Tuareg - Culture and Music of the Sahara 
." I admit that I like to like it when one appreciate the people and like to see, but often does. a little bit too far when one touches you, to see if the blue color is really on your face. They see us as aliens, but we are human beings like others, perhaps with a very unusual culture, but we must still not believe that we come from another planet. " Mani is a director of a festival that is held every year in the desert, near Timbuktu in Mali. The legendary City met for centuries the caravans crossing the Sahara druchquerten.
In Europe, with Mani the traditional indigo blue clothing of the Tuareg. Most of the time but he lives in the capital of Mali, Bamako, where he is running "normally" around, that is, in Western dress.
Jean-Marc Durou is a photographer and knows the Sahara like the back pocket. Jean-Marc was born in Algiers and moved in 1962, when Algeria became independent, with his family to France. But soon he returned to his native country, namely in the south of Algeria. There he was for years leader in the desert, which he crossed with the researcher Théodore Monot. The desert and its people are his passion: Jean-Marc has over 30 books published in France with his photos. He also loves the music of the Tuareg..
"With the Tuareg nomads, the music is often the women have an anti-consumer society, nomadic're constantly on the go and take things as possible with little reason, several articles of different tasks: The most important device is the Tindi, it is a mortar and millet at a party, a wet animal skin stretched over them, and so it becomes the drum when the celebration is over. . Take off the skin and it will be a mortar "
example of music: Cut 2 Tartit Iya Heniya (Fadimata W. Mohamedun, arr By Tartit)
NETWORK 36 584
Jean-Marc "The women sing on the drums and Tindi, mostly at night when it is cooler and not the sun is shining. This is done in a wadi, a dry river bed where there is sand, which one could sit down. The women sit together and start to sing. In most cases, one or two singers with their extraordinary voices. The men will gather around them, and there may be paid in a bit of love. A man the hand can take a woman and give her gestures to understand what he feels for her. This is a very discreet flirting, which happened in the dark and within the group. The women sing, the men clap their hands. You have to imagine the mood: everything is done under a sky full of stars, in a region where there is only sand and rocks, and the music echoes often against the rocks. This is a wonderful mood: shine white or black turbans in the moonlight and then the veil and the drums! Of which no one remains untouched "
" When "Ilougan" It's the same. The women sitting around the Tindi, the men rise to the camels, and begin to orbit the women, first in a very wide circle quite quickly to the women to show the versatility of their camels. You approach the women more and more what makes the dance and the music dangerous, because a camel in full speed is quite dangerous. They fit so much on not to touch the women, but try anyway, as close as possible get their hands on it to show how wonderful their camel is trained. That is Ilougan. And at a certain moment the women a special drum rhythm, and then let the best riders and their camels dance to the sound of drums. "
With today Tuaregbands the women on the drums Tindi, the men play the guitar - and dance: a modern variant of the Tuaregmusik.
Until the 80's music and poetry were only for women, says Jean-Marc Durou. But then came the "Ichumar" and interfered with.
"Ichumar the names of the unemployed. There were two periods of drought, 1975 and 1984/85. Decimated From then ruled numerous famines, the herds were grazing collapsed. Because of the climate in this country, she was already vulnerable, but now came nor the death of the herds added. As it was said to die or go away. The men are gone. Many were in countries where there was work, so especially in Algeria and then in the oil fields in Libya. Some have gone in Ghaddafi Islamic army, and this is some political movement emerged. Many men found themselves, like all foreign workers, without women, among men again, and like all who are far from home, they were homesick. Without Tindi and without women, who sang many young men have begun to play guitar and sing songs about home. Draus developed the Ichumar music. During the great rebellion came back Ichumar to wage war. They sang still nostalgic songs, but now with modern, military texts. "
Jean-Marc tells how this new music rolled over the entire region. Says with slight regret he, all young Tuareg would only hear this style.
But now remember the musicians back to the tradition or to integrate electric guitars in their traditional music. As the women Tartit the group. Fatimata Mohamedun, the head of the Force, tells the story of the band.
After the Touareg rebellion in the eighties rocked the entire region lived Fatimata in a refugee camp when she was invited to present at a festival in Belgium Tuaregmusik. That was in 1995, and Fatimata drummed her friends together from different camps to travel to Europe. 1996 came the women back to their home where peace again prevailed. Since then, they go on tour every year to Europe.
