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ALFELLAGA 187dead, followed by the ceremony of the flag, after which the regimental flag ofthe Bataillon Sahélien de l’Est was hoisted. A minute of silence was twice observedin memory of ‘the valiant builders of the Malian nation who fell here indefence of national unity and integrity’. 79 The forty captured rebels who werepresent were symbolically unshackled and pardoned for their acts. The messageconveyed in this military symbolism was Malian victory, a victory over ‘afeudal society, convinced of the rule of the strongest, an anarchist society withoutattachments and without sedentary spirit, a society relishing adventure, asociety of hate and complexes, which the French administration had left to theRepublic of Mali’. 80 In his speech, the Secretary General of the Ministry of DefenceMamadou Diakité passed on a message from Modibo Keita who pardoned‘all those who, understanding their error, had laid down their arms. They maythus consider themselves to be free citizens in all respects in a Mali that makesno distinction among its children. But it is necessary that they remember, and Iam sure everybody will remember’. 81 Keita was absolutely right.EpilogueThe fact that those Kel Adagh who lived through the events of 1963-1964would remember them vividly needs no explanation. An outsider with an inclinationto dissect factual events from historical discourse could easily discardthe connection made here in a way similar to ones disconnecting Gavrillo Princip’sassassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand from the real causes of theFirst World War. But history does not work that way. Historical narratives areproduced at a specific moment, under specific circumstances, in a specific culturalcontext. When I conducted my research, Tamasheq society was recoveringfrom the second rebellion, between 1990 and 1996. Years of renewed resistanceagainst the state are part of the circumstances creating the link between resistancein colonial times, Alfellaga, and the second rebellion. However, almost allof those who are likely to have witnessed the events were reluctant to speakabout them. Some of them simply said they were not in the Adagh at the time,which could be true given both the massive retreat of the Kel Adagh intoAlgeria during those years and the Malian tactics of the regrouping zones. Butother reasons for silence are more likely. Tamasheq speech is bound by honour.One should measure one’s words and preferably speak in a concealing languagecalled tengelt. Emotions should be restrained to preserve dignity. All this isquite impossible when invited to tell a tale of horror. I must admit I had great798081‘Kidal a célébré la fête nationale avec un éclat particulier’, L’Essor Hebdomadaire,28/09/1964.Ibid.Ibid.