Part 2: Dihaya, Seer Of The Desert

Lyrics: [Intro, Whispering winds, Low oud tremble] (ighi, ighi, a Dihya n warraw n tifawin — Dihya, daughter of lights) [Verse 1] Born of stone and sky, I rose, A thorn against the sweeping crows, They came in veils, they came in prayer, But I saw only swords in the desert air. The dunes whispered of coming war, I drew my line, I swore, I swore, I, the Seer, the Priestess Queen, Would shield the roots, the yet-unseen. [Chorus, Rising frame drum, Mourning chants] Ayyi! Ayyi! (Warrior’s cry on the winds!) Ar awiɣ! Ar awiɣ! (I resist! I resist!) I fought with fire, I fought with bone, For a land too wild to be overthrown. [Verse 2] I burned the fields, I broke the mills, Ash and smoke on silver hills, I thought — I thought they sought our gold, But it was our spirits they aimed to hold. The olive trees, the rivers dry, The children's tears, the women's cry, And when the embers cooled to grey, My people turned their eyes away. [Pre-Chorus, Hollow oud notes, Whispered chanting] (Abrid n tmurt nneɣ — The road of our land) (Abrid n udmawen — The road of tears) [Chorus, Stronger drums, Distant echoing cries] Ayyi! Ayyi! (Oh spirit of endless fight!) Ar ḥkem! Ar ḥkem! (Stand firm! Stand firm!) I fought with fire, I fought with bone, For a land too wild to be overthrown. [Bridge, Frame drum solo, Quiet anguish] [Spoken, trembling] I see now — the harvest lost was never what they sought. It was the breath, the word, the soul I should have fought. And I — I sowed my end. In flames, I lost my crown, my friends. [Break, Whispers in Tamazight] (Ad fell-awen taḥra — Forgive me) [Chorus, Final sorrowful chant, slow and vast] Ayyi! Ayyi! (Oh soul adrift on sand!) Awid n tmeddit! (The burden of life!) I fought with fire, I fought with bone, But the spirit alone remains my throne. [Outro, Fading desert winds, Single oud strum] (ighi, ighi, a Dihya n taddart — Dihya of the Homeland)