The Tuareg or Kel Tamasheq (in the singular a Targui ) are people of Berbères Nomade S, alive in the the central Sahara, the Algérie, the Libya and on the edges of the the Sahel, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. Their language is Tamajaq or Tamasheq or Tamahaq according to the areas. They use a Alphabet called Tifinagh (delivery tifinar ).

The Tuareg are sometimes called the “blue men”, according to the color of their Chèche which is dyed with Indigo and fades with time on their skin. Today, certain Tuareg are métissés with the black populations of sub-Saharan Africa. These populations are confronted with forms of cultural assimilation and linguistic, with an economic marginalisation and policy which led them to the armed struggle in the Années 1990. Much gave up the nomadism to be fixed in the big cities in edge of the the Sahara, like Tamanrasset in Algérie or Agadez with the Niger.

Etymology

The origin of this name is unknown. Some think that it comes from an Arab word which means “abandoned”, others which it derives from the name of an area Libya, called still to date Targa (“drain” or “valley”). It is the area of Oubari, in the Fezzan. The denomination of origin Aw-Targa (wire of Targa) into Berber atargi , at the origin of the name for some, while of other retain that since the middle of the 19th century, the Arab medieval chroniclers called them tawwareq . At the time colonial, the French used and popularized the word Touareg like the plural of Targui in French (female Targuia , plural Twareg ). This distinction is gradually wrongly given up, and one grants more and more the word as in French (a Tuareg, a guitar touarègue, etc…). Besides the Tuareg prefer to indicate themselves by “Imajaghan” or Imuhagh (noble and free) or by “Kel Tamajaq” (people of Tamajaq).

Country

Divided into several confederations and tribes, a million and half of Tuareg live on 5 countries of the African continent (barriers for people without border). Inside this territory, Kel Tamasheq were played a long time of the limits of the states. Those however succeeded in inculcating to them the standards of the customs and the passports.

This territory, called Tinariwen (deserts), is as its name indicates it cut out in several grounds. Of these many deserts, there is the desert itself: the Ténéré. The other grounds are more or less arid, punts and mountainous, among which one can quote those which are the subject of an article Wikipédia: Adrar, Azawagh, Hoggar, Tadmait, Tanezruft, Tassili Ajjer or Tibesti. Adar, Adrar, Ayr, Azawagh, Damargu, Tagant, Tanezruft, Tawat (Touat), Tamasna, Tagama, Manga, Tarramit (Termit), Kawar, Jado, Tadmait, Admer, Igharghar, Ahaggar, Tassili Ajjer, Tadrart, Idhan, Tanghart, Tibesti. Kalansho, Serves Libyque, etc -->

Tuareg cities and villages are the subject of a Wikipédia article. They are listed below, with in italic the transcription of the equivalent in Berbère:

• Abalagh

• Agadez
• Aguel'hoc .
• Essouk
• Illizi ( Alezi )
• Gao ( Gawa )
• Ghat
• Tchin-Tabaraden (In Tibaraden)
• Keita
• Kidal
• Tamanrasset ( Tamanghasat )
• Tessalit
• Tombouctou ( Chock Bektu )

Social life

The Tuareg company was very treated on a hierarchical basis, one can quickly classify the individuals in the following categories:

• Imajaghan : noble tribes;

• Imrad: tribes Vassal be;
• Ineslemen: maraboutic tribes (in the singular ineslem means “Moslem”);
• Inaden: black blacksmiths;
• Irawellan: former prisoners Tuaregs;
• Iklan: black slaves (in the singular akli means “black”);
• Bleated: released slaves of language Songhaï;
• Toubous: released slaves of language Haoussa.

The Tuareg are monogamists, even if under the influence of the Islam some individuals take several women. The future groom must bring a dowry made up of Dromadaire S (called “camels” in the Sahara) and of Bœuf S to the family of the bride. The tent and its furnishing are provided to the couple by the family of the bride, the latter will keep the property in the event of divorce of it, leaving its ex-husband without roof. The grooms almost always belong to the same caste.

The Tuareg traditionally carry a kind of long clothing often named “boubou” (out of cotton fabric named “bazin”), and a Chèche also called Taguelmoust ( tagelmust into Berber), or “turban”. The chèche is a kind of turban from approximately 4-5 meters length which is rolled up on the head to protect itself from the sun, the wind, the rain, sand, the cold… Traditionally, the man never leaves his turban. He can be various colors, such as red, yellow, green, but two colors have a special significance. The white is carried to show a sign of respect, one day particular. The indigo chèche is made starting from flax, often with a complex weaving. It is carried the feastdays (and the days of cold because it is hotter than the cotton chèche). Its dyeing tends to fade on the skin, giving to the targui the nickname blue man .

Culture

The exact origin of the Tuareg remains unknown; they are probably downward Zenata tribes and Lemta of the Berber confederation Sanhadja. It is certain that they are of Berber culture, the use of the same alphabet the Tifinagh and of the same linguistic base the tamasheq are there to attest it.

The ceremonial of the The is a manner of showing hospitality, and a pretext to discuss with the visitor passage. The was introduced at the beginning of the 20th century through the arabo-Moslem woman influence. It is not very polished to refuse the or not to drink the three teas. Indeed the same sheets of the green are used to make three services after. However, the proverb the first the is bitter like the life, the second is strong like the love and the last is soft like death is to be allotted to the people Sahraoui, lying in all the West of the Sahara.

