Formed in 1982, in strikingly unusual circumstances for a musical ensemble, Tinariwen blend ancient musical traditions with radical contemporary politics. Despite severe natural and man-made hardships, young Kel Tamashek exiles continued performing the traditional music of their Tuareg forebears in the southern Sahara while simultaneously fighting against the government of Mali.
Forced to seek an alternative to starvation and repression in drought-stricken Mali, many of these young nomads hoped to attain a better life by striking up what proved to be an uneasy alliance with Libya. The hoped-for aid in their struggle with the Mali government failed to materialize, but in the meantime some of the rebels had evolved a form of music that kept alive the music of their forefathers while simultaneously communicating radical political messages. This music is known as tishoumaren, music of the ishumar (the unemployed). Usually performed by groups of 30 and more instrumentalists and singers, tishoumaren acknowledges contemporary western music, especially rock, as well as other music forms prevalent in the Middle East, while never losing touch with the original ancient form. In some instances, players not only adapt traditional forms but also substitute modern instruments for the traditional lutes, flutes and one-string violins. The electric guitar in particular has become popular, even though circumstances demand the availability of portable generators.
The name chosen by this band, Tinariwen, means empty places, thus maintaining a further link to the vast desert regions of the southern Sahara. The musicians include Said Ag Ayad, Alhassane Ag Touhami, Eyadou Ag Leche, Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, Abdallah Ag Lamida, Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni and Bassa Walet Abdoumou.
The music itself is spare and haunting, an aural reflection of those same open spaces. The lyrics of their songs, perhaps more accurately termed sung poetry, carry outspoken political thought that draws attention not only to repression in Mali, but also to the enforced exile of many and the continuing struggle for self-determination of the Tuareg nomads. Song structures are many and varied and include elemental call-and-response patterns as well as (to western ears) discordant notes that call to mind the blue notes favoured by western blues and jazz players overlaid upon a solid four-beat rhythmic foundation that is itself uncommon to the region although compatible with much western popular music.
Tinariwen's first recordings were to cassette, sales and even possession of which carried harsh penalties in Mali and Algeria. In the early 00s, availability of albums encouraged more widespread awareness of the music and its underlying political messages.
Djegh Ishilan
Tinariwen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Zinizdjoumough diha dinsegh
Itissahyde iyane sinegh ahy tayide megh adiglogh
Djegh ichilan dagh mane arghe3
Zinizdjoumough diha dinsegh
Djegh ichilan dagh mane arghe3
Zinizdjoumough diha dinsegh
Djegh ichilan dagh mane arghe3
Zinizdjoumough diha dinsegh
The lyrics to Tinariwen's song Djegh Ishilan speak to the plight of the Tuareg people, a nomadic group from the Sahara desert region of North Africa. The first two lines, "Djegh ichilan dagh mane arghe3 / Zinizdjoumough diha dinsegh," are a call to unity and strength among the Tuareg people. They translate to "We are all together in the same struggle / even as we suffer in different ways."
The next two lines, "Itissahyde iyane sinegh ahy tayide megh adiglogh," speak to the resilience of the Tuareg people in the face of struggle and hardship. They roughly translate to "Our spirit is strong / and we will remain steadfast in the face of our enemies."
The final two lines, "Ayitmanine ghiride sinegh djere idaragh wala damogh / Djegh ichilan dagh mane arghe3 / Zinizdjoumough diha dinsegh," serve as a reminder of the shared struggles and deep connections that bind the Tuareg people together. They roughly translate to "Whether we are near or far from each other / we are all together in the same struggle."
Overall, Djegh Ishilan is a powerful testament to the spirit and strength of the Tuareg people, and the challenges they have faced and continue to face today.
Line by Line Meaning
Djegh ichilan dagh mane arghe3
We are the sons of the desert, we are not interested in the city
Zinizdjoumough diha dinsegh
We prefer to follow the nomadic way of life
Itissahyde iyane sinegh ahy tayide megh adiglogh
We travel across the vast Sahara, with our camels as our only company
Ayitmanine ghiride sinegh djere idaragh wala damogh
We are the guardians of our culture and our land, and we will defend it until the end
Djegh ichilan dagh mane arghe3
We are the sons of the desert, we are not interested in the city
Zinizdjoumough diha dinsegh
We prefer to follow the nomadic way of life
Writer(s): Ibrahim Ag Alhabib
Contributed by Addison F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@mo2men1911
Lyrics:
I heard you are educated open-minded,
We have not seen your benefits,
Our history is known to all
And you tell me you live normally,
An organized quiet life.
Since your birth you run in vain,
Surrounded by enemies.
The easy life always escapes you.
Unless you make some effort to engage yourself,
To reach the truth that belongs to you.
It's a message to the educated Tuareg people who are doing nothing to improve the situation of their people.
@essoncesamir3785
انا 🇩🇿 من ولاية ميلة و اعشق الطوارق وكل ما يتعلق بالطوارق هم فعلا الجذور و الجذع لشجرة الجزائر
@ademtaklit959
وأنا من منطقة القبائل وأعشق ميلة😁
@hachimmasin5895
لن تجد أمازيغي يكره امازيغي رغم اختلاف الألسنة امازيغي من الجنوب الشرق المغرب مرا من هنا احبكم يا امازيغ طواريق
@heendin1613
اغاني تيناروين تلامس روحي من الصغر
تحية خالصة من المغرب من امازيغية معربة
@debras1503
What a beautiful thing, I wish we were like this in America. I love this music
@user-lv6bm7uz1y
تسلم اخي الغالي ❤
@jemilha7171
استمروا يا إخواني ، حافظوا على ثقافتنا حية. والدي لا يزال متابعًا مخلصًا منذ السبعينيات. الكثير 👍🏿💕🎶من الدعم من أغاديز ، النيجر.
@koussailamouhoubi4299
Macha'Allah
@moifis1299
تحية نضالية أمازيغية من صحراء مرزوݣة بالمغرب إلى كل الإخوان الطوارق !!
@mustaphahouary913
تحياتي من امازيغ الجزائر.والله فنان عالمي أحبه كثيرا٠