The Berber New Year, Festivities and Legends

    Every year On 12 January, Berbers (also referred to as Amazigh) in Algeria celebrate the Berber and Agricultural New Year, as do their brethren throughout North Africa, from the Oasis of Siwa in Egypt to the city of Tanja in Morocco. This year’s celebration marks year 2965 according to the Berber calendar, which precedes the Gregorian calendar by roughly ten centuries. The holiday is locally dubbed “Yennayer,” an Amazigh word which is made up of two syllables: Yen, which means “one,” and “Ayer,” which means month. Names given to the first month on the Berber calendar vary according to region and dialect, with some calling it Imlalen and others calling it Aqouraren. The Berber New Year’s Eve, called Id usggass in the Amazigh language, is regarded is the beginning of the agricultural year.