What if a song helped us more than a political analysis to understand what’s going on at Lampedusa? What are the potentials of a country in which the big rap hits encourage young people to travel? Where mass culture says that it’s necessary to travel far away, leave, evade, as if from a prison, in order to see the world. There are dozens of songs like this. From Morocco to Egypt. But the one that tops the charts is “Partir Loin”, an Algerian song interpreted by rap artists Reda Taliani and 113. We translated it for you.
The first recording was in 2005, but it’s still worth listening to it. First of all because of its irresistible rhythm. Secondly because it helps us understand what is happening at Lampedusa. Reminding us – because we most definitely need it! – that the 20,000 young Tunisians who have landed on the island, whether we like it or not, are not desperate. They aren’t asylum seekers. Nor war refugees. First of all they are young people, who enjoy having challenges and dreams to go for.
Just like us when we go for improbable tours towards the developing countries. We are both looking out for what is different, other and elsewhere. But with one big difference. In Tunisia young people have just experienced revolution, and have learned to their own cost that it is right to rebel. And perhaps without having rationalized it, they began rebelling against the injustice of borders. They want to go to their relatives in Paris, they wish to work for some months, they’re curious to see the northern shores in order to tell their friends about them, they wish to get engaged to Italian women.
They want to travel. The reason why they do it, is their own business. After all traveling isn’t the exclusive right of the wretched of the earth. On the contrary, it’s an unavoidable part of the life of every young person in the global era we’re living in. Except that, for years, our embassies have been forbidding an entire generation in Africa to travel legally with a visa on their passport. Just to pique your curiosity, we have also translated the lyrics of “Partir Loin”, from Arabic to Italian, and also into English now. Listen to it and read the lyrics. Perhaps it will be more helpful than the recycled words used by many old columnists that fill the pages of our newspapers with nonsense, when instead they should consider retirement.
On the shores opposite to ours there is an entire generation, that claims the right to travel. For frivolous reasons even, and therefore all the more irreverent. If they had arrived directly by plane to Paris we wouldn’t even have heard of them. Half of them would probably have already returned back home. For this reason I keep on saying that in the end it’s not a bad thing that Lampedusa is overcrowded. Because all this poses some serious questions in an explosive manner.
Let’s not limit ourselves to asking for a permit of stay for humanitarian reasons. Because in six months the same issue will re-present itself. The point is another. The point is that the regime which criminalises the freedom of movement has to fall, just like the dictatorships on the southern shores of the Mediterranean have fallen. The time is up. Enjoy listening.
| PARTIR LOIN Original version 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 lali 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 English translation 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 |
translated by Alexandra D'Onofrio