In what marks a significant cultural moment, Kamel Daoud has become the first Algerian author to receive France’s esteemed Goncourt award, thanks to his poignant portrayal of Algeria's civil war in his novel "Houris." The book explores the traumatic “dark decade” of the 1990s, during which an estimated 200,000 people lost their lives in violence attributed to Islamist factions and the military. The protagonist, Fajr, bears scars of her traumatic experience, her story serving to illuminate the impact of war, particularly on women.
However, the award's recognition has largely gone unnoticed in Algeria, where the book lacks a local publisher, and its French publisher has been barred from the Algiers Book Fair. The Algerian media has remained silent on the news of Daoud’s success, reflecting a broader issue of censorship and repression around historical discussions related to the civil war. Daoud, who has expressed concern about the implications of a 2005 reconciliation law making it punishable to "instrumentalise the wounds of the national tragedy," emphasizes that many youngsters, including his own daughter, are uninformed about the war's events, which are not featured in the educational curriculum.
Having once served as a journalist documenting the war’s atrocities, Daoud has often found himself at odds with the Algerian government, criticizing their narrative of the 1954-1962 independence war against France and the contemporary plight of women in Algeria. His statements reveal that while the Islamists may have lost militarily, they achieved a significant political victory that continues to shape the country’s discourse.
Daoud’s literary journey includes previous novels, with “Meursault Investigation,” an innovative response to Camus’s classic, earning a Goncourt nomination in 2015. After relocating to Paris in 2020, he embraced French nationality, expressing gratitude for the freedom to write that France provided him. At a recent press conference, he remarked, “To write you need three things: a table, a chair, and a country. I have all three,” encapsulating the complex interplay between identity and freedom that permeates his works. As Daoud's narrative continues to gain international recognition, questions about Algeria’s cultural identity and historical remembrance grow increasingly urgent.
However, the award's recognition has largely gone unnoticed in Algeria, where the book lacks a local publisher, and its French publisher has been barred from the Algiers Book Fair. The Algerian media has remained silent on the news of Daoud’s success, reflecting a broader issue of censorship and repression around historical discussions related to the civil war. Daoud, who has expressed concern about the implications of a 2005 reconciliation law making it punishable to "instrumentalise the wounds of the national tragedy," emphasizes that many youngsters, including his own daughter, are uninformed about the war's events, which are not featured in the educational curriculum.
Having once served as a journalist documenting the war’s atrocities, Daoud has often found himself at odds with the Algerian government, criticizing their narrative of the 1954-1962 independence war against France and the contemporary plight of women in Algeria. His statements reveal that while the Islamists may have lost militarily, they achieved a significant political victory that continues to shape the country’s discourse.
Daoud’s literary journey includes previous novels, with “Meursault Investigation,” an innovative response to Camus’s classic, earning a Goncourt nomination in 2015. After relocating to Paris in 2020, he embraced French nationality, expressing gratitude for the freedom to write that France provided him. At a recent press conference, he remarked, “To write you need three things: a table, a chair, and a country. I have all three,” encapsulating the complex interplay between identity and freedom that permeates his works. As Daoud's narrative continues to gain international recognition, questions about Algeria’s cultural identity and historical remembrance grow increasingly urgent.
