The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-01-08
A Curious Custom Among the Kabyles.

There is O very curious custom pre-
valent among the Kabyles called the
anaya, which they all equally respect.
The anaya is both passport and a safe
conduct, with this difference, that in
stead of it's being delivered by the legal
authority of any constituted power,
every Kabyle has the right to give it.
Not only is the foreigner or stranger
who traveles in Kabylia under
the protection of the anaya, free from
violence during his journey, but he is
also temporarily able to brave the ven
geance of his enemies or the penalty
due for an anterior crime. The Kabyles
rarely confer it on people who are un-
known to them ; they only give it once
to fugitive they regard it as worth
less if it has been sold, and any one
who obtains it by stratagem incurs the
penalty of death. In order to prevent
fraud the anaya is usually made known
by an ostensible sign. The person who
confers it delivers at the same time, and
as an extra guarantee, an object well
known to belong to him, such as gun
or stick. Sometimes he sends one of
his servants, or even accompanies his
protege himself. The value of the
anaya is in proportion to the quality of
the person who gives it. Coming from
a Kabyle of an inferior position, it will
be respected in his village and in the
immediate neighborhood but if it is
given by man who is esteemed in an
adjoining tribe, it will be renewed by a
friend, who will substitute his own for
it, and SO on until the traveller reaches
the end of his journey. If it is given
by Marabout, its value is unlimited.
While a Kabyle chief can only give his
protection within the circle of his own
government, the fe-conduct of Mar
about reaches even to places where his
name is unknown. Whoever is the bear
Ell of it can travel all through Kabylia
without fear of molestation, whatever
may be the number of his enemies or
the nature of their grievances against
him. He will only have to present
himself to the Marabouts of the differ
ent tribes, and each will hasten to do
honor to the anaya Of the preceding
Marabout, and replace it by his own. A
Kabyle has nothing so much at heart as
the inviolability of his anaya. In giving
it he engages not only his own personal
honor but also that of his relatives, his
friends, his village, and, in fact, the
tribe to which he belongs. A man who
would not be able to find friend to aid
him in avenging himself for a personal
insult, could cause the entire population
Of his village to rise if it were a ques-
ton of his anaya being disrespected. 1t
is extremely rare that that ever hap
pens, but tradition has, nevertheless,
preserved to posterity q memorable ex-
ample Of it. AS the story runs, friend
of Zouaoui presented himself one day
at his house and asked for the anaya,
In the masters absence, the wife, whc
was rather embarrassed, gave the fugi
tive dog which was we'll known in that
part of the country. Shortly after he
had left, the dog, covered with blood
returned alone. The inhabitants of the
village assembled, and, following the
traces of the animal, discovered the
travellers body. They declared war tC
the tribe upon whose territory the crime
had been committed, great deal o
blood was shed, and the village whicl
was compromised in the quarrel bear
even to this day the name of Dacher-et
el-Kelba, "The village of the dog. y
The Gentleman'S Magazine.