Delve into the heart of Amazigh culture with live music performances that will transport you to the beautiful landscapes of North Africa. Experience the rhythmic beats of traditional Amazigh instruments as talented musicians showcase the rich musical heritage of the Amazigh people.

But the excitement doesn’t stop there. Get ready to be mesmerized by folkloric dance performances that beautifully depict the essence of Amazigh traditions. Marvel at the intricate choreography that tells stories of ancient rituals and cultural unity, bringing the spirit of the Amazigh community to life on stage.

And what’s a celebration without delicious food to tantalize your taste buds? Indulge in a culinary journey through the flavors of Amazigh cuisine with traditional food tasting stations. Sample mouthwatering dishes made from authentic recipes passed down through generations, each bite a tribute to the rich culinary heritage of the Amazigh people.

But that’s not all – we haven’t forgotten about our youngest attendees! Kids will have the opportunity to partake in a unique cultural experience with old face tattoos. Delight in the joy on their faces as they adorn themselves with temporary tattoos inspired by ancient Amazigh designs, connecting them to their heritage in a fun and interactive way.

With an abundance of activities to enjoy, the Amazigh New Year celebration promises to be an unforgettable experience for the whole family. Don’t miss your chance to immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and flavors of Amazigh culture at this year’s event. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

From the rhythmic beats to the vibrant colors, every moment promises to be a unique experience, transporting you to the heart of Amazigh traditions. The festivities will feature mesmerizing performances that showcase the depth of Amazigh culture, creating an immersive experience for attendees.

Live Music: Let the captivating melodies of Amazigh music transport you to the enchanting landscapes of North Africa. Folk Dances: Witness the beauty of traditional Amazigh dances, each telling a story that spans generations. Presentations and Activities: Engage with enlightening presentations on Amazigh heritage and language, and participate in activities that celebrate the uniqueness of this ancient culture.

Culinary Delights: Indulge your senses in the warmth of community as you savor the flavors of authentic teas and homemade sweets throughout the night. The aroma of these delightful treats will add an extra layer to the cultural experience, making it a feast for both the eyes and the palate.

This year’s event is proudly sponsored by Omar Financial. We extend our sincere gratitude for their generous support, making this celebration possible 🫶.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to be part of a celebration that transcends time and invites you into the heart of Amazigh traditions. Join us for an unforgettable night filled with cultural richness, community warmth, and the spirit of the Amazigh New Year.

Tawsa generally takes place the day of the henne celebration. However, we remark that even though the custom exists in many Berber marriages, the word used for it nowadays is understood only by the Kabyles of the Djurdjura. Tawsa is derived from the verb aws, which means “to help”, is however found only in the Berber spoken by the Twaregs of the Ghat and Idaoughnidif of Anti-Atlas. There is a big difference between Tiwizi and tawsa. Tiwizi does not require anything in return whereas the beneficiary of Tawsa is obliged to give back to every’ one of his guests, at similar celebrations, a present of equal or superior value to that he received from them. This particularly explains why in Kabylia people often write down the value of what they received in Tawsa.

How is Tiwizi practiced?
Women are not excluded from Tiwizi. It is used to accomplish some works which are especially reserved for women, such as olive-picking. In Auf Baamarane, the women do the work of preparing the wool. Tiwizi generally does not exceed one day of work, except for wool related tasks in which it can last much longer. For agricultural labors, one day is sufficient because of the large number of persons who participate in Tiwizi. The work is done perfectly in Tiwizi. Generally, the Ait-Tiwizi arrange to finish the work in mid-afternoon (asser), so that they can spend the rest of the day playing games. In some areas, a group of women may sing and play (ahwash).

In another the men (irgazan) may compete in a shooting gallery using stones. All of these may take place amid songs and the you-yous (tiyratin) announce the end of Tiwizi. The workers are the guests of the person for whom tiwizi is organized. He is obliged to supply give them the main meal of the day, accompanied with tea, griddle-cake, olive oil, and dates. When everyone is done eating, the field owner thanks the helpers who in turn will say back to him: “May God give you back what you spend.”Tiwizi

So far only one kind of Tiwizi has been presented: That a voluntary work to help someone from the community. But, Tiwizi can also be “forced” by the on the village people. In such a case, it is an instrument of domination to the landlords and a form of servitude to the villagers. Tiwizi is then a case when the Berber peasant cultivates and harvests gratuitously the lands of his landlord, builds or repairs his castle.

For example, when a Kaid (tribal chief) in Southern Morocco wants to sow his fields, the Mokhazmi of the elders (pi. Imyaren ) of the tribe are sent to the villages to inform the people of the date and place of Tiwizi. On that day, the peasants stop their own work and go with their tools and animals to the field of their landlord, which may sometimes very far from their homes. Upon their arrival, they begin the task under the direction of a Khammas of a Mokhazmi who follows the landlord’s instructions.

