Tuareg

Desert people, of Berber culture, are present in almost all the Saharan countries, Niger and Mali mainly but also in Burkina faso, Algeria and some presence in Libya. Traditionally nomadic people have settled down over the last decades of the century XXgiving preference to cities such as Tamanrasset, Agadés or Bamako. They are known under the name of blue men, given the color of their dress dyed with indigo that gradually is deposited on the skin. Actually tuareg is a plural, its singular is targui but the use has made it accept tuareg as if it were a singular and they are called Kel Tamashaq. For centuries the desert lords controlled the trade in caravans between Niger and Morocco, always accompanied by their slaves, the harratins. They had herds with thousands of dromedaries, goats and sheep grazing in transhumance, their livestock wealth has now decreased as they have settled, and some have even dedicated themselves to the cultivation of the land. It is a hierarchical people, articulated in different social classes, the warriors being the most important class, followed by the Morabitos, free men and freed slaves. Most monogamous, the dowry is provided by the woman's family, among other things the house, i.e. the tent, and its furnishing that will always belong to the woman's family, prevention in case of separation or divorce. As all African peoples are a hospitable people, it is rigorous to offer the triple cup of tea to the guests. They say that the first tea is bitter as death, the second sweet as life and the third sugary as love. All three are made with the same leaves and rejecting them would be an offense. From the handcrafted point of view they dominate jewelry based on silver. Its Southern Cross is famous, of which they know 21 different models, one for each locality or region. They also work the leather embossing and the cutlery. They make magnificent swords. In recent times many Tuareg went to fight Libya and on their return to Niger and Mali, heavily armed and radicalized, rebelled against their governments and the insurrection of 1912 In Mali they proclaimed independence from the northern zone or Azawad, imposing terror and sharia.