonial era (1907-1911). At that time, Kays was named Edgar-Kine in honor of the famous French historian and political figure E. Kine (1803-1875). Al-Mawsu'a al-hurrah.

Ash-Shawiyya 21 (or shawiyya, literally "cattle breeders") - applied to North Africa, two groups of Berbers Zenata and Hawwara. One of them lives in Algeria, in the mountainous region of al-Auras, which includes Khanshala, and the other-in the historical region of Tamasna, in north-eastern Morocco. Although the Berbers of al-Auras were conquered by the Banu Hilal in the 11th century, they retained their own Berber dialect [Colin G. S., Jastrow O. Shawiya. 1. The Maghrib / / Encyclopedia of Islam. CD ROM Edition].

22 Hassan b. an-Nu'man al-Ghassani (d. c. 700) - Arab-Muslim military leader. He completed the conquest of Ifriqiya (the territory of modern Tunisia and the eastern part of modern Algeria), finally subjugating Carthage to the Muslim Arabs and inflicting a decisive defeat on al-Kahins. He pursued a policy of reconciliation with the Berbers. He was removed from the post of commander-in-chief of the Arab-Muslim forces in North Africa due to the machinations of the governor of Egypt 'Abd al - 'Aziz b. Marwan, who appointed his favorite Musa b in his place. Nusayra. When Hassan b. Nu'man was passing through Egypt on his way back to the East, the spoils of war were taken from him. He died fighting against the Byzantines [Talbi M. Hassan b. al-Nu'man al-Ghassani / / Encyclopedia of Islam. CD ROM Edition].

page 141
because of your character. The original inhabitants of these places fought against Muslim Arabs, Ottomans and the French. And it is no coincidence that the famous Berber Queen al-Kahina is a native of these places.

This legendary queen, who is also a historical figure who fought selflessly against the Muslim Arabs for a long time, embodies the Amazigh (Berber) character of Khanshala. Dr. Hassan did not fail to mention her activities in connection with these places first. He stressed that the queen professed Judaism (apparently, it was important for him that the Berber heroine was an adept of the monotheistic religion, but in no case was a Muslim).

A professor from Oran, ' Abd al-Wahid Sharifi, also drew attention to the fact that al-Kahina allegedly professed Judaism. Before the Arab-Muslim conquest, he said, there were a significant number of Jews living in North Africa, most of them Berbers who had adopted the religion. Judaism spread both through maritime trade and through contacts with late Roman and Byzantine Egypt, where a very large and influential Jewish community had existed since the Ptolemaic dynasty. Apparently, Judaism was accepted by the Berbers as a symbol of opposition to the Byzantine authorities, whose religious basis was orthodox Christianity.23
Professor ' A. ' Omar refers to al-Kahina as a true modern scholar of the humanities. In other words, he sees her image in the light of historical criticism. In his opinion, the Amazigh queen is a purely legendary person. The main elements of her life are also legendary - a testament to her children to make peace with the Arabs and convert to Islam; a story about her death (she was allegedly beheaded, and the remains were drowned in a well - according to legend, this well was located in the town of Bi'r al - ' Atir 24 (on the Algerian-Tunisian border; this wilaya also borders with Khanshala).

Later, 'A.' Omar told me that before the statue of al-Kahina was erected (this happened in 2003), a rather heated discussion broke out among educated Algerians, mainly residents of Khanshala. Some opposed perpetuating her memory, while others considered it necessary. The opponents were members of the so-called Arab party. Their main argument was that the Amazigh queen was opposed to the Muslims. On the contrary, the idea of erecting the statue was supported by the so-called Amazigh party. Its adherents believed that al-Kahina was a national heroine who fought against the invaders.

In the end, it was decided to install the statue. The opening ceremony of the sculpture was attended by the President of Algeria 'Abd al-'Aziz Bouteflika25. Its author is the Algerian sculptor ' Ali Bouhalfa, who reproduced the image of the queen on the basis of her images on North African coins. The statue was made of stainless steel. Bagai was chosen as the place of erecting the monument not by chance - according to legend, there was a palace where the great empress lived. Local residents show some ruins, which they believe are the remains of the palace

23 According to the 20th-century Algerian historian ' Abd ar-Rahman b. Muhammad al-Jilali, the Jewish community was formed in North Africa as early as the sixth century BC, as a result of the so-called Babylonian captivity. Subsequently, waves of Jewish emigrants arrived in North Africa repeatedly. The last such migration occurred in the XIV-XVII centuries from the Iberian Peninsula. According to al-Jilali, the Berber tribe of Jarawa (the native tribe of al-Kahina), which inhabited the western regions of modern Tunisia and the eastern regions of modern Algeria, practiced Judaism until the emergence of the Idrisid state (788-985) [Al-Jilali, 1980, p. 54].

24 Bi'r al - ' Atir is a self-governing commune (municipality) in the Algerian vilayet of Tsbssa, located 87 km south of Tsbssa [Bir cl-Atcr / / Wikipédia. L'Encyclopédic libre].