"We compose new on the basis of existing songs. Some we have not changed, they are very old and original. The reserve we have. And from the other, we have made new ones. We sing about peace, about exile, the unit the Tuareg and love. For with the Tuareg always had love poems based on songs and it was about brave men, or people who came into conflict with each other. (That was before.) Today, our introduction of politics and democracy. We are talking about because our people are now learning all this. It has to be aware. There are things that does not know. You have to tell people what democracy is, what School means and AIDS. With the music we bring over many issues "
music. (. Mohamed Issa Ag Oumar / Arr By Tartit) Tartit Cut 4 Ichichila NETWORK
Tartit means in Tuareg Tamachek Unit The music of the Tuareg is with life in the. Desert connected, but since the desert romance ends there, because in the sand will not stay the time. The Jeep is now worth more than the camel, and many Tuareg have settled
"You have to definitely meet Zarah," was Jean. -Marc said. Zarah lives in Niamey, the capital of Niger to take care of her son, so he goes to school and finally makes the high school. Regularly to School Walk for young Tuareg not easy when they grew up in the desert and lived there as a child-free and independent.
Zarah sold in Europe, the jewelry, the women produce in a cooperative. It is a dynamic trader and exported all over the world.
Her husband accompanies her and helps out at the current state if it is busy, which happens often, because it is also manager of music bands. While the Tuareg rebellion she has lived in Paris and there committed to the recognition of their people. Since 1990 she is back in Niger, but comes at least once a year in Paris.
"Actually, I would have to living in big cities used to have - but no. So far, my body was not used to it. When I enter a European bathroom, I find myself anywhere. My body is not used to limit the washing to such a small space. Do you understand? If I wash myself, I clamp me between tap, wall and door, because only very, very little space. When I cook in a kitchen, should I spill water everywhere, and when I prepare something, it gets dropped. Everything is too small for me. My head knows that I have to make do with these small rooms. But my body does not accept that. He has his habits, the brain still can not control. "
Music: Amar Sundy Homme Bleu: Cut 1 Rahda (Amar Sundy) NIGHT & DAY INCD 0020
Amar Sundy also lives in Paris. He is Targi, it means the singular of Tuareg. I met him late 80s when he played for a while for the Raisänger Khaled guitar. Amar came as a five year old boy from the Algerian Sahara in the Paris suburb of Nanterre - then a slum, now there are skyscrapers.
"One thing is clear, as there was against any wall, any road with a building that blocks the view. We could always see the horizon in the distance. If you come from the desert into a city, the be wonderful, but something blocked an instant: there is a lack of horizon.
I found it very hard to be myself. When I arrived, it went because I came into this slum community of people from North Africa. But what disturbed me greatly was the way the French company was targeted, because I could not adapt to me. It was hard for me to go to school and me to join the others. I was pretty wild, we are free to say, with other rules of conduct that were not from one day to another. That was brutal and I could not figure that out. Therefore, I was wild, wanted to be alone. "
Meanwhile Amar Sundy at the 47th he knows his exact birth date not because that was not in the wilderness taken as accurate. He grew up in France and then integrated it into the French society.
"Everywhere was music, for example if there was a wedding, but also on the radio. And through the open window we heard the plates of the people who could afford that. We bathed in Western music, English and American Music us rocking and let us dream. Since we are from North Africa, we felt James Brown connected, Otis Redding, all this black music, like a cry was communicating with the cry of the suffering Africa in conjunction.'s touched us deeply. This is not surprising as well as the Piaf touched me very much, this is blues that gets under your skin, a cry of pain, the shock of a life.
In this world I grew up and started thanks to my brother to play guitar, he had brought home. Even my friends played guitar and taught me what they could themselves. Then I got a bit drenched in an atmosphere which was filled with Neil Young, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and the whole folk music. From folk I came to the Rhythm and Blues, and then to blues and pop music. The people I met have influenced me musically, because I could not hear at home plate. "
Music: Amar Sundy: Homme bleu Cut 5 Oualache (Amar Sundy) Night & Day INCD 0020
Amar Sundy submitted an initial career as a blues guitarist. He lived for a time in Chicago, where he played with many American stars. Funky Blues, he called his personal touch. On his first album he has sung in French, it traces his musical life: "Hoggar-Paris-Chicago". Then he remembered his Tuareg roots. "Homme Bleu" is the last album on which he also sings in the language of their parents. The French call their clothing because of the Tuareg "blue men".
you look very impressive, the "blue men" with their turbans. A Tuareg shows how the black cloth wrapped around his head.
"The turban is apart from the fact that they protect against sun or wind, we must also protect themselves. For something you must not see the mouth of a Tuareg. For us, it is frowned upon, that speaks so while the mouth looks. So take the turban off only when you go to bed. The first thing you wear other especially the turban. In what situation also always carry, you must first times the turban.
