Tragedy


    Imagine that on a random day, one of your family members gets kidnapped by the

colonizers, and a few days later you see him getting killed in front of your own house.

This is the story of my great-uncle. He was a mujahid, a warrior who defended Algeria

during the French colonization period in 1935. While he was on a mission, he got

kidnapped in the mountains by them. Every member of my family was confused, scared

and worried because he didn’t come back from his mission. A few days later, he was

brought back one last time by the colonizers and was assassinated that day in front of

his house while his entire family watched. This awful event caused deep trauma, fears

and reshaping in my family’s life.

    After this tragedy happened, my relatives were traumatized by the smallest social

activities and had many restrictions on their movements in the city. They stopped going

out, and only did it for the basic necessities like buying food, water and important

products for their houses. For a long time both my grandmother and her female family

members did not put a foot outside their houses because they were scared of becoming

victims of colonialism. Only men were allowed to do the shopping and bring the

necessities home. Stress, anxiety and fear were their main feelings. Most of them

stayed in shock and melancholy for a good amount of time, which created some

interesting traditions in my family. At some point they got so used to staying at home

that it became normal for them to prohibit the next generations from going out, saying

that only bad people spend a long time outside. This traumatic event has affected me

deeply because even I, the third generation couldn’t hang out with my friends whenever

I wanted to, because good girls should not stay outside was the common saying that my

family abided by.

    In the past, people often married their cousins, to avoid losing traditions, religious

beliefs, trust and to keep wealth and property in the family. That is why my great-uncle

was originally supposed to marry my grandmother. This event changed the family tree,

because when my great uncle died, the marriage plan changed. Instead, his brother

married her. His brother, who is now my grandfather, was kinder, richer and more

generous than him. My grandmother’s future changed completely when she married a

different husband. After their marriage, she gave birth to thirteen children. One of them

was my mother. If this event had not happened, my grandmother would have had a very

different lifestyle. In addition, if things had gone as planned my mother and I would

probably not exist.

    As a result, many historical effects shaped my family. We became known in our

neighborhood in Tlemcen, my mother’s hometown. This event played a major role in

shaping our family’s reputation. We were already considered as a respected family and

name, but this event enhanced the reputation. Losing one’s life for the freedom of a

country is such an honorable sacrifice, and the entire neighborhood praised it. Many

families lost their loved ones during the War of Independence, which is heartbreaking,

but I am more than proud of both the history of my country and my family. This event

affected me by having a well-known and respected family name. Algerian history has

brought honor to my family and illuminated our past. Whenever I think about my family’s

name, I feel inspired to become a better person, someone who deserves that respect,

an educated person who helps others and loves her country unconditionally.

    In conclusion, this story shows how a tragic event can completely change a

family’s life and future. Although this tragedy that brought fear, loss and trauma

happened a long time before I was born, it has deeply affected who I am today while

shaping the next generation’s history, traditions, and identity. The death of my great-

uncle not only caused trauma, fear, and restrictions, but it also changed my family’s life

forever. At the same time, it brought honor and respect to our name and connected us

to the history of our country, Algeria. I carry both my family’s trauma and the pride of our

past deeply in my heart. Because of this, I feel responsible for becoming an educated

person who deserves that respect.

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