A bit of family history - Abdelkrim ag Ahrmed, son of Ahrmed ag Chaoua, is the grand-son of Chaoua and comes from a dynasty of caravan leaders. In the language of the Tuareg, Tamacheq, “ag” means “son of”. - Niger / Aïr / 2003

Tuareg warrior - With a single blow of his Takuba, Boubakar ag Mohamed has beheaded a jackal... what a feat! As the leader of a clan of ten families from the Kel Takriza tribe, formerly feared in the Sahel because of their raids against black farmers, today he is the most peaceful of Tuareg dignitaries – and the one wearing the most makeup! - Niger / Western Aïr

Central America - At the market of Santiago de Atitlan (Guatemala), the men still wore their customary striped trousers when this picture was taken; little by little, however, European-cut shirts were already replacing their traditional garments. - 1980

The strength of age - In his village in Sardinia, old Azeglio does not age. In fact, there is no age limit for him. Or age simply no longer exists – unless it is hiding behind his beard. How come? In Sardinia, as in all places where wisdom is not easily acquired, the youth of the heart lasts as long as life. - 1980

Living memory - From the banks of the Indus River through the steppes of Central Asia to the gates of the West, this man remembers the camels and the caravans that brought fragrant spices to Europe's tables. Did he get to see them? At least he remembers being told about them. And the memories will live on as long as the eyes and the words do. (Jodhpur, Rajasthan) - 1990

A bow and arrow hunter in leather sarong: what an amazing motif to photograph! This man from the Peul-Bororo tribe was photographed in the Sahelian area of Tchin-Tabaradene, in central Niger.

Every year, the largest carnival in South America – after Rio, of course – takes place in the city of Oruro, Bolivia. Life here is not easy, though, particularly after the closing of most mines. The simplest meal is a luxury, even if it costs just a few Bolivianos.

The chief’s toothbrush - Boubakar ag Mohamed does not smoke. He uses this piece of wood, taken from a very widespread bush in the Sahara called the «Abesgouin», to clean his teeth – which by no means detracts from the authority in his eyes! - Niger / Aïr / 2001

Niger - The caravan leader Mohamed ag Boubakar with his toothbrush.

Portrait of a young Touareg - Faris / Aïr / Niger

Targui in a Touareg camp in the Hoggar - Algeria

Roles of nomadic women and men (rock painting / end of the prehistoric period / Ouan Bender / Tassili n-Ajjer / Algeria)

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Niger - Aïr - Tagueït bas - Gravures piquetées très schématiques. Le personnage central n'évoque pas clairement les équidiens. A sa droite, un personnage à habit bitriangulaire et à tête en U renversé. Le personnage central mesure 0,70 m de haut.

The legends are only available in French!
Niger - Aïr - Tagueït bas - Personnages à « tête de fourmi » (équidiens) sur fond d'animaux (domestiqués ?). Noter les lances et les boucliers ronds. Les animaux mesurent entre 0,30 et 0,40 m de haut.

The legends are only available in French!
Algerie - Tassili-n'Ajjer - In-Aouanrhet - A gauche, deux personnages debout. A droite, scène de coït et personnages peu identifiables. La scène de coït mesure 0,16 m de large.

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Algerie - Tassili-n'Ajjer - Séfar - Peinture à l'ocre rouge à contours blancs. Epoque des «têtes rondes». Peut-être assistons-nous à une scène intimiste représentant un couple et leur enfant. C'est une hypothèse valable. Le personnage de droite porte un pantalon rayé. Remarquer la faible musculature des cuisses, contrairement à celle des archers bovidiens noirs.

The legends are only available in French!
Algerie - Tassili-n'Ajjer - Séfar - Couple peint à l'ocre rouge et formé d'un archer faisant peut-être le geste de prendre une des flèches (côté gauche), et d'une femme qui le suit, les deux mains tendues vers le bas; les doigts sont peints avec précision. Une pièce d'habillement de la femme est rejetée par le vent dans le dos. Type négroïde certain comme le révèlent d'ailleurs plusieurs squelettes trouvés dans la région. La femme mesure 0,19 m de haut.