25 'Abd al -' Aziz Bouteflika (b. 1937) is the fifth President of Algeria (since April 1999). See his biography: [Abdclaziz Bouteflika/ / Wikipédia. L'Encyclopédic libre].

page 142
(no archaeological excavations were made there)26. In addition, local residents believe that Bagai is the name of one of al-Kahina's daughters, and Khanshala is the name of her other daughter (this information was given to me by a graduate student of the Faculty of Philology at Khanshala University, who deals with problems of literary criticism). In fact, the city existed in the time of St. Augustine, who called it Vagaia. So the opinion about the origin of the names of these two places from the names of the daughters of al-Kahina is nothing more than a"folk etymology".

A fundamentally different point of view was expressed by the heads of the university and the organizers of the conference in an informal setting, at a dinner arranged in honor of the end of the event. It boiled down to the fact that recently the role of the Amazigh language has been significantly exaggerated. This language has little creative potential. It is no coincidence that the Berbers did not develop a written culture. They've always used other people's alphabets, most recently Arabic. Indeed, the division of Algerians into Arabs and Berbers was invented by the French colonialists in order to isolate the Berbers, French them and Christianize them, just as they did with the polytheistic peoples of Black Africa.27
Teaching the Amazigh language in schools, according to a professor from Oran 'A'. Sharifi is a rather unpromising task, and it is also carried out by Arabic teachers. And where a graduate of a school with an "Amazigh bias" can get a job - neither they will take him to the civil service, nor a higher educational institution will accept him.28
Appendix 2

Arabic language and Arabic literature in Algeria

My interlocutors, because of their professional background, were very concerned about the problems of the existence of the Arabic language and Arabic literature in Algeria.

During the business trip described, I was awarded a presentation of a whole concept of the development of language culture in Algeria. An old friend of mine, the famous Algerian folklorist Professor 'A'. Burayu 29 believes that the Arabic dialects of the al-Maghreb countries were formed as a result of the invasion of the Banu Hilal and Banu Sulaym tribes in the XI century.-

26 Kahcna // Wikipédia. L'Encyclopédie libre.

27 See. on similar trends in the French colonial policy in Algeria: [Landa, 1976, pp. 133-135, 141].

28 The interview took place on November 22, 2012.

29 The conversation took place on the evening of November 19. ' A. Burayu presented me with his books dedicated to Algerian and pan-Arab verbal folk art: Burayu 'A. Fi-s-sakafa ash-sha'biyya al-jazai riyya. At-Tarikh wa-l-kadaya wa-gp-tajalliyat. (Makalat wa hiwarat) (About Algerian folk culture. History, problems, and manifestations. Articles and interviews). [Algeria]. Vcsccra Editions, 2011. This book inspired the author of these lines to write an article: Ibn Khaldun on the invasion of North Africa by the Arab tribes Banu Hilal and Banu Sulaym and on the epic that narrates this invasion / / Problems of Source Studies, Historiography and History of the East. Proceedings of the international scientific conference dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the birth of Professor Wolf Msndslswich Bsylis (1923-2001). May 15-16, 2013 Lugansk, Lugansk.GU (LNU named after him. Taras Shevchenko), 2013. pp. 161-169); Burayu ' A. Al-Bu'd an-nafei fi-l-adab ash-sha bi al-jaza'iri (Psychological dimension in Algerian folk literature). [Bona]. Маншурат Бунали-л-бухус ва-д-дирасат, 2008; Бурайу 'А. Ал-Масар ас-сарди ва танзим ал-мухтава. Dirasa simi 'iyya li namazij min hikayat "Alf laila wa laila". (Narrative development and content organization. Semiotic study of the types of fairy tales "Thousand and One Nights"). [Algeria]. Vizarat al-saqafa, 2008; Burayu 'A. Al-Kasas al-sha' bi fi mintakat Biskra. Dirasa maidaniyya (Folk narrative in the Biskra region. Field research). Algeria: Vizarat al-saqafa, 2007. A very valuable gift is also a study of one of the strata of Algerian folklore, translated by 'A'. Burayu from French: Ballil R. Kusur Furara wa awliyya uha as-salihun. Fi-l-ma'sur ash-shafawi wa-l-manaqib wa-l-akhbar al-mahalliyya / Trad. 'Abd al-Hamid Burayu (The castles of Furara and the holy righteous there. About oral folk prose, hagiographic narratives, and local traditions). Alger: CNRPAH, 2008. In general, the previous meetings with A. Burayu were very fruitful. Thanks to his contacts, an article was also written: [Mikulsky, 2013].

page 143
some of them settled in North Africa. In the territory of modern Libya, the Banu Sulaym mainly settled, and in the territory of modern Algeria, the Banu Hilal, so the Arabic dialects of Eastern Algeria are quite close to the Libyan ones. The Banu Hilal dialect is quite remarkable, as the Banu Hilal preserved continuity in its development from the pre-Islamic era to the present time. As we move west, we see an increasing degree of mixing of Arabic dialects with Berber languages and, as a result, a significant transformation of Arabic dialects at the phonetic, morphological and syntactic levels.