Tawizi may be extended for four or five days until the work is finished. The workers are neither paid for their work nor they receive any meal from the landlord. Everyone has to bring with him his own food. In the evening, the peasants gather around a campfire in the field where they sleep near their animals. Nowadays this kind of Tawizi is becoming very unpopular and it is not practiced any longer except in a very few places.

Some historians say that celebrating the Amazigh New Year is a commemoration of King Shishing‘s victory over the Pharaohs on the banks of the Nile in 950 B.C. and the Amazigh were able to establish a new monarchy that ruled from Libya to Egypt, this event marked the date of Amazigh new year.

The Amazigh New Year is celebrated through several activities. We are going to highlight most of them in this article.

In Morocco’s celebrations, as every year, Amazigh families in several regions of the country prepare special dishes including couscous, tagine, and ‘Tagulla’, the famous Amazigh dish served on Yennayer. Tagulla (a corn kernel) with butter ghee or Argan oil, remains a staple for Yennayer festivities, traditionally they hide a date stone in Tagulla plate, the lucky person who finds it will be blessed throughout the whole year.

In other regions of Morocco, they prepare chicken Tagine. however, others prepare Couscous with seven vegetables moreover, neighbors exchange various ‘Fakiah’ (Dry fruits) between them, it is a sort of familiarity. There are also many amazing traditions that accompany the food that the Amazigh prepare for this night Apart from dancing and singing special songs of love, fertility and, welcoming a new agrarian year, the Amazigh people, in particular those in the country side, find in this occasion a better chance to socialize, exchange food .

They also host their neighbors, children and adults accompanied by traditional music and dance (Ahwach), yet they exchange wishes during this joyful day.

Amazigh culture scholar “Abdallah Bozandag” ; said that since the
beginning of the Amazigh movement, it has demanded that the Amazigh New Year to be an official and national holiday, adding that in the beginning the celebrations on this occasion were only carried out by Amazigh associations, but now all Amazigh families celebrate it.

Currently, Amazigh activists are still calling on the government to approve the Amazigh New Year as a national day and public holiday. Tamazight has been recognized as an official language in Morocco, so it is not conceivable that the Amazigh New Year is not recognized. It is also part of the Moroccan culture and identity, said Mr. Bozandag.

Amazigh activists say that denying validity of Yennayer as Amazigh new year is cultural exclusion. This event is a symbol of Amazigh identity and a common history that unites Amazigh people across North Africa. I wish you a happy 2971 new year full of joy and success, or as we say in Tamazight Assuggas Amggaz.

The Amazigh New Year, also known as Yennayer, is a joyous and important holiday for the Amazigh people of North Africa. The Amazigh are an indigenous group with a long and rich history that dates back to ancient times. The Amazigh homeland, called Tamazgha, extends across North Africa, from Morocco to Egypt and as far south as the lower limits of the Sahara in Niger and Mali.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the royal court stated that King Mohammed VI “decided to establish Amazigh New Year’s Day an official paid national holiday.”

The Amazigh New Year is celebrated annually on -around- January 13. According to historians, the Amazigh calendar, which is based on seasons and agriculture, celebrates the beginning of the year on the anniversary of the accession of the Libyan King Sheshonq to the throne of Egypt.

Most of North Africa is home to the Amazigh people, with significant populations in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and western Egypt. But other Amazigh tribes can also be found in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. The broad range of related dialects used by the Amazigh is referred to as “tamazight.”

The largest Amazigh population in North Africa is found in Morocco, -around 17 million- which for a long time neglected the Amazigh language and culture in favor of Arabic and French, giving rise to a movement for Amazigh identity that has gradually gained ground popularity.

The 2011 protests in Morocco that resulted in the adoption of a new constitution and the transfer of some of the monarch’s authority to an elected government prominently included demands of the Amazigh movement.

Following the confirmation of the Amazigh language’s official status by Moroccan legislators in 2019, eight years after it was initially acknowledged in a new constitution, the decision to recognize the Amazigh New Year was made.

The Amazigh people of Morocco were the first to formally recognize the native mother tongue, while advocates regret that it is not properly taught in public schools and used in government.

The government vowed to hire hundreds of official clerks for the Amazigh language in public services and increased the 2023 budget for the language’s support by 50% this year, to 300 million dirhams ($30 million).

The Amazigh new year “Yennayer” festivities emphasize spending time with family and listening to upbeat music. Most families prepare a feast of traditional meals as they get ready for the day, with the family matriarchs organizing the preparations.

Additionally, it has become customary to dress in traditional Amazigh attire and jewelry just for the occasion. Yennayer has developed into a celebration for significant life milestones including weddings, circumcisions, and a child’s first haircut in keeping with the idea of rejuvenation, wealth, and life.

Celebrations for Yennayer might stretch up to three days in some parts of Algeria. Every day, the family comes together for a special supper. Typically, the first day is spent eating semolina porridge, the second day involves couscous with seven veggies, and the third day involves chicken.

On December of 2018, Algeria has also taken the decision to announce the Amazigh new year as a paid holiday in the nation during the ruling of president Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

UNESCO has been leading the way and advocating for multilingual education based on the mother tongue from the earliest years of schooling. Research shows that education in the mother tongue is a key factor for inclusion and quality learning, and it also improves learning outcomes and academic performance. This is crucial, especially in primary school to avoid knowledge gaps and increase the speed of learning and comprehension. And most importantly, multilingual education based on the mother tongue empowers all learners to fully take part in society. It fosters mutual understanding and respect for one another and helps preserve the wealth of cultural and traditional heritage that is embedded in every language around the world.

However, there is still a long way to go before guaranteeing all learners their right to education in their mother language. In most countries, the majority of students are taught in a language other than their mother tongue, which compromises their ability to learn effectively. It is estimated that 40 % of the world’s population does not have access to an education in a language they speak or understand. There are about 7,000 languages spoken around the world today. But linguistic diversity is increasingly threatened as more and more languages disappear at an alarming rate. And when a language disappears, it takes with it an entire cultural and intellectual heritage.

Globally, progress is being made in multilingual education based on mother tongue with growing understanding of its importance, particularly in early schooling, and more commitment to its development in public life.

Through its normative frameworks for language policy and education, UNESCO shares good practices in bilingual and multilingual education and mother tongue instruction. It works with Member States to integrate multilingual education into curriculums and education systems. Recent successful initiatives to promote mother language-based education have taken place in Djibouti, Gabon, Guinea, Haiti and Kenya.

Impact of COVID-19 on mother language education

School closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and deepened pre-existing education inequalities around the world. The closures ranged from a global average of 20 weeks to above 70 in some cases, more than a full school year. As always, it has impacted vulnerable and marginalized learners the hardest, which includes indigenous and speakers of languages from minority groups. According to UN estimates, nearly 500 million students from pre-primary to upper-secondary school were unable to access any remote learning opportunities during the lockdowns.

In many countries, distance teaching and learning tools, programmes and content were not always able to reflect linguistic diversity: They were largely provided in dominant national or international languages. When remote learning content is not available in students’ mother tongue, it increases the risk of learning loss, dropouts and exclusion. Many learners lacked the necessary equipment, internet access, accessible materials, content relevant to contexts and needs, and human support that would have allowed them to follow distance learning. Many teachers also didn’t have the skills and readiness for using distance teaching. They also struggled with digital tools in languages that they didn’t always master.

The massive digital divide shows how connectivity has become a key factor to guarantee the right to education. The lack of access to digital learning content is deepening inequalities, marginalization and exclusion. Another element that exacerbates the digital divide is the fact that many languages are not present on the Internet: There is a major linguistic divide in cyberspace today. The inclusion of languages in the digital world and the creation of inclusive learning content is vital. Remote learning based on the mother tongue should be incorporated into education systems in order for all learners, especially those from linguistic minorities, to access education during school closures and beyond.

The Amazigh Film Festival coming to Boston, Massachussets in Fall 2023 is now accepting entries.

Filmmakers may submit to multiple categories by June 15th, 2023. Accepted entries will be showcased during the event, and select Filmmakers will have the opportunity to attend and introduce their film directly to the audience.

The Amazigh Film Festival is an annual event founded in Los Angeles in 2007 by Helene E. Hagan, President of Tazzla Institute for Cultural Diversity. This is a unique event in the U.S. to showcase Amazigh artists, cinematographers, and musicians from North African Amazigh culture. The festival is also a unique opportunity to educate the American audience about Amazigh culture which extends from the Canary islands, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, the Siwa Oasis of Egypt, and down to the Saharan countries Mali, Niger, and Burkina-Faso.

This year’s festival will be presented by the Amazigh American Network Organization, AANO, in collaboration with the Tazzla Institute for Cultural Diversity. The event has always been open to the public with free entrance, although we are asking those who are able to make donations here to help cover some of the event costs and support the work of Amazigh filmmakers. AANO is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and your donations are tax deductible.

Please fill out this form to submit your film. For entries produced by more than one contestant, please include the information for both filmmakers.