A week of music, on Fortress Europe, to better understand what happens at the border. Yes, because now there are many rappers on southern shores of the Mediterranean who sing of the adventure of the crossing. And many different things can be read into their words. Seen from the suburbs of Annaba, Tunis, or from the countryside of Khouribga, the frontier is not only a geographical border, it is much more. It is a challenge, the courage to reach an elsewhere where lifelong dreams can be fulfilled. To the point that from Morocco to Tunisia, travelling without documents is called harraga, or ‘burning’.
Burning the border, just like Tariq Ben Ziyyad, the Arab leader who during the conquest of Spain in the eighth century AD, ordered his soldiers to burn the boats once they crossed the Strait of Gibraltar, because there is no going back, you either win or you die. So, thirteen centuries later, the myth of conquest lives on in the boats of the harraga. The challenge, however, is entirely individual, as are the risks. In fact, in Morocco emigrating is also called kayriskì, from the French, meaning ‘risk’. For the very young, risking is practically a stunt in the era of globalization, an adventure to escape from the periphery of the world and feel at last at the centre of one’s own imagination, finally alive. For the older ones it is simply the only road that leads to economical redemption for themselves and their families. In one word: a road to consumption and thus presumed happiness.
But things do not always go as planned. Because Europe can also be deceiving, as another Tunisian song goes. So, the rap’s lyrics begin to talk about the point of view of the fathers, and in general of the majority of society living on the southern shores of the Mediterranean. Is it really worth risking lives at sea? How many young men have died already? And how many more must die?
The answer seems to come from another song. I posted it in April, when a Tunisian university student in Ventimiglia quoted one of the most beautiful poems by Chebbi to explain his desire to travel and be free. A poem that I had already heard more than once in the revolution squares in Tunis, Cairo and Benghazi. Because in the end, burning the border is also an act of rebellion. As much as taking to the streets against a regime. Because lives are at stake, to regain dignity and what is believed to be a personal right: the freedom of movement.
So the thousands of poor people who travel each year without documents constitute a political vanguard, they are the largest mass movement of disobedience against the unjust laws of the border. And the songs we bring you make up their soundtrack. They listen to them on the radio, they hum them on the boat during the crossing, and they download them from the Internet as a mobile phone ring tone.
Let’s share them too. On our radios, in our documentaries and on our blogs. So that their words become ours too. Hoping they will help us rewrite a new aesthetic of the frontier. Because if ever the world chooses freedom of movement, as I believe it will, the harraga will be the heroes and martyrs of our grandchildren. And now let the music begin.
Today we bring you the great success of "Partir Loin", an Algerian song by rapper Reda Taliani and 113. The first recording dates back to 2005, but it is still a well-known track. The secret of its success, as well as its irresistible rhythm, are the words of the chorus, when the singer begs the boat ‘Yal babour ya mon amour’ as if it were his beloved, asking to ‘take him out of misery’ for a ‘special escape’ from Algeria to a generic ‘West’. Below is the translation of the entire text. Starting tomorrow, every day for one week, other Arabic songs on the harraga.
| PARTIR LOIN Ouais gros!! elle est où Joséphine! allez laissez-moi de toi! ah bon c'est comme ça! ma tɛayyinich! 113 Taliani! c'est bon! Écoute Ya lbabur, ya mon amour Kharredjni men la misère (rim-k) partir loin Fi bladi rani mahgour Ɛyit, Ɛyit u j'en ai marre (rim-k) c'est bon Ma nratich l'occasion (rim-k)lala Fi bali ça fait longtemps Hada nessetni qui je suis Nkhdem haliha a jour nuit Ya l-babur, ya mon amour Kharredjni men la misère (rim-k)partir loin Évasion spéciale men l'Algérie l-l'occidental Moi je suis de Kabylifornie On fumait 350 benji Sur les bords de la Corniche Habsi-ni maɛlich Rien à perdre, Rim-k le malade mental plus connu que l-hadj memba J’voudrais passer le henné à ma bien-aimée Avant que je taille Comme Cheb Hasni j’suis sentimental Partir loin, rien à perdre C'est Boston ou la Chepa Laissez-moi de toi Comme Robinson sur une ile Mon mouton je l'appellerai Mercredi Dès que l'avion atterrit, j'applaudis Comme les chibanis j’vous rends la carte de résidence Un moment d'évasion, ya hmar, lève toi et danse (Taliani) ça fait plaisir Ya l-babur, ya mon amour Kharrejni men la misère (Rim-k)partir loin Fi blad-i rani mahgour Aite aite ou j'en ai marre (rim-k)c'est bon Matratésh l'occasion (rim-k)lalah Fi bali ça fait longtemps Hada nessetni qui je suis Nekhdem haliha a jour et nuit Ya l-babour ya mon amour Kharrejni mel la misère Évasion spéciale men