The descendants of Banu Hilal bear deep-rooted traditions of folklore. However, officially in Algeria (as in Syria under the rule of the Arab Socialist Renaissance Party) folklore is ignored. It is believed that the basis of verbal culture should be literary Arabic. Professor ' A. Burayou believes that this position is a reaction to the policy of eradicating Arab culture in Algeria during the era of French colonial rule. He believes that there are now three approaches to oral folk art in Algeria: 1) conditionally called by him Arabistic, in which oral folk art is interpreted as "wrong"; 2) Amazigh-nationalist, according to which the Amazigh (Berber) folk culture forms the basis of all Algerian culture, since the Berbers are the oldest population of the country and its owners; 3) "Islamist", which gives oral folk art great importance meaning in relation to the elements it contains that link it to Islam 30.

Meanwhile, 'A' continued. In the XVIII-first third of the XIX century, the Arab culture in Algeria was very developed. Essays appeared that expressed thoughts on the need for reforms in various spheres of public and state life, including the reform of the armed forces.31
Under the French, traditional education in Algeria was destroyed. Only the primary schools that taught the Arabic alphabet, basic grammar, and the reading of the Koran were preserved. The colonialists created an education system aimed at creating a French-speaking elite among the indigenous population in Algeria. There were schools where children of colonialists and people from Algerian families close to the colonial authorities studied together. Among the latter, middle-level officials were trained to act as intermediaries between the French employees of the colonial administration and the Algerian "common people" (see Landa, 1976, p.132). Attempts have also been made to raise images devoted to France out of homeless Algerian children. 32
This is a deplorable situation, " he continued. Burayu, changed with the emergence of the Algerian Ulema Association in 193133. Members of this organization have managed to obtain traditional higher education in other Arab countries (for example, in al-Azhar34).

30 Cm. about this: [Mikulsky, 2013, pp. 178-179, 180-181].

31 Information about such works could not be obtained.

32 As the contemporary Algerian historian M. Vashan notes, this practice caused particular indignation among the Marabouts, the leaders of Sufi communities, and was one of the reasons for the famous al-Mukrani uprising (1870-1871) [Vashan, 2007, pp. 145-149].

33 Major Algerian Arabic-language novelists, poets, publicists and religious figures have joined the association. Their goal was to save the Algerian national culture from becoming French and to promote the development of education in Arabic. Members of the association fought against Marabout (Sufi) fraternities, seeking to purify Islam of magical rites and superstitions [Landa, 1999, p. 64].

34 Al-Azhar (actually, al-Jami' al-Azhar ("The most Luminous Cathedral Mosque") is a mosque and educational institution in Cairo, where the basis of teaching is Fiqh (Muslim law), Arabic language and literature, Qur'anic sciences and hadiths. In 1961, secular faculties were also established in al-Azhar. The historical core of al-Azhar's buildings, which has been preserved to this day, was erected in 970-972 by order of the Fatimid warlord Jauhar [Khalidov, 1991, p. 15-16].

page 144
After returning home, they began to organize traditional Arab schools, but with a reformed curriculum-they provided for the teaching of modern subjects. These new schools helped restore the position of the Arabic language and culture in Algeria. Many prominent figures of the National Liberation Front (FLN)were educated in schools organized by the Algerian Ulema Association.35
Professor of the University of Orange 'A' also has a deep interest in the problems of the development of the Arabic language and Arabic culture. Sharifi, 36, was educated at the University of Baghdad in 1979-1983, and then completed postgraduate studies at the Sorbonne. French Orientalists, in his opinion, are excellent teachers, because they are very picky about the work of graduate students. However, in recent years, the French School of Oriental Studies has lost many of its positive features and has become less effective: a new system of academic degrees has been introduced (the state Doctor of Science degree has been abolished)37.

Arabic, believes 'A. Sharifi requires further development, for which it is necessary to translate the best works of foreign fiction and journalism, as well as books on various branches of humanitarian knowledge. In general, the language situation in Algeria, from his point of view, is unfavorable. After independence, those who were proficient in French but had little or no knowledge of Arabic were visible. Then the policy of Arabization of the country was implemented, and a generation grew up that knew Arabic, but did not know French. Algerians should know both languages. It is a good thing that the school curriculum has recently been changed accordingly. Tunisia is a good example for Algeria in this regard: both the French education system and bilingualism are preserved there.39
The cultural interests of another of my interlocutors, Professor Ghanim al-Wardi, Head of the Department of Arabic Philology at Khanshal University, cover both the Algerian material itself and the North African material in general. He also informed me that his field of research was ancient Arabic poetry in the Al-Maghreb. Professor G. al-Wardy considers this topic extremely important, since there is a misconception in Arabic studies that the traditions of poetic creativity were completely borrowed by the Arab West from the Arab East. Another misconception is, according to Professor al-Var-

