Algerians in the UK: Challenging stereotypes and coming together for the love culture!

In 2022, with years of dedicated cultural and artistic work – admittedly not sufficient to neuter the long-lasting echoes of our tragic past– Algerian culture remains largely absent on the international cultural scene, ever haunted by the tragic 1990s and the resulting stereotypes which remain mostly unchallenged and, frankly, exhausting.

The armed conflict between the Algerian government and various Islamist rebel groups which began in 1991, claimed more than 200,000 lives amongst which a high number of students, artists, journalists, writers and painters were heavily targeted. The ‘Black decade’, heralded an exodus of cultural ambassadors, artists and professionals who fled the unrest to settle elsewhere, taking with them their art, and the very culture they were persecuted and killed for.

It is undoubtedly due to this tragic past that Algeria is such a deeply anchored nation when it comes to its traditions and heritage. From weddings, to the harvest, or music festivals, a religious holiday or a national observance, our traditions as Algerians are woven tightly into our overall identity, and we tend to take that with us as we travel across the world, and enrich any nation with our own blend of spices.

''A near-total disconnect with the homeland has prevailed since the start of the pandemic and our intense nostalgia and cultural starvation have been amplified by the distance, the repeated lockdowns and health crisis, the travel costs, and so on. This gap has left us yearning for our own, and so the need to act – to create a space for sharing and networking, for artists and consumers alike, and to encourage a cohesive and connected Algerian diasporic community — was palpable.''

This was visible to all on the international stage this summer when Algeria hosted the 19th Mediterranean games. There were displays of traditional music, historical tales, and fashion from across every region.

Not to mention, DJ Snake’s global hit in homage to 'Disco Maghreb,' made 2022 an auspicious year for Algerian culture.

This might be unsurprising to some given Algerian music is arguably one of the most exported in the world, with so many Algerian artists and music entering international the scene. Raï historically exploded through Khaled, Faudel, Mami, Rachid Taha etc, and other genres have received global attention thanks to Souad Massi, Babylone’s famous song Zina and even the Algerian Chaabi through Dahamen el Harrachi and his Win rayah track.

The importance of diaspora 

A nowadays ubiquitous concept due to the global hypermobility of cultures through migration and the increased virtual or material sharing, the diaspora has become the central protagonist of cultural dynamics within any given host culture. And in any diaspora, there is an element of exile, a consequence of harsh economic situations, political persecution or civil unrest, but also sometimes simply a matter of seeking better opportunities. Even so, there remains a sense of separation when a people settle outside of their original culture.

A near-total disconnect with the homeland has prevailed since the start of the pandemic and our intense nostalgia and cultural starvation have been amplified by the distance, the repeated lockdowns and health crisis, the travel costs, and so on. This gap has left us yearning for our own, and so the need to act – to create a space for sharing and networking, for artists and consumers alike, and to encourage a cohesive and connected Algerian diasporic community — was palpable.

Humans are historically tribal and always will be. The mantra ‘find your tribe’ might be a popular marketing phrase these days, but it speaks of a natural human instinct. The Algerian diaspora is no different. Though it doesn’t necessarily need to be alongside fellow Algerians, however, just as long as there are similarly-inclined people who share a fondness for similar culture, food, music, way of life, language, religion…etc.

By British-Algerians, with British-Algerians

Today, the Algerian diaspora remains very fragmented, especially in the Anglo-Saxon world, perhaps due to being a relatively more recent community when compared with the much more established Francophone one. As such, DzFest – which will be taking place between 30 September and 8 October – is a humble attempt to connect people through their shared love of Algeria, to introduce this vibrant and rich culture to the UK and international audiences, to promote engagement and raise awareness.

The event also seeks to bring Algerian communities together at a time when social isolation is increasingly becoming an issue for all, in the aftermath of the pandemic, the cost of living increase and impending recession, providing free, vibrant and accessible cultural events to all, allows communities to come together, build bridges, establish networks, and celebrate!

It is a chance to also give the new generations of British-Algerians a glimpse of how this culture can be embraced, to show them its richness and positive values, to revel in it rather than deny and shy away from it.

This is particularly significant following Algeria’s 60th anniversary of independence from France. And while this is a momentous milestone in our history, and certainly a good reason to come together, the motivation for creating DzFest goes far beyond the need to celebrate any specific occasion. Rather, the genesis of the festival can be traced to many factors and is the culmination of continuous efforts by the Algerian diaspora and community in the UK to assert its existence – through promoting and celebrating its culture and heritage.

Women’s representation

This first edition of DzFest has also inadvertently become a feminist enterprise with the programming being largely made up of women artists, curators and practitioners. An all-female art exhibition will launch the festival and an all-female line-up is set for the live music nights.

With women being so dramatically underrepresented and undervalued in the art world globally, this was part of our commitment to addressing the gap. However, initially it was not a conscious endeavour. The fact that Algerian women are very active and ever present in the fields of music, fine art, cinema, fashion, literature, dance etc, is very telling. Ultimately, this factor has helped drive our objective of changing the narrative about Algeria’s image.  

Furthermore, the positive reception to the female-rich programme indicates that people are not averse to women in the arts, rather it is institutions that have historically remained so. This is despite the continuous effort to bridge the equality gap in representation and pay. As artist and professor Joan Semmel put it, "if there are no great celebrated women artists, that's because the powers that be have not been celebrating them, but not because they are not there."

In this context, DzFest, produced by Afroculturama, will be hosted bi-annually featuring Algerian dance workshops, Algerian film screenings, Algerian bazaar and artisanal market with various artistic products and services, Roundtables, talks and discussions celebrating Algerian literature, Algerian fashion and live music with several acts from across the diaspora – including Paris, London, NYC and Algeria.

As El Emir Abdelkader said: “Take a thorn-bush and sprinkle it for a whole year with water — it will yield nothing but thorns. Take a date-tree, leave it without culture, and it will always produce dates.”

Rachida Lamri is a writer and multi-faceted creative. She is founder of the Cultural Organisation Culturama and of DzFest and takes great interest in Arab and African culture and civil society movements.

Follow her on Twitter: @rachidalamri

Join the conversation: @The_NewArab

Have questions or comments? Email us at: editorial-english@alaraby.co.uk

Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The New Arab, its editorial board or staff.