Belkassem ben Sedira

Belkassem Ben Sedira, born in Biskra on November 30, 1844 and died in Sidi M'Hamed on November 30, 1901, was a professor at the Higher School of Letters in Algiers, writer and researcher in Darija (the Algerian Arabic dialect), during the French presence in Algeria.

Family Ben Sdira's family is of Chaoui origin from Biskra.

Biography Between 1860 and 1863, Belkassem obtained a scholarship and was sent by the Governor General Edmond-Charles de Martimprey to the École Normale in Versailles.

He began studying Kabyle and the Kabylie region in 1886, after being tasked by Governor General Louis Tirman to collect tales, riddles, fables, songs, and legends from the region and to facilitate the study of the Kabyle language, near the Kabyle tribes of Djurdjura and the Soummam Valley.

He is the grandfather of singer Leïla Ben Sedira.

Honors Commandeur de l'ordre du Nichan Iftikhar Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur en 1893

Writings