35 For more information, see: [Islam. Encyclopedia, 1991, p. 64]. The National Liberation Front (FLN) is a national Algerian organization established in 1954 and leading the armed struggle of the Algerian people for national liberation. After the formation of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria (ANDR)in September 1962 The FLN became the ruling party. In 1964, the FLN was transformed into the National Liberation Front (FMLN) Party, which until the end of the 1980s was the only authorized political party in Algeria.As a result of the 2012 parliamentary elections, it won 220 seats out of 462. Currently, the Secretary General of the PFNO is the Prime Minister of Algeria, Abdslaziz Bslhadsm [National Liberation Front (Algeria) / / Wikipedia. Free Encyclopedia].

36 The interview took place on November 22, 2012.

37 This refers to the reform of the academic degree system in France, implemented in 1984 and supplemented in 1988, 1992 and 2006. As a result, the Doctcur d'etat (State Doctor) degree corresponding to the Russian academic degree of Doctor of Sciences was canceled. Thus, in France, there remains a single academic doctorate-doctcur dc recherché (doctor of research), "more consistent with international standards". The requirements for dissertations were significantly reduced [La réformc dc 1984...].

38 This policy has been implemented since 1971, when the Arabic language became mandatory in the office work of state institutions [Landa, 1999, p. 197, 198].

39 In 1965, the Tunisian leadership introduced the concept of bilingualism (French and Arabic) and "biculturism". As a result, the principle of teaching in Arabic and French has been preserved in the school system [Tunis. Handbook, Moscow: Nauka; GRVL, 1978, pp. 261-262].

40 The interview took place on November 21, 2012.

page 145
For example, in exaggerating the Andalusian influence on Maghreb poetry, when in fact Maghreb literature was formed on the basis of local traditions. Indeed, many of the poets who became famous in al-Maghreb were natives of al-Mashrik. Nevertheless, their creative life took place at the courts of local rulers, and therefore Eastern poets expressed their impressions of the reality around them in poems. At present, Professor al-Vardi continued, most Algerian universities are seriously studying their native poetic heritage. A large number of dissertations have been written and defended about him. However, funds for the publication of these works are often not enough 41.

In confirmation of Professor al-Vardi's words about the attention of modern Algerian researchers to the problems of national and regional verbal heritage, a lecturer at the University of Constantina, Mrs. Khuriyya Rawak, presented me with the publication of the ioethological treatise of the Maghreb poet and literary theorist Ibn al-Khaluf (1425/26-1493/94), to which she devoted her master's thesis 42.

Professor al-Vardi was an expert on local antiquities. He explained to me the etymology of the origin of the name Wilaya Umm al-Bawaki (literally "Mother of the rest"). G. al-Wardi claims that these places were a transit point for seasonal migrations of tribes from the Sahara to Tel 43 and back. There are two versions of the name's origin, and both are legendary in nature. According to the first, there was a woman in a certain tribe who, being pregnant, quarreled with her husband and decided to stay in those places when he was going to move on. From the son she gave birth to, the local inhabitants went, who revered her as the ancestor - " The Mother of those who remained." According to another version (less preferable from the point of view of my interlocutor), the ancestor of the locals was a certain depraved woman who was expelled from her tribe and remained in these places. In this case, the name of the region Umm al-Bawaki should be interpreted as " Mother of adulterers "(Umm al-Bawagi).

Both versions clearly refer to the so-called "folk etymology", not reflecting, most likely, the older linguistic layer to which the name of the area goes back.

My other informants (journalist Shadli Klibi, professor 'A. 'Omar) showed that they greatly appreciate the linguistic realities of their native places, telling me the words of the regional dialect: al-kashshabiyya (burnous); al-shahshukha (couscous), al-hlala (hairpin-fibula).

An absolute manifestation of regional consciousness, expressed through an interest in local folklore, is presented to me by the director of the al-Mahdi Hotel.

41 Arguments of Prof. Al-Vardi's statement about the predominance of the role of "life impressions" over the role of literary traditions in verbal creativity reminded me of the maxims of a number of Russian literary critics of the "struggle against cosmopolitanism" era, when it was stated as the prevailing opinion that the creator of folklore works draws material from the surrounding reality, and literary influences, especially foreign ones, practically do not play any role. Of course, the vast majority of humanitarians are now aware of the naivety and simplicity of this approach. However, apparently, it is not only a product of political conjuncture, but also represents a natural stage in the formation of a particular national (or regional) literary school. Apparently, at a certain stage, it is much more important for adherents of this trend to emphasize the identity of" native "writers, rather than to identify" ephemeral", from their point of view, literary connections and influences, which also" belittle the dignity " of local masters of the word. Although, of course, it is impossible to deny the role of the surrounding reality in the formation of folklore and literary works.