Even if you eat if you drink tea, never take off. And so tea is drunk, wearing a turban. This is the turban, holy to the Tuaregs. We are the women do not wear a turban verschleiert.Sie. Because they are beautiful. "
Zarah," The Tuareg men owe their women respect, even if they do not show it because they are in a different environment. But that is present within her core. - In all areas. Like - it depends on the behavior of women. If she behaves like a man, she is treated like a man. I know women, of whom one says, it is more valuable than a man - a man and a half, what is said with respect.
If she says something you listen to her and follows her. In other cultures, they say, is the wife talk that leads nowhere. In the Tuareg is not so, the word of a woman is worth as much as the word of a man. "
That looks pretty Zarah has authority, each: if her husband or her friends asking for something, the quickly resolved. Zarah given their statements with a smile, just like Fatimata, the leader of the band Tartit. The Tuareg are nice and friendly - and free.
"We have more freedom. We can do more of what we do as other African women. We have in our society more important than the other women in Mali. We are not beaten, they insulted us. For if a man up hitting or insulting, that is a ground for divorce. you can immediately go away, no problem. Well, men always have a certain power over us, which is on the religion, which we impose certain laws. But we get the Tuareg Islamic system. We raise awareness among women with our songs. We know that women are very brave. If they go to things on the ground, then it works. And men are tough anywhere, but if the women are brave, they will convince them. Every woman can convince her husband "
music example: Cut 8 Tartit Taliyate (. Mohamed Issa Ag Oumar / arr By Arahmat Walit M. Attah) 36 584 NETWORK
Zarah". We are forced to follow Islam, but like not the culture of the Tuareg. Where it is common that the man owns the double heritage, the men take over the responsibility for the women when the father dies. The brother then has the responsibility to their wedding. When a woman separated from her husband, she goes back to the brother, he is responsible for it, he's the boss. It has nothing to say, the brother decides everything.
The Tuareg is not the case. The woman is free as a man, she lives where she wants. She married, they separated, they can live somewhere else, because her brother did not interfere. But since there are however a problem because they must provide themselves alone, the succession problem. You have to feed themselves, they do everything themselves in the relationship makes the law of succession then the matter more complicated. "
We are talking about Islam and patriarchal inheritance, which is contrary to the freedoms of the Tuareg. Suddenly shall Zarah frowning. It is something else occurred, what excites pronounced.
"The Tuareg are not polygamous, but in the city of Agadez, there are now some. I know of two, three, are polygamous, with Tuareg women! This is the strong influence of the city of Agadez, in particular Haoussa live, and almost all have four wives. The Tuareg, which I know have two, but they have started it.'s how it starts! "
In the music have to watch the women that men do not take them to the butter on bread. For, where the boys initially only as guest workers in foreign countries and on lonely nights on the guitar attack, because no women were there, but now dreams of many a guitarist for a solo career. "Since we already have to be careful," I said Fatimata. She says it with such emphasis that I am sure that at least they will maintain this tradition.
to preserve the musical tradition, is also an objective of the festival in the desert, the Mani held. But in everyday life Mani is anything but a traditional Tuareg. Then he travels the world to organize their festival to the international stars will be invited.
"No one rejects the modern development, no one is to comfort and the facilities, which brings the technology, but a few, which may be regarded as special cases. They want to lock themselves in order to preserve their culture. But the result is that they isolate and marginalize themselves. The modern age is getting more, attacks the tradition changed slowly. The globalization limits the tradition every year more.
On the other hand, there is also the will to preserve the tradition. It's a constant struggle. I think that this is all over the world.
A few years ago the young people thought it was important to learn to drive, to wear a western suit, the latest CDs with international to hear hits. This meant to be someone. Some have even thrown away all of their traditional robes. Today, the opposite happens: we see young people who are proud to wear their turban on the Champs-Elysees in Paris to present their culture everywhere. This is a positive factor that raises serious hope that our culture will continue to exist parallel to modern development. I think we can save our culture, even if some things disappear. For example, one must admit that it is cumbersome to travel on a camel than in the new Jeeps. . But you must always keep a minimum of Tradition "
music example: Amar Sundy: Cut 10 Tofane (Amar Sundy)
can remain
realize how even in the western Tuareg life, claims Amar Sundy. He describes himself as a Parisian Targi times, sometimes as Targi of the sea, depending on where they happen. keep
"You have the attitude. You can be anywhere in the world Tuareg. I think this is just a way of seeing the world and to move in our time. As for the term trips, I think that super-organized travel without risk missing something -.. the adventure when I say Tuareg of the seas or the cities, I mean that many people are so this attitude is not Umhervagabundieren, but rather the fun, other people getting to know and not isolated to sit in his corner. . This is good and in this sense it is very good to be Tuareg "
© Rachid DEHAG 
© Rachid DEHAG 
© Rachid DEHAG 
A special attraction is the camel races that take place every Friday in Tamanrasset in the dry river bed Oued Sersouf. Brahim Damerna organizes the race: "It takes speed, endurance and strength to win, And to the camels. must be well trained to stay in such a crowd on the track. "The people of Tamanrasset fire to animals and riders, the camels run with big ears and baggy lips on the racetrack and swirling dust. The riders sit with your feet swing forward on the cusp, its tail and wiggling to the rhythm of the camels Tribbelgalopps. This looks graceful, and witty. Although the Jeep has replaced the camels for transportation largely have the animals for the Tuareg of great importance. 
On the old market where, carpets and jewelry of the Tuareg are sold, it goes to cosmopolitan. Mohamed solah ambles about in the traditional blue robe and a green Tuareg turban between the stands. On The nose has a Ray-Ban sunglasses, a modern mobile phone in his pocket with which he can shoot it. "There are Internet cafes in Tamanrasset. Everything you have in Europe in technology, to Communication equipment to TV stations, we also have in Tamanrasset. 2'05 I wear normal clothes Tuareg, but young people are a new generation ..... You wear different clothes, but they carry the tradition in the heart. "The tradition is hospitality, and is of course also for the young people who wear sportswear with baseball cap and jeans and the Tuareg turban. 
See also review Tamanrasset below In the theater of Tamanrasset they celebrate the music of the local stars Zoukani. This weekend, in the Islamic country are the Thursday and Friday, is also something going on in the desert. 
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Tamanrasset is also the starting point for tourists who set off into the desert on a motorcycle, bicycle or on foot, on camel or by jeep, in a kind of prehistoric open-air museum with bizarre rocks, high mountains and vast sand dunes. 80 km from Tamanrasset lies Assekrem at 2780 meters the highest city in the desert. At night temperatures drop to freezing temperatures, but the sunrises and sunsets are famous for their beauty. 
reddish glow of the surrounding mountain ranges of Tassiligebirges in light of the rising sun. Before the landscape immersed in a brilliant white, it looks as if mist rising from the valleys. Abdelkader Regdada leads tourists since the 80's through the desert: "You must as we eat, we show them how we live, how we travel, how we orient ourselves without a compass and no GPS, only on a mountain, with the colors of the sand. We live with the tourists, we show him our tradition. We set up tents and sleep outdoors, eat some soup, a dessert, there are dates, we make a proper tea do so, and people look at the stars, if we sit around the fire. " If dancing the Bedouin pop shots. The men swing their guns and shoot it in rhythm. But the people and their customs are as varied as the landscapes of the Algerian Sahara, two million square kilometers of desert. The gorges of El Kantara reddish glow near Biskra, the gateway to the desert near the Tunisian border. See also article Biskra below four sites in the Sahara of Algeria are excellent as a Unesco world cultural heritage, including the cave paintings at Tassili 
and the pyramid-shaped architecture of the nested houses in Ghardaia , 600 miles south of Algiers. See also the article below Ghardaia Djudj Brahim through his hometown: "The colors are very bright, and they radiate back the heat of the beige color to match the outside color of the sand But inside the houses, a blue color is used, the reduced brightness, and... can thus relax the soul. Blue, which we use to reduce even the flies and insects in the house. The walls are made of lime and sand and are supported with Dattelholz. This gives natural color, nothing is stained, everything is natural. " This architecture is almost 1000 years old. After seeing Ghardaia, lamented Le Corbusier, the ugliness of progress in Europe. Ricardo Bofill, Frank Lloyd Wright, and many other Pouillon Architects found in Ghardaia and find inspiration. 7'55 = 1'30 to cut] hundreds of miles further to the southeast is Taghit (read: Tarit), near the border with Morocco. Here are the most beautiful dunes in the Sahara, but they look like a sea of sand. See also the article below Taghit found here for the eighth time this year "dunes Marathon instead. Fabrice Humbert from Normandy was the fifth time it and celebrated New Year's Eve in the desert. "We fell in love with the people of this country, we know the Maghreb, Morocco and Tunisia were nowhere have we experienced such a warm welcome as in the. Algerians. And in the south is more friendly reception. Therefore, we would always go there, the landscapes are wonderful. " 
The region around Taghit (Tarit) is also for their music known. Alla is the singer who was born here. His music is in Switzerland even in the psychiatry to cure or calm the patient uses, the locals tell proud Info. Europeans have been kidnapped since 2003 and the Foreign Office in the wake of discouraged travel to Algeria, tourists hardly dare to Algeria, but still worth a visit. before, and today, the Algerian law, after a tourist only with a nationally recognized leader in the desert, strictly applied. The Foreign Office advises today general care (like everywhere), and recommends in particular, group tours with professional tour operators. 
© Rachid DEHAG 
