The preparation of the tea is mainly a man's job. It requires all the seriousness of this Targui, who demonstrates his agility by filling the glasses from high up: He must not miss a drop. The kettle in the foreground stands on a charcoal fire. The teapot is generally the obligatory souvenir that the pilgrim brings back from Mecca. Traditionally made of brass, it is often replaced by an enamelled pot on the bottom of which you can read Made in Czechoslovakia. The tea is always very heavily sugared, and the great luxury is to add a sprig of mint, which gives it a very pleasant taste. The walls of the tent are made of an assaber, a very fine weave of split palm leaf ribs held together by thin leather straps. This is not only decorative, but also has the advantage of allowing the air to circulate and yet shielding the tent occupants from the outside and protecting them from the wind. - Algeria - 1966