42 Badi'iyyat Ibn Khaluf. Mawahib al-Badi ' fi 'ilm al-badi' fi madh ar-Rasul salla-l-Lah 'alayhi wa sapam. (Ibn Khaluf's poetical treatise " The Gifts of the Creator concerning the Science of Eloquence for the Praise of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him)"). Tahkiq wa sharh wa ta'lik al-ustaza Huriyya Rawak. Batna. Дар ал-'Арби, 2010.

43 Tsl (Tsl-Atlas) spurs of the Atlas Mountains in Algeria, located near the Mediterranean Sea. They are separated from the Sahara by the so-called South Atlas Fault (Khain, 1970, p. 423).

page 146
al-Amin "the book of Khanshaly researcher Jamila Fallah" Narratives, riddles and proverbs. Materials and studies [devoted to] the folk culture of the al-Auras region "[Fallah, B. G.].

The high interest of my interlocutors in Khanshala in Algerian and pan-Arab traditional culture is due to the high degree of tradition of the society in which they live. The main manifestation of this traditional character of the Algerian society is the preservation of the family-kinship (clan) and tribal structure as a real operating system. The materials collected in this regard are given in the following appendix.

Appendix 3

Family-related (clan) and tribal structures

The importance of clan and tribal ties in Khanshal was immediately apparent to me on the day of my arrival, when I had to wait for dinner. The reason was that in connection with the parliamentary election campaign, a certain important person, possibly the former Prime Minister, 44 arrived in the wilaya, accompanied by a large security guard. A distinguished visitor hosted a banquet. I happened to see the guests invited to the celebration - they were mostly elderly people dressed in traditional robes. 'A. 'Omar explained to me that the most prominent local ulema and sheikhs of tribes and family-related groups (in Algeria, such an entity is called 'ashr) passed by us. Thus, I was visually convinced of how necessary it is for a modern Algerian politician to maintain contacts with the heads of traditional public structures.

The importance of this aspect of modern social and political life was also mentioned to me by 'A'. Sharifi 45. Clan and tribal relations continue to play a significant role in the conduct of elections and other socially significant events. To an even greater extent, they made themselves felt after Algeria's independence, not to mention earlier times. However, even now every Algerian remembers his clan affiliation. It is determined by the family name (surname). A certain set of surnames is inherent, for example, to people from al-Andalus (Muslim Spain). One of the most characteristic surnames of the Andalusians is al - Khanjari.

Now, noted 'A. Sharifi, in the conditions of developed urban structures (in Algeria, Constantine or Oran), large families that previously lived compactly, practically did not survive. Nevertheless, there are similar families in villages and small towns, where the division into clans and tribes is still alive. Areas where such formations are particularly strong are Khanshala, Tizi-Uzu, Batna, Umm al-Bawaki. In large cities, clan-tribal relations, stressed 'A. Sharifis are present, but they are much less pronounced than in the province.

According to Hassan Bujilal, an employee of Khanshaly University, clan ties are more important for him than civil relations.

I think that the information I gathered in conversations with the participants of the conference on family-kinship and tribal relations is quite informative for understanding the situation in modern Algeria.

44 Most likely, it was the well-known Algerian politician Ahmad Ouyahia (born 1952), who repeatedly served as the country's Prime Minister, most recently from November 2008 to September 2012 [Ahmed Ouyahia // Wikipédia. L'Encyclopédie libre]. It is significant that A. Auyahya is a native of the Tizi Ouzou wilaya, located in the north of Algeria, in the historical region of Kabylia (this is the common name of the heavily dissected mountain ranges on the Algerian coast of the Mediterranean Sea between the cities of Algiers and ' Annaba ([Kabylia, 1973, p. 101]), where a significant part of the population still preserves the Berber language.

45 The interview took place on 22 November 2012.

46 The interview took place on 21 November 2012.

page 147
One of my first informants on this topic was the organizer of the conference and the main curator of its foreign participants 'A.' Omar 47. He is a native of a small town in the eastern part of Algeria. His father was a participant in the war for National Liberation (Mujahid); after independence, he remained in the military service, now retired and lives in Burj Bu 'Arririj (see the article about my trips there [Mikulsky, 2012]), the administrative center of the vilayah of the same name. has no ties to ' ashr in his hometown. Moreover, unlike 'A. Sharifi, he believes that clan and tribal relations are not relevant for modern Algeria. Of course, such structures exist; they are particularly strong in the western part of the country, in the areas bordering Morocco, but even there their former functionality has been lost.

The information I received later indicates that ' Omar's opinion on the role of clan-tribal relations in Algeria is, to put it mildly, not entirely correct. X. Boujilal and G. al-Wardi informed me48 that the vast majority of residents of the Khanshala wilaya and neighboring areas belong to certain large Berber clans (or tribes?); in any case, they referred to such communities by the word 'ashr - apparently, these are overgrown patronymies. Here is a list of Arabized names of such communities, which differ in size: namamsha (about 100 thousand people); l-'amamra - (from 60 to 70 thousand); bani barbar (about 15 thousand); bani yamlul - (about 15 thousand); l-baraja - (about 12 thousand); bani vajana (approx. 10 thousand); upad sa'id - (approx. 10 thousand); ulad tifurag - (approx. 8 thousand); l-'ashayish - (approx. 5 thousand); l-harakata - (approx. 5 thousand people).