The legends are only available in French!
Algerie - Tassili-n'Ajjer - Tin-Tazarift - Scène pastorale en blanc et ocre, brun rougeâtre à brun clair. On notera le bonnet porté par l'homme et par l'enfant qui le suit, en haut à droite. Il ressemble beaucoup à celui que portent encore les enfants au moment de la circoncision. L'homme mesure 0,24 m de haut.

The legends are only available in French!
Algerie - Tassili-n'Ajjer - Tin-Teferist (Séfar). - Les trois personnages peints à l'ocre rouge nous ramènent aux individus à «tête en tiret», mais on a déjà dit que ce tiret n'était que la partie visible de la tête, le reste étant couvert par des cheveux clairs, la peinture ayant dans la majorité des cas disparu. Les «lanciers» qui se font face sont vêtus d'une tunique courte, serrée à la taille et légèrement évasée à la base. Celui de gauche porte une sorte d'étole pendant de chaque côté du cou. De la main droite, il tient celle d'une femme à tunique longue. Le personnage central mesure 0,55 m de haut.

The legends are only available in French!
Algerie - Tassili-n'Ajjer - Tin-Teferist, près Séfar - Un ruminant à droite, peint à l'ocre foncé ; en haut à gauche, un couple traité à l'ocre rouge pouvant être un homme et une femme. Le plus intéressant est une structure quadrangulaire pouvant représenter un habitat. Le panneau figuré mesure 0,53 m de large. La bête à droite mesure 0,11 m de haut.

The legends are only available in French!
Algerie - Tassili-n'Ajjer - Tin-Kani - Trois personnages de l'époque des «têtes rondes» et de style Séfar. Celui du milieu est une femme. L'œuvre a été exécutée en blanc et brun foncé. Le sujet de gauche mesure 0,87 m de haut. Détail de la photo SAR-600.

The legends are only available in French!
Algerie - Tassili-n'Ajjer - ln ltinen - Deux bovidés et un veau (?) peints à l'ocre foncé. La multiplicité des représentations de bovidés doit correspondre à l'importance réelle du troupeau à l'époque du grand pastoralisme. Néanmoins, on aurait sans doute tort de se représenter la région où on le trouve comme la Normandie actuelle. Pour preuve, les grands troupeaux des Peuhls d'aujourd'hui.

The legends are only available in French!
Tchad - Tibesti - Gonoa - La gravure commence à subir les dégradations des photographes amateurs qui n'hésitent pas à la rubriquer, l'humidifier, l'enduire de divers produits, sans aucun souci de la conservation de cette œuvre rare. Il s'agit d'un homme nu à profil cynomorphe de proportions harmonieuses, en dépit de la longueur un peu prononcée des jambes. Il porte, sur l'épaule droite, un objet court et imprécis. Il est gravé au trait peu profond mais régulier et l'artiste s'est conformé, pour le corps, à l'anatomie réelle. La représentation du sexe est franche et directe. Hauteur du personnage : 1,87 m.

Malem
The malem is the master of the fire, the blacksmith. These artisans produce silver jewelery, weapons or camel harnesses. Here, the malem finishes a woman's bracelet.
Niger - Agadés - 1968

Touareg
This noble Touareg of the Kel Rela tribe is armed with his spear. The spear is becoming more and more rare; it was used to hunt gazelles or mouflons. The tagoûlmoust, the veil that surrounds the head and hides the lower face, is given by the father to his son when he reaches puberty.
Algeria - Hoggar - 1964

Public transport
No, it's not a photographic montage, but a tribute to public transport. On top of the 15 tons of cargo, 53 passengers crowded as best they could to travel the hundreds of kilometers separating Sebha, Libya, from Bilma, Niger.
Libya - Fezzan - 1964

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Chef d'une communauté indigène (alcalde) d'Ollantaytambo dans le département de Cusco. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Pêcheur Shipibo des rives de l'Ucayali (principal affluent du fleuve Amazone) en train de réparer son filet. - Paococha près Pucallpa (département d’Ucayali). - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Des dards d'une grande efficacité, trempés dans du curare, sont introduits dans la sarbacane. L'arme peut atteindre des proies qui se trouvent à une distance considérable du chasseur. Yanamono, près du rio Napo - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
La sarbacane est l'arme favorite des Yagua. Elle sert à chasser surtout des oiseaux et de petits mammifères. Yanamono, près du rio Napo - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Indien de la Cordillère travaillant dans une station à essence de la capitale. - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Dans la lumière aveuglante des déserts du nord du Pérou. - Près de Chiclayo - Département de Lambayeque - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Culture du coton à l'Hacienda Miraflores Près Humay dans la vallée côtière de Pisco (département d'Ica). - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
L'agriculture de la côte est orientée vers la production massive du coton. - Hacienda Miraflores Près Humay dans la vallée côtière de Pisco (département d'Ica). - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Le cheval des hacendados de la région d'Ica, habitué à se déplacer dans le désert, avance lentement, la tête de profil. Il ne lève presque pas les pattes mais chasse plutôt ces dernières de côté. C'est ce qu'on appelle le paso peruano. - Hacienda San Ramón de Alfredo Elías Vargas - 1969

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Ce vieil aborigène ridé de Tarucani, coiffé du chullo de laine, à la bouche verdie par la chique de coca qui apaise faim et fatigue, se rappelle-t-il qu'autrefois la «feuille divine» était réservée à l'empereur, aux nobles, aux momies et aux dieux?

The legends are only available in German or Spanish
Campesino aus dem Dorf San Antonio de Chuca, Departement Arequipa, Peru. Die chullo genannte Ohrenmütze schützt gegen die oft beißende Kälte auf dem Altiplano. Gelegentlich tragen die Indios als Schutz gegen die grelle Sonne über dem Chullo einen Hut. - 1969

The legends are only available in German or Spanish
Das ganze Leben der Kogi ist bestimmt von Fruchtbarkeitsriten und der strengen Trennung der männlichen und weiblichen Prinzipien. Dieses Bild zeigt einen Kogi-Mann mit dem poporo, einem mit pulverisierten Muschelschalen gefüllten Kürbis. Der Kürbis gilt als weiblich, und der Stock, mit dem das Kalkpulver «herausgefischt» wird, als männlich. Über Jahre hinweg vollzieht der Kogi symbolisch die Befruchtung, indem er dem Kürbis mit dem Stock Pulver entnimmt und es auf der Schale reibt, die mit der Zeit eine dicke Kalkschicht ansetzt. Goldfiguren mit ähnlichen Kürbiskalebassen, deren Kalk zusammen mit Kokablättern gekaut wurde, sind aus der Quimbaya-Kultur des mittleren Caucatals (11.-15. Jahrhundert) erhalten geblieben. - 1977

The legends are only available in German or Spanish
In dem auf 2960 Meter Höhe gelegenen Cajamarca lockte Francisco Pizarro den Inka Atahualpa in einen Hinterhalt und nahm ihn gefangen. Noch heute wird die «Camara de rescate» gezeigt, jenes Zimmer, das Atahualpa mit Gold anfüllen ließ. Das Lösegeld rettete ihn jedoch nicht vor dem gewaltsamen Tod. Cajamarca hat bis heute weitgehend seinen kolonialen Charakter bewahrt, und mit seinen 30‘000 Einwohnern ist es ein reger Marktflecken: Die traditionellen Hüte Cajamarcas werden aus Toquilla-Stroh (Pflanzenfaser) hergestellt. - 1976

The blowgun is the preferred weapon of the Yagua. They use it mainly to hunt birds and small mammals. Yanamono on the banks of the Río Napo near Iquitos – 1969

Inca Lambayeque ceramics – man, 23 cm high - Museo Brüning Lambayeque - 1976

Aríbalo - with representation of a man - Nazca Valley - around 1370 - height 32 cm - Museo Regional Ica - 1976

Fabric with decorations of stylized people and lamas - width 30 cm, height of people 37 mm - Inca costeño culture - Nazca valley - around 1370 - Regional Museum of Ica - 1976

Sheep shearing takes place during the months of December and January, in the heart of the southern summer. The work is carried out in a galpón, a building reserved for this purpose that can be seen in all the estancias. The sheep are led to the galpón by ovejeros on horseback. Each esquilador (shearer) shears about 200 sheep a day. He uses an electric shearer set in motion by a motor which, at the same time, provides light to the property. Twice a year the esquiladores cut the wool around the sheep's eyes. The animals cannot see clearly because of the thickness of their fleece. - 1973

Farrier Delphin Rodríguez from Bahía Bustamante (Chubut province) smiles cheerfully, which is not at all the case for all gauchos in the Pampas. Most of them are rough around the edges as a result of their adventurous lives. It often takes a lot of patience to be accepted by the men in a group. However, beneath the tough exterior lies a big heart. Their love of nature and the great outdoors has become legendary. They are completely at one with the special landscape in which they live, and their profession requires people of unusual strength. - 1973

A Jesuit who came from Chile introduced the vine to Argentina in 1556. However, it was not until the 19th century that winegrowing took off considerably and became one of the country's most important food industries. The provinces of Mendoza, San Juan, Córdoba, Río Negro, San Luis and Salta are the wine-growing regions par excellence in Argentina. The total area covered by vineyards is almost 300,000 hectares. The annual wine production for all the provinces mentioned amounts to approximately 30 million hectolitres. Argentina is the fourth largest wine producer in the world. The most modern facilities are located in Mendoza, where winemaking has developed in a truly spectacular way. For the whole country, the grape harvest takes place during the month of March, at the end of the southern summer. A festive atmosphere prevails in all the localities concerned. The wine is put into wooden or cement fermentation vats. The alcohol content of Argentinean wine is 12.5 degrees. The old man in the photo is a connoisseur of the new wine. It illustrates the friendly fondness that Argentines have for a drink that is found at every meal. - 1973

On June 24th there is an alms harvest for San Juan in Jujuy. - 1973

In the monte, in the north of Santa Fe province, the locals beat the quebracho colourado. This is a tree about 25 metres high and with an average diameter of one and a half metres. The heartwood is rich in tannin, which is used in industry. - 1973

Fabien Romero, called Chavi, is an old hunter and used to be an Indian slayer. He lives on the estancia “Miraflores” (Santa Fe province) and is said to be 112 to 115 years old. Like all Argentines, he likes to sip his mate tea. - 1973

The majority of Paraguay's Indians are Guaranis. You also meet them in the Argentinean province of Misiones. This indigenous man is sitting outside her house, weaving a basket. - 1973

A capataz of the estancia “La Amalia” (Entre Ríos province) with one of his children. The number of gauchos on the estates is quite large. They are placed under the orders of a supervisor, the capataz, who enjoys the confidence of the owner. - 1973

No gaucho who does not know how to strum the guitar and improvise, in verse, a tender or perfidious "payada". - Estancia Santa María, Ayacucho, Province Buenos Aires - 1975

A tempting display in Alajuela, Costa Rica. It shows bananas and small juicy fruits called pejiballes. This picture gives us a fairly accurate idea of the wealth and diversity of tropical fruits in the Central American republics. The consumption of these products of the earth, on the internal markets, is notable. It is an indispensable complement to a mainly vegetarian diet. This fact is the result of a long tradition. But it is also explained by the high cost of meat for the country's poorest populations. Nevertheless, the production of tropical fruits by the large landowners is primarily geared towards export. The production of bananas - to give just one example - has allowed North American companies to develop and even acquire considerable economic and political importance, becoming a veritable state within the state and keeping a close eye on everything that happens in the republic. - 1977

The coffee harvest takes place at different times of the year in most of the Central American republics. Coffee trees are one of the main natural resources of the countries of the subcontinent. Drying of the beans takes place immediately after the harvest of the precious commodity. This operation is carried out in an ingenio (factory) established on the slopes of the mountain, in all regions where coffee trees are particularly well represented. - 1977

On the beach in San Juan del Sur, on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. Men in charge of repainting a boat that seriously needed it, take a few moments of well-deserved rest. Such boats are used not only for fishing, which is always plentiful, but also for transporting passengers and goods. They provide a fairly regular service between the various ports of the coast, often allowing faster connections than those offered by an incomplete and, depending on the season, very poor road network. - 1977

A guard sits at the entrance to the León rectory. On the wall is written "Defendámonos unidos la violación de nuestros derechos" (Let us defend together the violation of our rights). - 1977

At the train station in León, Nicaragua. - 1977

Ploughing the land with two Brahman bulls in the region of Acajutla, a municipality in El Salvador. It is located in the southwest of the department of Sonsonate. - 1977

Street atmosphere from the village of Izalco in El Salvador. The Nawat name Itzalku is composed of the word elements itz, "obsidian", (k)al, "house" and the locative ending -ku and can be roughly translated as "place of obsidian houses". - 1977

Cotton threads of the so-called amarilla (yellow) species hanging outside a house in the village of San Sebastiân, El Salvador. The first use of cotton in Central America dates back to the second millennium B.C. It coincides with the increasing development of agriculture, the domestication of animals and the simultaneous invention of weaving, basketry and ceramics. The role of cotton in the economic life of the Indian populations was and still is important. - 1977

Coffee plantation near Santa Ana in El Salvador. Coffee is harvested in most Central American republics and at different times of the year. It is one of the most important natural resources of the subcontinent. Immediately after the harvest, the beans are dried. This process takes place in factories built on the hillsides of the more important plantation areas. - 1977

Suspension bridge over the Seleguá River, which rises in the Cuchumatanes mountain range and flows northwest through the department of Huehuetenango in Guatemala towards Mexico. - 1977

It is Sunday, market day in Santiago de Atitlán, on the shores of a beautiful Guatemalan lake. These men are wearing their ethnic cotton trousers with vertical stripes. Some of these garments still have multicoloured embroidery on the lower part. However, while some have kept the typical local shirt, the majority of the others have adopted the European or American cut shirt. Men who travel and work outside their community are more influenced by the outside world than women. - 1977

The people in Rabinal and its surroundings in the department of Baja Veracruz live mainly from agriculture. However, Rabinal is also known for its potteries and the artistic painting of their products. - 1977

House construction near San Jerónimo in the department of Baja Veracruz. The roof is covered with sugar cane leaves and can serve up to 15 years before it needs to be renewed. - 1977

Another tasty scene taken at the Friday market in San Francisco el Alto, a charming village in the mountainous area of Guatemala. As early as the 16th century, the Spaniards introduced domestic animals to the Americas that were not yet known to the natives and that the latter began to raise for their own use. This was the case with cows, sheep, goats and pigs. The latter became very important during the colony and became a very important source of income in many parts of the continent. In the lowlands, pigs are fed with bananas or yucca. They roam freely in the streets of the towns and supplement their diet by swallowing whatever is within their reach. In the mountainous areas of Guatemala, on the other hand, these animals are bred for the production of fat, which is sold to mestizo and white people. The same applies to milk and eggs, which are considered luxury foods. - 1977

A load of pottery is carried for sale in the market of Chichicastenango. - 1972

One of the most important and esteemed figures in a procession in Chichicastenango, