Narratives from the Canary Islands
The Canary Islands are situated off the coast of southern Morocco and encompass the archipelago of Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro.
Chona del Toro
Chona del Toro Oral Narrative
Chona del Toro is the president of AZAR (The Canary Association of Amazigh Culture) in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. Chona invited me to her association in Las Palmas in June 2023 where AZAR engages in education about Amazigh history and heritage, teaching Tamazight, and participation in different political and cultural events. Chona is a defender of Amazigh heritage and identity. As she said: “I am living my Amazigheity everyday.” Chona discusses what it means to be Amazigh in the Canary Islands. Her resilience and efforts are so admired in that she strives everyday to keep the culture and heritage alive and ongoing.
Languages: Spanish, English, Tamazight
Video of the oral narrative for Chona del Toro
Note: Use the "CC" button or subtitles option to choose subtitle language/s.
Jusay Mahamud
Jusay Mahamud Oral Narrative
Jusay Mahamud and I met in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria where he resides, in June of 2023. He is an Amazigh who started learning the language in his early teenage years. He became an Amazigh instructor in AZAR (Amazigh Association). He is also an artist and a musician in a musical band called ⴰⵔⵉⴼⵉ (Arife), a group of Amazigh musicians who bring up Amazigh issues in their music.
Video of the oral narrative for Jusay Mahamud
Note: Use the "CC" button or subtitles option to choose subtitle language/s.