Each year, in January, takes place the Festival of the desert in Essakane, close to Tombouctou to the Mali, like that of Essouk, meadows of Kidal. Several other festivals take place through the Touareg country, demonstrations which offer a true occasion to discover the culture touarègue: the salted cure with In-Gall, close to Agadez. Traditional festivals of Gani and Bianou in Agadez.

Since the years 1990 the music touarègue grew rich by a new current: the Tuareg Blues with in particular the group Tinariwen. Festivals of tourism of Ghat and Ghadames in Libya. The festival of Sabiba with Djanet in Algeria.

See also: Tanit

History

Until the years 1900, the world touarègue was organized in confederations having each one are clean ettabel (drum) symbol of the Chefferie and a Amenokal (plural Imenokalan ), traditional chief elected official by the wise ones with resulting from the palaver.

The confederated independent groups are:

• Kel Ajjer in the area of the Tassili Ajjer, between Ghat and Djanet;

• Kel Ahaggar, in the mountains of the Ahaggar;
• Kel Adagh in the Adrar of Ifoghas in the north of the Mali;
• Kel Antessar in the area of Chock Bektu ( Tombouctou );
• Ioullemiden Kel Ataram (those of the west) with for center Ménaka;
• Ioullemiden Kel Denneg (those of the east, also called Targeigareit (the center). The stronghold of Kel Denneg is in the area of Azawagh, towards Tchin-Tabaraden, Tahoua and Abalagh;
• Kel Sandstone, in Damergou (Tanut);
• Kel Air, in the mountains of the Air, whose big cities are Agadez, Timia, and Iférouane.

Some Tuareg Imenokalan:

• Tin Hinan, or Tamenokalt , matriarche and queen of Ahaggar;

• Karidanna, first amenokal and founder of the federation of Ioullemiden;
• Ibrahim Ag Abakkada, chief of Azjer;
• Foamed Ag Amastan, amenokal of Ahaggar;
• Makhammad Ag Katamay, chief of Iwillimidan Kel Denneg;
• Abdurrakhman Tagama, sultan of Agadez;
• Al Khorer, resistant, chief of Ioullemiden Kel Denneg;
• Fihrun Ag Amansar, resistant, chief of Ioullemiden Kel Ataram;
• Amud, chief of Kel Ajjer;
• Mohammed Ali Ag Attaher, amenokal of Kel Ansar, deceased in exile in Morocco in 1994;
• Mohamed Elmehdi Ag Attaher, current Amenokal of Kel Ansar.

Tuareg tribes:

• Has Awari
• Awraghan
• Alwalitan
• Ashsharifan
• Dabbakar
• Itaguane
• Daw Sahak
• Idnan
• Ifughas
• Iherherane
• Igdalan
• Igoran
• Ihaggaran
• Ijawanjawatan
• Imanghasatan
• Imannan
• Imaqqarghasan
• Ikanawan
• Irawalan
• Ishadanharan
• Izawitan
• Illisawan
• Kel Aghlal
• Kel Assuk
• Kel Away
• Kel Faday
• Kel Ferwan
• Kel Ghala
• Kel Ansar
• Kel Nan
• Kel Tadaley
• Kel Tafidat
• Kel Takriza
• Kel Tin Alkum
• Kel Ghat
• Taitoq
• Teggermet
• Tellem Edes
• Udalan

Tuareg personalities

• Mohamed Almokhtar Ag Hawad, marabout of the kel Ansar;

• Aligurran or Anigourran, wise and hero of the old legends;
• Afellan, free, riding warrior and celebrate poet;
• Kaocen, chief of resistance against French colonization in 1916;
• Went Ag Albachir, resistant of Adrar of Ifoghas of the years 1960;
• Hadj Foamed Hakhamoukh, militant of the FLN during the war of independence of Algeria;
• Alladi Ag Went, resistant;
• Mohamed Foamed, engineer of the civil aviation, he was trade unionist and very credit at the time of the sovereign national conference of Niger held in 1992. he took part in the transition government as Minister of Interior Department and minister of transport in 1992 and 1993;
• Mano Dayak, leader of the resistance of the years 1990, in Ayr;
• Keddou Ag Ossad, singer and guitarist;
• Abdallah Ag Oumbadougou, singer and guitarist of resistance.
• Rhissa Ag Swell, chief of the principal armed uprising of Niger of the years 1990, it signed in April 1994 of the peace agreements which allowed the end of the rebellion, the return of peace to Niger. It took part in several governments of which those of the president Ibrahim Mainassara baré, Daouda Malam Waké and Hama Amadou under the presidency of Tandja Mamadou.

See too

• Alliance and Démocratie of May 23rd for the change
• Agreements of Algiers (2006) - agreements concerning the payment of the rising of May 23rd, 2006.

External bonds

• Temoust, site of information and Tuareg topicality

• Site devoted to the town of Agadez and the Tuaregs
• Chart of the Tuareg territory and the rebellion
• Timidiwa, friendly free-Tuareg of assistance to the integration of the Tuaregs, solidarity, fraternity, and promotion of the Tuareg culture in France and elsewhere