TRIBUTES have poured in after the death of Algerian Berber singer and poet Hamid Cheriet, better known as Idir, in Paris on Saturday night.

France’s greatest footballer, Zinedine Zidane, described him as “Monsieur Idir.” He said that he “embodied both strength and tranquillity, his presence commanded the same respect that one might have for an uncle.”

Sociologist Pierre Bourdieu explained the role that Idir held for many Algerians, saying: “He was more than a singer, he was like a member of the family.”