This is an audio story about Khadija that was told by a family member of hers from Rouached, Mila, Algeria.
Hassiba: She was living with her husband, she was married, she had a daughter...When she had her daughter, the French colonizers killed her husband.Her husband was a shaheed (martyr), he fought against France. Kenza: (How old was she?)Hassiba: She was 25 years old when her husband died.She was still grieving over her husband when other men came to ask for hand in marriage. She was young and her family wanted her to remarry.Hassiba: She told them it was impossible."Me? It's impossible for me to remarry apart from my husband Amaar.""How can I put on makeup for another man that's not Amaar? Impossible."Hassiba: She refused marriage and kept living on, raising her daughter through the war. She grew older and eventually the country got its independence. Once her daughter was old enough, she married her off.Hassiba: Her daughter eventually had her own children.She (Khadija) would often go stay with her daughter and her grand kids or they would come over and stay with her. Nowadays the poor woman has grown old and lives alone in her little house in the village.
Khadjia’s front yard.
Khadija’s kitchen.
An Algerian Tajine (on the right) that is made to cook bread and a small stove ( on the left) called “Tabona” in arabic.