 Moroccan
TV Channel 1 RTM presented its first Tamazight film in 50 years
yesterday. Imouran, named for a region of Agadir, is a circular
love story, presented in a sophisticated (de-arabized) Tamazight
based on Tashelhit, the variety spoken in this High Atlas region.
In one scene, the hero of the story writes a letter to his beloved,
and a close-up shows he is using Tifinagh, an Amazigh (Berber) alphabet,
preserved principally by the Tuareg.
The hero, as a child, finds a baby girl abandoned next to
a rock near the beach. He names her Tafukt (sun), and as they
grow up, he falls in love with her. However, he is poor and without
work, so he leaves to make his living as a fisherman. While he
is away, Tafukt becomes engaged with a wealthy man of the village.
Our hero returns to find his lady love promised to another man.
Hurt and angry, he reminds her of their love. She responds, "Let's
forget the past."
In time, she becomes pregnant, and hopes for a boy because
she sees life much harder for women. But destiny gives her a girl.
Meanwhile, her husband suffers financial drawbacks and is left
penniless, while her former love becomes a very wealthy man. She
decides to win him back, and pleads, "Let's forget the past,"
to which he responds, "I have."
Tafukt plunges into the sea of death to escape her mistakes
forever, leaving her baby daughter next to a rock on the beach.
"Imouran" was shown Friday, 30 November 2001.
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