l'Algérie l-l'occidentale J’reste bledard, débrouillard J’tannonce emmène-moi loin de la misère Mon plus fidèle compagnon en route pour l'eldorado Même en classe éco dirou l’sac a dos Partir loin sans les cousins Le plan à l’arrache c'est dur J’me considère chanceux d'être en vie Pourvu que ça dure J'ai grandi qu'avec des voleurs Du haut toujours les youyous qui résonnent Dans ma tête être à la quête du bonheur Taliani : Yal bledi nti fik el khir Yeddi-h lli ɛandu zzhar ya Iɛich lli ɛandu l-ktaf U tzidi-lu l-ma l-bhar Yal babour ya mon amour Kharredjni men la misère (rim-k)partir loin Fi blad-i rani mahgur Ɛyit, ɛyit u j'en ai marre (rim-k) c'est bon Ma nratich l'occasion (rim-k) lala Fi bali ça fait longtemps Hada nessat-ni qui je suis Nekhdem ɛli-ha jour et nuit Ya l-babur ya mon amour Kharredj-ni mel la misère Évasion spéciale L'Algérie l'occidentale Taliani Yal babour ya mon amour Kharredj-ni men la misère Fi blad-i rani mahgur Ɛyit, ɛyit, j'enai marre Matratish l'occasion Arwah arwah c'est le moment Hada nessetni qui je suis Nekhdem ɛli-ha jour et nuit Ya l-babur, ya mon amour Kharredj-ni men la misère Fi blad-i rani mahgur Ɛyit, ɛyit u j'en a i marre Nsakrifyi u ndir el-dar U hatta ana nwelli richard ya ya ya yah (Rim-k) Algérie Maroc Tunisie (Taliani) hay wuldi hay wuldi . Viens je t'emmène viens viens Laissez-moi de toi (taliani) Rmel jamais yeghmel Ouais vive la JSK Maghreb United Algérie Maroc Tunisie réunifiés Maghreb United Partir loin pour fuir les problèmes qu'on a dans tête mec Pharell Williams au clavier Rachid le toulousain aux percus Maghreb United Maghreb United | GOING FAR AWAY Hey big man! where is Josephine! oh, leave me alone! ah, is that right! don’t bother me! 113 Taliani! all right! Listen up oh boat, my love take me out of misery (rim-k) going far away in my country I feel humiliated I’m tired and I’m fed up (rim-k) that’s right this time I won’t miss the chance (rim-k) no no it’s been long time in my mind emigration has made me forget who I am I work on it day and night Oh boat, my love take me out of misery (rim-k) going far away special evasion from Algeria to the West I’m from Cabilifornia (playing with the two words Cabilia, name of Berber region of Algeria and California) we used to smoke 250 benji on the side of the Corniche arrest me it doesn’t matter he has nothing to loose Rim-k the most popular mentally ill of Haj Memba I wish to decorate my lover with the henna (allusion to the desire of getting married) before I cut like Cheb Hasni (popular singer of the Algerian raï) I’m a sentimental Going far away nothing to loose to Boston or I don’t know where leave me in peace like Robinson on an island I’ll call my mutton Wednesday and when the airplane lands I’ll clap like the chibanis (term used to indicate the old emigrants in France) I give you back my residency card A moment of evasion come one donkey get up and dance! (Taliani) with pleasure Oh boat, my love take me out of misery (rim-k) going far away in my country I feel humiliated I’m tired and fed up (rim-k) it’s good this time I won’t miss the chance no no it’s been long time in my mind emigration has made me forget who I am I work on it day and night Oh boat, my love take me out of misery (rim-k) going far away special evasion from Algeria to the West I remain a villager, resourceful and I announce you to take me far from misery my most loyal friend on the road to the Eldorado even in economy class you put the rucksack going far away without cousins to pull out the plan is difficult I consider myself lucky to be alive so long as I live I’ve grown only with thieves from above the rubber dinghies resound in my head always in search of happiness Taliani: Oh country of mine, you are full of wealth if the lucky ones take it those who have the shoulders live (the “shoulders” refer to graduates of the army and to their power) and you add water to the sea (expression, which means you help the ones who are already recommended) Oh boat, my love take me out of misery (rim-k) going far away in my country I feel humiliated I’m tired and I’m fed up (rim-k) that’s right this time I won’t miss the chance (rim-k) no no it’s been long time in my mind emigration has made me forget who I am I work on it day and night Oh boat, my love take me out of misery (rim-k) going far away special evasion from Algeria to the West Taliani: Oh boat, my love take me out of misery in my country I feel humiliated I’m tired and I’m fed up this time I won’t miss the chance go go time is up emigration has made me forget who I am I work on it day and night Oh boat, my love take me out of misery in my country I feel humiliated I’m tired and I’m fed up I’ll sacrifice myself and I’ll build myself a home and I’ll also become a rich man ya ya ya yah (Rim-k) Algeria Morocco Tunisia (Taliani) hey boy boy come I’ll take you come come leave me in peace (Taliani) the sand won’t grow old Yes, viva Jsk (a Cabilian football team) Maghreb unite Going far away to escape the problems that we have in our head, boy Pharell Williams on the keyboard Rachid from Toulouse at the drums Maghreb unite Maghreb unite |