X. Bujilala himself belongs to the 'Amamra clan. Of course, he does not know all his relatives, but he knows the generic names (surnames) of the families that are included in 'ashr. Thus, he is able to identify "friends" by their last name. In addition, the "own" are also recognized by their appearance - l-'amamra are distinguished by a developed frontal part of the skull. Later, I noticed that the host of the house we were visiting, Mr. Head of the office of the Rector of Khanshaly University, also had this physiognomic feature. I asked H. Bujilal if they were related, and he confirmed my assumption.

Namamsha, as it turned out, belonged to one of the clans listed by H. Boujilal and G. al-Vardi, a graduate student of the Faculty of Philology, who worked on the problems of literary criticism in Algeria. She said that her ' ashr is so named because its members are originally engaged in cattle breeding (cattle in Arabic al-mashiyah).

Sahm Belhaj, an acquaintance of mine from al-Hamma, comes from the Berber 'ashra ulad Khalid. Members of this family-related group live in al-Hamma itself, in Khanshal and in other cities of the Wilaya.

'A. 'Omar's friend, journalist Shadli Killi 49, comes from the Ulad ahmad b. bou zid clan. Its relatives live in the town of Bagai (Bagai) and further, up to the wilaya of Umm al-Bawaki. He himself graduated from the University of Constantina and speaks excellent Arabic, almost without straying into dialectics50.

Not only the indigenous people of Khanshala, in conversations with whom I had the opportunity to touch on this topic, but also the guests of the conference who come from other parts of Algeria, spoke about their clan affiliation.

47 The interview took place on November 18, 2012.

48 November 21, 2012

49 The interview took place on November 18, 2012.

50 Thus, X. Bujalal and G. al-Wardi did not list all the clans living in Khanshala. Apparently, their choice was dictated by a number of subjective reasons.

page 148
Sixty-five-year-old professor from Wilaya Buira (al-Buwira)51 (unfortunately, I couldn't find out his name)52 belongs to the Amazigh (Berber) ' Ashra Ulad si Sliman (Sulaiman) to the clan. The si patronymic element-short for sayyid ("lord")-indicates, according to my informant, that this family-related group is of noble origin. Most members of the clan still enter into related marriages within their own extended family (in Arabic, 'a' ila). All of my companion's siblings married first cousins.

He considers himself a man of Arab culture. After the mentioned conflict during the conference, I approached one of the young "brawlers" after the meeting, found out that he was also from Batna and belongs to "ashra al-Khalid, moreover, my informant turned out to be well acquainted with the father of this young man, a mathematician by profession. An elderly professor told the son of an old friend the following:: "Your father, though an Amazigh, was never as wild as you." And he rebuked him in a fatherly way.

This episode confirms that both community, clan, and old friendships play a significant role in modern Algeria, as well as the fact that Algerian society continues to respect its elders.

The information I have gathered about the family and kinship of 'A' is very revealing. Sharifi. He was born in a small town near Oran. His native ' ashr is called al rahmun, and its founder is considered to be the Prophet Muhammad himself. The very name of the professor - Sharifi-is indicative, it indicates belonging to the class of descendants of the founder of Islam Ashraf (shurafa') [Rezvan, 1991, p. 294]. Whether Professor Sharifi is really a descendant of the Messenger of Allah, it is difficult to say, but he has a document confirming his genealogy to the fourteenth generation. Be that as it may, he refers to his relatives as Arabized Berbers. Habitat of the Al Rahmun family group - Western Algerian city of Tlemcen (Tilimsan) and its districts are 53. Despite the nobility, the relatives of ' A Sharifis have been making camel leather shoes for centuries. They still wear it when they go to the mosque (probably because it is easy to take it off and put it on). Previously, such shoes were cut and sewn by hand. Now many of their manufacturing processes are mechanized. For this reason, shoes have become cheaper, but they have lost their strength and durability - if earlier they served for several years, now they wear out in six months.

The grandfather of my interlocutor had a house in Tlemcen, where the whole extended family (a 'ila) lived. Sometimes 20 men sat down for meals, and women with children numbered up to 50.

No less interesting information about clan-tribal structures I had a chance to learn from 'A'. Bubakira 54. It turned out that 'A. Boubakir belongs to the Arab tribe of Bani (banu)- l-khattab, which came to North Africa in the seventh century, during the era of Arab-Muslim conquests. According to 'A. This tribe is mentioned in the famous "al-Muqaddimah" of Ibn Khaldun (I was not able to find such a mention either in Ibn Khaldun or in other medieval Arabic authors available to me, which does not in the least refute the truth of my informant's words). Later, in the tenth century.,

Biura (al-Buvira) 51-Wilaya in Algeria, in the historical region of Greater Kabylia, southwest of Algiers [Wilaya dc Bouira / / Wikipédia. L 'Encyclopédic libre].

