Using a very simple approach that consists of understanding how the word “colonization” is said in Arabic, Salim Djaferi provides a powerful reflection on the long French presence in Algeria and its consequences for Algerians living in France.
The play he wrote and directed, “Koulounization,” which was performed for the first time in North America at the Théâtre Prospero, achieved great success in Europe.
Alone on stage for almost the entire show, this son of Algerian parents who immigrated to France playfully and intimately mixes parts of his family history and his research to arrive at the etymological source of the Arabic word “colonization.”
Several explanations
His findings are fascinating. The most common version in Arabic is borrowed from French and bears the name of the piece. But he learns that there are four other words to describe this phenomenon, terms that each offer a very different view of this conquest undertaken in all directions by European powers in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Salim Djaferi addresses the audience rather slowly and with humor and a few anecdotes, telling how each of these interpretations reveals features of the colonial adventure. Through his investigations he realizes the meaning of words.
A history lesson
This etymological lesson shows in different ways how Algerians became foreigners at home from the capture of Algiers by the French in 1930 to the declaration of independence in 1962. In addition to raising public awareness of the effects of colonization, he uses some shocking scenic elements to reveal the violence of this conquest.
Participation by a member of the room to support their point of view will produce a half-baked result. This article does not contribute much to the understanding of the situation, but offers moments of relaxation that serve as a counterbalance to the drama being told. This short piece, without artifice, succeeds in showing the complexity of this topic and at the same time underlining the importance of vocabulary in our understanding of the world.
As the playwright says, “What is important is that words do not hide reality.” This is a relevant message that applies very well to our times.
► Koulounization is playing at the Prospero Theater until October 7th.
Koulounization ★★★★☆
- A piece by Salim Djaferi