Tinariwen - Elwan Ténéré Tàqqàl

Lyrics

Ténéré tàqqàl
Eghàrghàr wa n-fissar
Dàgh iknasàn elwan
Azzadàn dàgh-s alimmoz
Chorus
Awwànàn ichinkad Adagh
Ibas tidwin igdad iskak
Aherahàghnàt timizzagh
Tiwàr tekenzart idim n-àlyad
Chorus
A-wa àzzàman àssoheen
Dàgh idja amsistagh
Azzaràn wi àssohàtnen
Idjmadàn inibdan
Chorus
Ammun dàgh-nàgh meddàn
Tàssiknàs tayitte n-nibrar
Tigla tisrawt fàlanàgh
Istàqqàt anmàghdar
Chorus

The Ténéré* has become
an upland of thorns
Where elephants
fight each other
Crushing tender grass
under foot.
The gazelles have found refuge
high in the mountains
The birds no longer return
to their nests at night
The camps have all fled.
You can read the bitterness
on the faces
of the innocents
During this difficult
and bruising time
In which all solidarity
has gone.
The strongest impose their will
And leave the weakest behind
Many have died battling
for twisted ends.
And joy has abandoned us
Exhausted by all this duplicity.

*Ténéré is a Tamashek word
meaning empty land or desert.
The plural of the word is tinariwen.