Hamama (A dove)

Hamama (A dove) 

Abdelkahhar Elhajjari

Translated by Badia Benmrah

 It was spread in the market of Monday named : Elhamat, the news of Hamama’s

death.

People said: oh ! the poor ! and pray for him .then , they asked each other : who is Hamama who is dead

Some of them say : Hamama.. the seller of laminated bread. He has not opened his shop. Neither him, nor the women who work with him

- The poor.. he was dead three days before

- No! two days before.

- He was just dead yesterday.

- You are wrong dear, it is not Hamama the seller , who was dead as a martyr. It is rather hamama the warrior

- No, it is Hamama who distributed flowers in the town.

- Excuse me, but it is Hamama who was embossing the girl’s palms with henna in events and festivals who was dead .

Hamama is a famous name in elhamat country. This sky which stands proudly on the haut plateau. Close to the boundaries. Where the olives trees spread their branches everywhere.. Here , more than a female and more than a male is named Hamama.

After talking about Hamama in the market , people began talking in the café. they say there are lots of funerals these days. Cemeteries are opened more than any other time. Some of them said that death spread every where in the country.. still, they say different words about Hamama

Some one said to the grocer painfully

- Hamama is dead.. he may have god’ mercy

The grocer replied astonished

- They say, it is Hamama the lover of land who was dead.. they also say that he has one hundred years old. Is that true

- Hamama.. my brother.. Hamama the seller of bread.. do not you know him ?

The day after, Hamama the seller of bread opened his shop .. and some one said that he has seen Hamama who distributes flowers. As for Hamama who emboses the gil’s palms with henna , she was seen doing her work later.. other people said that Hamama the farmer who has one hundred yers old is still working in the land. An other man comes to the grocer shop and said :

- hamama.. the mason, I have just seen him!

As for hamama the worrior, He has came suddenly, held on shoulders. Followed by acclamations and songs. in on hand, he has a sprinkler and in the opther a branch of olive