52 The interview took place on November 21, 2012.

53 Tlemcen (own Tilimsan is a small town in western Algeria, 63 km from the border with Morocco. It is located on an important CCC of the Afro-African highway. It originated in ancient times. In the Middle Ages, it was the subject of a struggle between local states. Currently, it is the center of the wilaya of the same name [Bel A., Yalaoui M. Tilimsan / / Encyclopedia of Islam. CD ROM Edition].

54 The interview took place on 23 November 2012.

page 149
tribesmen 'A. Boubakir took the Fatimid side. Some of them went with the Fatimid warlord Jawhar 55 to Egypt, where members of Bani-l-khattab took part in the construction of the new Egyptian capital, Cairo (969), and the construction of al-Azhar (970-972). This, apparently, is the tradition that my interlocutor heard from older relatives.

The family of my journalist friend comes from the city of Shershel (it is located on the Mediterranean coast, west of the capital)56. Unfortunately, ' A. Boubakir does not know (or could not remember) the nickname of his own family. The vast majority of his close relatives are people with higher education. Once the family lived in a large shared house, located on the site that originally belonged to it. The current building was built in 1971. The building is large-twenty rooms. Now no one permanently lives in the ancestral home. Some relatives go there in the summer to relax with their children at the sea.

So two of my informants, 'A. Sharifi and' A. Boubakir, testified to the transformation of large families in modern Algeria and the dispersion of their members.

SUMMING UP

I hope that the field materials collected during the trip contain a lot of useful information about the new region of Algeria for me. This information, I think, confirms previous impressions about this North African country: here you can see firsthand the results of technical modernization and modernization in the field of culture; modern literature is being created and studied. At the same time, the traditional social structure - clans (a'ishr) and tribes-operates to a large extent here, and they not only remain, but also continue to play a significant role in socio-political life.

Due to the traditional nature of society, the interests of the Algerian humanitarian intelligentsia are largely focused on traditional Arab culture, both purely local, Algerian, and regional, North African (Maghreb).

Although Algerians, most of whom have both Berber and Arab blood in their veins, are clearly a single people, relations between the two countries remain tense.

Jauhar b. ' Abdallah al-Sikilli (Sicilian) al-Saqlabi (Slav) 55 (d. 991) military commander and statesman. He extended the power of the Fatimid State to all of North Africa and Egypt. He was born at the beginning of the tenth century. Jauhar's father, ' Abdallah (either Sicilian or Slavic in origin), was a slave of the Fatimid family. The son received the status of a freedman (maul). Initially, Jauhar was attached to the person of the fourth Fatimid Caliph al-Mu'izz (953-975). In 958, he was appointed to the post of commander-in-chief of the troops sent to conquer the Afro-African lands that were not yet subordinated to the Fatimid power. Brilliantly carried out the conquest of the Middle and Western Al-Maghreb. Pleased with Jauhar's actions, al-Mu'izz placed him at the head of an expeditionary force to conquer Egypt in 358 (968/69) AH. In the summer of 969, Egypt was annexed to the Fatimid dominions; Cairo was immediately founded, and in April 970, al-Azhar. Jauhar became governor of Egypt. On October 7, al-Mu'izz made a solemn entry into Cairo. He soon removed Jauhar from the position of Egyptian governor. The disgraced warlord spent the rest of his days devoting himself to fervent prayers to Allah and charity. His son, al-Husayn b. Jawhar, served as commander-in-chief under the sixth Fatimid Caliph al-Hakims (996-1021), but was killed, falling victim to court intrigues |Moncs N. Djawhar al-Sikilli // Encyclopedia of Islam. CD ROM Edition].

Shershel 56 (own name) Sharshal is a city located 60 km west of the city of Algiers. The center of the administrative district in Vilas Tipaza. It is located above the sea bay. On the south side, it is bounded by forested mountains. Surrounded by orchards and vineyards. Shershel was founded by the Phoenicians. In the Roman era, it was called Caesarea. It was destroyed by vandals. It was conquered by Muslim Arabs in the eighth century. Later it was settled by refugees from the Iberian Peninsula. Served as a base for corsairs. Since 1528, it has been under Ottoman rule. Until the establishment of French colonial rule (1840), two hostile clans, the Guarini and the Brachna, dominated urban life. It remained a small town, with a population of two and a half to three thousand people. In the 1990s, the number of inhabitants of Shershel increased almost tenfold due to migrants from rural areas. Yver G. - Sari Dj. Sharshal // Encyclopaedia of Islam. CD ROM Edition.

page 150
those who consider themselves full-blooded Berbers and advocate giving the Amazigh language and culture a dominant position, and supporters of strengthening the role of the Arabic language and the Algerian version of Arab culture. Not only for the Wilayah of Khanshahl, but for the whole of Algeria, the Berber queen al-Kahina, who fought against the Arab-Muslim conquest of North Africa, is one of the symbols of the Amazigh identity. Tensions between the two "Berber" and "Arab" sides of society can seriously damage the security and unity of Algeria.

list of literature

al-Jilali ' Abd ar-Rahman b. Muhammad. Tarikh al-Jaza'ir al - ' amm... Al-Juz ' al-awwal. (General history of Algeria... Part one). Beirut: Dar al-saqafa, 1980.

