Algeria

Common values: Overcoming Arab-Berber identity conflict in Algerian communities through indigenous arts (storytelling, medih-singing, artefacts, and dialogue) 

Project Introduction 

The DEPA research project, under the guidance of Fella Lahmar in Algeria, explores how Algerian ancestors used art forms as pedagogical tools to promote peace within their communities, emphasizing the values embedded in this cultural heritage across various linguistic groups. 

Algerian elders employed storytelling, poetry, and medihs (traditional melodies) to educate, transmit values, create and recall memories, and preserve their ancestors' traditions. These forms of indigenous knowledge formed a significant part of the DEPA Researcher’s informal upbringing in Algeria, passed down by grandparents who never experienced the formal colonial education system. 

However, colonialism disrupted these forms of knowledge through the inherited formal colonial system of education that marginalised the heritage of Algerian ancestors. Moreover, post-independence, the movement to "de-Frenchify" Algeria through the Arabization policy became emblematic of a deeper, long-standing identity struggle. Within this context, languages such as 'Arabic,' 'Tamazight,' and 'French' are entwined in politically charged debates. The challenge of reclaiming and returning to the 'original culture' has been a contentious issue, placing educational institutions at the forefront of the discourse. 

In this context, the study seeks to address a key question: How can the Algerian Art heritage, passed down through generations, foster an "inter-communal" space that encourages dialogue, imagination, and inclusivity among the Arab-Amazigh speaking communities in Algeria? To provide insights, the research explores the shared knowledge and values for peace as presented in the Algerian Art heritage, focusing on stories, melodies, and poetry. 

Project Methodology 

Algerian Map, DEPA Research Provinces 

The study was conducted across five provinces in Algeria in May 2023. These included three Northern Algerian provinces: Beni Maoush village, in Béjaïa province, which has a majority of Kabyles – a Tamazight-speaking community; Ain Beida, in Oum El-Bouaghi province, predominantly a Chaouia-Shawiyyah- Tamazight speaking community; and Guelma, as a supplementary site, which mainly comprises Arabic-speaking individuals of mixed ethnic heritage. The study also extended to two provinces in Southern Algeria: Ghardaïa, home to the Mozabites- Tamazight and Shaanbeh-Arabic speaking communities, and Tamanrasset, inhabited by the Tuareg- Tamazight -speaking community. 

Ain Beida,  

Beni Maoush village 

Ghardaïa,  

Tamanrasset 

The selection of participants and provinces was based on accessibility and the enrichment they could provide regarding the local art heritage related to educating for peace in their communities. 

To capture the complex relationships of educating for peace across multiple levels - individual, interpersonal, community, national, international, and global - this study adopts Recep Şentürk’s multiplexity framework. This framework was chosen due to its ability to encompass the multifaceted ontological, epistemological, and methodological nuances of examining such a social phenomenon while accounting for its interconnectedness across vertical and horizontal dimensions. 

The research methods employed to address this study’s research question were: 

In-person, one-on-one, in-depth interviews with elders, community members, artists, educators from both lower and higher education sectors, and mosque imams.