Tracklist:
Born in a remote fortress village in a region of Algeria known as Kabylia, Djura began her existence on the edge between life and death. Had she been born a boy, her birth would have been heralded by rifle shots and yu-yus. Instead, Djura’s mother, devestated over the birth of a daughter, refused to celebrate or feed the baby girl. Djura was saved by one of her grandfather’s wives, who miraculously was able to nurse her. Djura thrived under the care of her grandmother, who raised her until she was five.
The Kabylia people are Berbers who speak a language of their own (one which is quite different than Arabic) and have a fierce pride in their identity. This strong code of honor, along with a traditional patriarchal “protection” of women, often leads to curses, vendettas and violent deaths, even within families. Djura’s independent nature and passion led her to rebel against her family and the traditional role of a Berber woman, and it is this struggle for personal freedom that forms the subject matter of many of her songs.