Ballil R. Kusur Furara wa awliyyah ' uha as-salihun. Fi-l-ma ' sur ash-shafawi wa-l-manaqib wa-l-akhbar al-mahalliyya. Tarjamat ' Abd al-Hamid Burayu (The castles of Furara and the holy righteous there. About oral folk prose, hagiographic narratives, and local traditions). Alger: CNRPAH, 2008.

Бурайу 'А. Ал-Масар ас-сарди ва танзим ал-мухтава. Dirasa simi'iyya li namazij min hikayat "Alf laila walayla". (Narrative development and content organization. Semiotic study of the types of fairy tales "Thousand and One Nights"). [Algeria]: Vizarat al-saqafa, 2008.

Burayu ' A. Fi-s-saqafa ash-sha'biyya al-jazai riyya. Ат-Тарих ва-л-кадайа ва-т-таджаллийат. (Makalat wa hiwarat) (About Algerian folk culture. History, problems, and manifestations. (Articles and interviews). [Algeria]. Vcsccra Editions, 2011.

Burayou ' A. Al-Bu'd an-nafei fi-l-adab ash-sha'bi al-jaza'iri (Psychological dimension in Algerian folk literature). [Bona]: Manshurat Buna li-l-buhus va-d-dirasat, 2008.

Burayu ' A. Al-Qasas ash-sha'bi fi mintaqat Biskra. Dirasa maidaniyya (Folk narrative in the Biskra region. Field research). Algeria: Vizarat al-saqafa, 2007.

Vashan M. Iklim wilayat Burj Bu 'Arririj' abr al - ' usur. Dirasa ta'rihiyya. Burj Boo 'Arriridge (Burj: Boo' Arriridge: through the ages) Dar an-nashr Jitli, [2007].

Vidyasova M. F., Orlov V. V. Politicheskiy islam v stranakh Severnoi Afrika: istoriya i sovremennoe sostoyanie [Political Islam in the countries of North Africa: History and Current State].
Islam. Encyclopedia, Moscow: Nauka, GRVL, 1991.
Kabilia / / The Great Soviet Encyclopedia. 3-p. Vol. 11. Moscow: Sovetskaya entsiklopediya, 1973. St. 290.

Landa R. G. The struggle of the Algerian people against European colonization. Moscow: Nauka, GRVL, 1976.

Landa R. G. Istoriya Algira [History of Algeria]. XX century. Moscow: IV RAS, 1999.

Mikulsky D. V. Ibn Khaldun on the invasion of North Africa by the Arab tribes banu hilal and banu sulaym and the epic narrative of this invasion / / Problems of Source Studies, Historiography and History of the East. Proceedings of the international scientific conference dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the birth of Professor Wolf Msndslswich Beilis (1923-2001). May 15-16, 2013 Lugansk, Lugansk.State University (LNU named after Taras Shevchenko), 2013.

Mikulsky, D. V., Among Algerian literary critics and writers (at a conference in the province of Burj Bou 'Arririj), Vostok (Oriens). 2012. № 4.

Mikulsky D. V. Ssvsro-African oral folk art and monuments of the Arab book epic in studies in the studies of Libyan and Algerian folklorists. Obzor / / Vostok (Oriens). 2013. No. 1, pp. 177-185.

Rszvan E. A. Sharif / / Islam. Encyclopedia, Moscow: Nauka; GRVL, 1991.
Tunisia. Handbook, Moscow: Nauka Publ., 1978.
J. Fallah Hikayat, uhjiiyat wa amsal. Jam ' wa dirasat fi-s-sakafa ash-sha biya li mintakat al-Auras (Narratives, riddles and proverbs. Materials and studies on the folk culture of the al-Auras region). [Hanshala]. Manshurat Jam'iyyat al-mar'a fi-l-ittisal, b. g.

Khain V. E. Geological structure and mineral resources. III. Nature. Alzhir / / Bolshaya Sovetskaya entsiklopediya, Moscow: Sovetskaya entsiklopediya, 1970. Vol. 1. St. 1244.

Khalidov A. B. Al-Azhar / / Islam. Encyclopedia, Moscow: Nauka, GRVL, 1991.
Encyclopaedia of Islam. CD ROM Edition.

La réformc dc 1984: unification des diplomcs. Modifications postcricurcs a 1984. Doctorat (France) // Wikipédia. L'Encyclopédic libre.

Wikipédia. L'Encyclopédic libre.

page 151

Permanent link to this publication: