Historicizing Algerian war of Independence: Jugurtha's Tragedy and Algerian Iliad

Jugurtha's Tragedy and Algerian Iliad

Coming to North Africa, the conlonizers', whether English, Italian or French, imaging themselves as Romans or Greek heroes/gods. It is interesting to see how Algerian play writer Abdelrahman Madwi has used Numidian King Jugurtha to historicize, on the stage, Algerian war of independence against the French occupation; a technique which not unparalleled in other North African and Arabic countries, let along postcolonial national theaters. It seems that the play was popular so that it was published until 1984 in three editions. See also Algerian Epic, called, Iliad by Cheikh Zakaria (1908-1977).

The Algerian Iliad by Cheikh Zakaria (1908-1977)

The Algerian Iliad by Cheikh Zakaria (1908-1977)

The Algerian Iliad is an epic poem of 1001 verse lines composed by Cheikh Zakaria (1908-1977), the poet of the Algerian revolution, to celebrate the long history of the Algerian people's resistance against foreign occupations from "the most ancient times to the present day", as  Mouloud Kacem (1927-1992), the famous  Algerian politician, philosopher, historian, and writer, stated in the preface of the printed poem. Mouloud Kacem was the one who commissioned Cheikh Zakaria to compose this poem. With its 1001 verse lines, it is not only an Iliad, but a clear parody to One Thousand and One Nights of the famous folk tales know as Arabian Nights.

A first short version of this poem of only 610 verse lines was recited by Cheikh Zakaria himself in the inauguration of the sixth conference of the Islamic thought on July 24, 1972 in Club of Pines in Algeria where Houari Boumédiène (1932-1978), Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, was one of the participants. There is a recording on You Tube where one can listen to the very sensational recitation by the author himself. Here it is: