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| Zidane and the Complex Algerian-French Identity |
| HOUWARI DJILALI | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Zineddine Zidane, the French footballer of Algerian origin has recently visited the Algerian training camp in Southern France to support the team after spending his career as a French player. His visit comes at a time when he is sharply criticising the French team and its sub-optimal performance in the qualification stages. He still commands the respect and affinity of both peoples across the Mediterranean. Zidane is among a rare breed in this regard: Zidane’s coming to peace with his dual Algerian French identity was not easy. Events that happened during his career highlight the long held question that has yet to be answered for good: what is an Algerian-French and can there be one?
The two countries, Algeria and France, are not strangers to enmity. After a bitterly fought war and 132 years of colonialism, Algerian gained its independence amid cries of triumphalism and anti-French feelings. There were nuggets of Algerians who identified themselves as French throughout that era, Ferhat Abbas declared that “France is me” in 1936 as he tried to theorise a framework where a civilised Algeria is part of France, but he abandoned that route and joined the resistance later in despair. Some Algerians fought with the French against Nazi Germany forces in WWII and gained French citizenship along with a few who were accepted as part of a naturalisation scheme. Thousands of Algerians fled the country in the aftermath of the war, dubbed “Harkis”: Algerians who collaborated with the French against the resistance.Harkis were considered the lowest form of life by Algerians after Independence, and they struggled in France, forming the bulk of “les banlieus”: deprived ghettos where poverty and unemployment run rife. Zidane was born in such an environment in Marseille, so he suffered greatly in his early life as a French. His parents were accused of being Harkis (Harki is the ultimate street insult in Algeria today), a charge he had to live with and vehemently deny for many years during his career. Today, Harkis and other Algerian dwellers of les banlieues still live with the lost feeling of not being French enough to get jobs and opportunities. Algerian immigrants and their sons are still the favourite target for French politicians: current president Sarkozy infamously described them as “filth”. The current “debate” about “French values” is seen by many as a charge against these people. Recently a minister declared that “Muslims should dress better, find jobs and stop using slang and wearing baseball caps backward.” . For many French Algerians it seems that nothing they can do can change this treatment: Rumours ran wild when it was suspected that Jacque Chiraq, the then French president, only coldly shook hands with Zidane after the world cup win of 1998: supposedly Chiraq wanted to send a signal. During his career, Zidane was always a favourite target of Jean-Marie Le Pen’s Front National: The French team is not French enough, they would routinely charge. Across the pond, culturally Algeria is still very much tied to France. Algerian literature is bilingual, and for many years the French side was arguably winning. The administration still uses French as the main language despite years of Arabisation efforts and laws, a fact easily verifiable by surveying the current government websites. France remains the favourite destination of Algerian intellectuals. Yet, the issue of Algerians who hold the French citizenship remains a hot populist issue in Algerian politics: there is a feeling that they shouldn’t be trusted or given high civil posts. Others, like the former Algerian prime minister Abdelhamid Brahimi conjure that Algeria has been ruled by a “French cultural army” that was prepared an implanted before Algeria left France, and that this army keeps the country under French influence. So it seems that in both countries the dual Algerian-French identity has been repeatedly been victim to a bloody history and decades of populism, chauvinism and sometimes outright fascism and racism. When in France, few Algerian-French openly celebrate their Algerian ancestry in their professional life, when in Algeria, an even fewer number admit that they hold French passports. This affects a large number of people: on paper, there is no shortage of people who hold or who are entitled to a dual Algerian French dual citizenship. There are 3 million by some estimates. But there is hope that this seemingly contradictory identity can be some day fully accepted at least in Algeria. In the current Algerian football team that Zidane visited, nearly all of the players hold a second citizenship, mostly French. Top team players who became household names after the recent qualification to the world cup, such as Ziani, Antar Yahia and Matmour, were all born and raised in France. Perhaps Football will be the venue through which Algeria will learn to accept that Algerians who live in France can be a great asset in their efforts towards modernisation and development.
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Comments (13)
habib
said:
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hile MoroccoBoard.com encourages discussion on all subjects, including sensitive ones, the comments posted are solely the views of those submitting them. MoroccoBoard.com does not necessarily endorse or agree with the ideas, views, or opinions voiced in these comments. This is a moderated forum. Comments deemed abusive, offensive, or those containing profanity may not be published.
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Still one of us Zinadine has already answered this question for us - in his life. He chose assimilation! Look at his wife and children: Algeria appears unknown to Zidane's family. That said, he still has an Algerian soul so I wish him glad tidings, and offer love. Death to Spain! Death to Harkis! Death to assimilation! and fatal accidents to those of us that convert to Christianity! |
Salamander
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Clear View I agree with Sami, "if you really want to write about the complexity of dual citizenships, the issue is broad and complex and no need to pick a name." Zidan is a real role model, there are lots, lots of proof on the web and nothing can put a blame on his fame. That's my opinion. I think you will agree. |
noumidia
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algeria for ever listen every body,an algerian is an algerian no matter where was he born or how many nationalities does he hold because this will never affect his love and loyalty to algeria .as for me i was born and raised in saudi arabia and I still live there married to a saudi and holding a saudi nationality though my father is algerian and my mother is half egyptian half turkish (dah)..but believe me dear friends I have never ever in my life quistioned my idedtity, am algerian and I will remain untill the last second in my life and I love algeria more and more every day .so please be sure that zidane ,ziani,yahia,yebda,..etc all of them are all algerians from head to toes no matter how many nationalities do they hold.God bless algeria and the algerians all over the world. |
Rabati
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... Zidane is a living legend and there is no doubt about that. players of his breed wont be seen for a few decades if ever. yes there are lots of things to like abou the man. but also things that do not make us proud as Muslims amazighs arabs etc.. fact that he married a non muslim spanish woman who was raised by an orthodox family and cultures that has hatred towards muslims in their blood stream. spain to this day teaches their kids in school that muslims are theiir #1 ennemies for what they had endured during the 800 year siege by north african muslims in andalousia. the conplex and hatred towards muslims is embedded in the spaniard culture.and the proof that she wants nothing to do with muslims north african or even arabs is the fact that non of zizou's kids bare a muslim name. that leads us to believe that either zidan is being manipulated and controlled by his wife. or zidane is not a muslim to begin with and is letting his wife convert him to christianity. lots of probabilities can be said on this subject. one can also think that maybe zidane wants nothing to do with muslims and is a silent christian and wants to be a westen man "french christian" so badly .please commment. |
Sami
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Zidan This is really amazing - Whenever one of us makes something out of him/her self, we try to bring them down. Why don't we just be proud of the man and what he has accomplished. This article is not worth reading, not to mention writing it to begin with. The MAN has nothing to do with his parents past, but yet this article trying to put some of his parents past burden (which may not even be true) on him. You want to write about Zidan? write about the good things he has done, many many youth take the man as a role model and a hero (and we need more of him), No need for slender. If wanted to write about Harkis, I am sure there are a lot of other individuals you can pick from - people that were actually culprits. If you really want to write about the complexity of dual citizenships, the issue is broad and complex and no need to pick a name. |
Dreamer
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A fotballing genius with identity comlex Zidane gave football fans so much pleasure and his skills were out of this world.He won every thing and left the scene with a red card after headbutting a cunning Italian defender.Zidane was definitely a genius,thus he was flawed.This could be traced back to his background which affected his decision to play for France, a country which exterminated over a million of Algerians.Zidane sided with the Powerful and his choice paid off.Had he played for a tiny footballing country, he would be unknown.But Zidane is also controlled by his Catholic Spanish wife who dictated and he followed.None of his children bear Arabic or Amazigh names.So these stories of a Proud Amazigh or Algerian Zidane are really ludicrous.Every one make their decision in life ,and Zidane made one that was suitable for his career but being famous and shy made him easy target for political gains on both sides of the Mediterranean. |
Badro
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Comment about the above article Hiya! I believe this article would be much benifical if you stayed closer to the sport, football in particular as we have just got recovered from the issue with egyptians and we don't want to enter to another one, well basically Zidane is an algerian star and all Algerian people are proud of him since he has always been a respectful gentleman, very helpfull... Finally, we are proud of being Algerian and we respect every human person whatever his nationality and Muslim in particular |
Aksil
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the facts hiden by sour propaganda To H.J, Would you have written something totally different if Zidane was an arab. Obviously, you would emphasize on that more than once. Aren't you proud as much as we are, we the amazigh people, by th efact there is a wordwide football star of northern-african origin? Were you too proud of who you are and where you are from (northen africa of course, land of the amazigh) adn refrain from spitting hatered... unless you still believe you came from the arabian peninsula (I mean Asia) and therefore you have NO ties whatsoever with northern Africa...Hmmm! The Zidanes have left Algeria in 1953 to Marseille. The algerian revolution began on November 1st 1954. Now that you have these dates, I let you joint the dots. |
Hilalidou
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... Waaaaaaa Jilali nothing to talk about? just give me his fortune and call me Harki if you want to..it is fine with me. |
H. J.
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... Dzairi , the article says that Zidane's parent was "accused" of being Harki, not that he actually is. The article did state that Zidane denies this. Here is the wording again: "His parents were accused of being Harkis (Harki is the ultimate street insult in Algeria today), a charge he had to live with and vehemently deny for many years during his career." Sorry for any confusion. Your comments are welcome. Houari Jilali |
aksil
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Kabyle You are full of it by saying that "His parents were accused of being Harkis" Should you just say: Zidane is a proud amazigh (berber) who knows how to respond to his roots. Period! Zidane's parents till travel to Bgyaet (Kabylie) where they still own a house and never were accused of such think. From where did you pick this "navet"? Another thing, pleae dont mix politics and football...I hope your not "Egyptian" minded |
aksil
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Kabyle You are full of it by saying that "His parents were accused of being Harkis" Should you just say: Zidane is a proud amazigh (berber) who knows how to respond to his roots. Period! Zidane's parents till travel to Bgyaet (Kabylie) where they still own a house and never were accused of such think. From where did you pick this "navet"? Another thing, pleae dont mix politics and football...I hope your not "Egyptian" minded |
dzairi
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... In your article "Zidane and the Complex Algerian-French Identity" by HOUWARI DJILALI, there is a mention that Zinedine Zidane was the son of an Harki, (Harkis being Algerian who sided with the French during the independance war); this fact is completely erronious, and was categorically denied by Zinedine Zidane himself, the rummor was started by the extreme right leader Le Pen in the 90s. Please check your facts, and correct the article accordingly. Thank you. |
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