The Tuareg are a traditionally nomadic ethnic group living along the Sahara Desert. The Tuareg language is a Berber dialect. They are believed to be direct descendants of the Berbers, indigenous to North Africa. Some Tuareg tribes have converted to Islam, while others still adhere to North African tribal beliefs.
For centuries the Tuareg were the undisputed masters of the desert , while today they raise dromedaries and live in temporary villages.
In northern Niger, some groups of Tuareg warriors are waging an ancestral struggle for independence, aiming to achieve political and cultural self-determination and be recognized as a distinct political and social group.
Tuareg Society
Tuareg society is extremely hierarchical, with actual castes within it. The three main social classes are:
- Imajaghan : the noble tribes;
- Imghad : the vassal tribes;
- Iklan : the domestic slaves.
The nobles had a monopoly on weapons and dromedaries: they were traditionally guerrilla fighters. The free vassals raised livestock, both on their own property and that of the nobles, but freely and for a salary. Slaves were obtained as war prizes. Although the new legislation introduced by the French colonialists eliminated slavery, forms of slavery still exist in some territories under the control of the Tuareg.
Tuareg Traditions
Ancestrally linked to dromedaries, they are nicknamed the Blue Men , due to the ancestral tradition of men covering their heads with a blue veil. The veil is obligatory only for men .
They share a tea ceremony with guests and travelers. Traditionally, tea was prepared for meditation, as the whistling of the teapot, as the water gurgles and boils, was believed to help calm the mind. Tea is prepared in three different ways:
- The tea of death: bitter and strong;
- The tea of life: sweet with a bitter aftertaste;
- The tea of love: sweet and intoxicating.
Tuareg women
Although Tuareg society is highly Islamicized and hierarchical, Muslim Tuareg women do not wear the veil, can have multiple sexual partners, and ask for divorce . Although they are an ancient people, their society is extremely progressive, and is particularly quick to reject controversial practices to embrace modernity.
Tuareg women, in fact, can happily have multiple partners before marriage. However, there are unbreakable rules of morality: men can enter and exit women's tents, but they must arrive at dusk and leave before dawn.
Furthermore, Tuareg women do not have the function of matrons, but they own houses and animals, primary assets for the Tuareg, who survive precisely thanks to herding.
Many traditional Tuareg marriages end in divorce: the woman maintains the family assets. Among other things, women are often the ones to request divorce, sometimes forcing men to return to their mothers.
Live like a Tuareg for a few days
The Ranch de Diabat horseback riding experience with overnight stay allows you to discover and experience the Tuareg lifestyle. The bivouac is a typical Tuareg dwelling: a tent in the desert equipped with all comforts, where you can enjoy traditional Moroccan cuisine and the ancestral desert tea ritual.
The Tuareg are a traditionally nomadic ethnic group living along the Sahara Desert. The Tuareg language is a Berber dialect. They are believed to be direct descendants of the Berbers, indigenous to North Africa. Some Tuareg tribes have converted to Islam, while others still adhere to North African tribal beliefs.
For centuries the Tuareg were the undisputed masters of the desert , while today they raise dromedaries and live in temporary villages.
In northern Niger, some groups of Tuareg warriors are waging an ancestral struggle for independence, aiming to achieve political and cultural self-determination and be recognized as a distinct political and social group.
Tuareg Society
Tuareg society is extremely hierarchical, with actual castes within it. The three main social classes are:
- Imajaghan : the noble tribes;
- Imghad : the vassal tribes;
- Iklan : the domestic slaves.
The nobles had a monopoly on weapons and dromedaries: they were traditionally guerrilla fighters. The free vassals raised livestock, both on their own property and that of the nobles, but freely and for a salary. Slaves were obtained as war prizes. Although the new legislation introduced by the French colonialists eliminated slavery, forms of slavery still exist in some territories under the control of the Tuareg.
Tuareg Traditions
Ancestrally linked to dromedaries, they are nicknamed the Blue Men , due to the ancestral tradition of men covering their heads with a blue veil. The veil is obligatory only for men .
They share a tea ceremony with guests and travelers. Traditionally, tea was prepared for meditation, as it was believed that the whistle of the teapot, as the water gurgles and boils, helped calm the mind. Tea is prepared in three different ways:
- The tea of death: bitter and strong;
- The tea of life: sweet with a bitter aftertaste;
- The tea of love: sweet and intoxicating.
Tuareg women
Although Tuareg society is highly Islamicized and hierarchical, Muslim Tuareg women do not wear the veil, can have multiple sexual partners, and ask for divorce . Although they are an ancient people, their society is extremely progressive, and is particularly quick to reject controversial practices to embrace modernity.
Tuareg women, in fact, can happily have multiple partners before marriage. However, there are unbreakable rules of morality: men can enter and exit women's tents, but they must arrive at dusk and leave before dawn.
Furthermore, Tuareg women do not have the function of matrons, but they own houses and animals, primary assets for the Tuareg, who survive precisely thanks to herding.
Many traditional Tuareg marriages end in divorce: the woman maintains the family property. Among other things, women are often the ones to request divorce, sometimes forcing men to return to their mothers.
Live like a Tuareg for a few days
The Ranch de Diabat horseback riding experience with overnight stay allows you to discover and experience the Tuareg lifestyle . The bivouac is a typical Tuareg dwelling: a tent in the desert equipped with all comforts, where you can enjoy traditional Moroccan cuisine and the ancestral desert tea ritual.
