Death of singer Chérifa, loss to the Algerian musical heritage

The death of Algerian Kabyle singer, Chérifa, passed away in the night from Thursday to Friday at the age of 86, is a great loss to the Algerian musical heritage. "The Algerian art has lost one of its pioneers with the death of ‘Na Chérifa’ that marked the 50s by her songs with her band ‘Noub al-khalat’," recorded and aired after Independence by National Radio Channel II, said Abdelkader Bendamache, President of National Council of Arts and Letters. He added that the musical repertoire of the deceased was a source of inspiration for many young artists who wanted to preserve this heritage as Hassiba Amrouche, Taos Arhab and Cherif. Cherifa, whose real name is Ouardia Bouchemlal, was born on January 9, 1926 in the village of Ait Halla, commune of Ilmayen, in the Akbou region. In 1940s, she sang on the radio and fast became the icon of the Kabyle song. For years, she went on tour in Algeria and recorded many successes, she composed, or drawn from the folk heritage. Abka ala Khir Ay Akbou (Good bye Akbou), Aya Zerzour, Azwaw (rearranged and performed by Idir) and Sniwa d ifendjalen are among the works of reference of the singer. Abroad, since the 1990s, the late sung in France, in 1993 in the Olympia theatre, in 1994 at the Opéra Bastille and in 2006 in the Zenith of Paris. The late singer will be laid to rest Saturday in her native village of Ilmayen.