Antinomian Piety in Nineteenth Century Kabylia: A Case Study of the Hermeneutics of Si Mhand's Poetry through the Lens of the Carnivalesque Theory

Abstract

This study delves into the poetry of Algerian poet and thinker Si Mḥand through the framework of Mikhail Bakhtin’s concept of the carnivalesque, with the objective of analyzing his antinomian piety. Si Mḥand’s poems depict a multifaceted God, encompassing qualities of mercy and apathy, thereby unveiling a dynamic and living perception of the world. The research argues that Si Mḥand’s poetry represents a departure from established norms, indicative of a transformative shift in the local ethos subsequent to the 1871 Algerian insurrection and its consequential repression, and investigates how Si Mḥand’s personal encounters with tragedy become symbolic representations of divine essence in his poetry, exemplifying a dualistic conceptualization of God that captures the prevalent sentiments of nineteenth-century Kabylia. The study indeed contends that the image of God presented by Si Mḥand aligns with the prevalent societal values, embodying a hybrid and individualistic form of piety that resonated with his contemporaries.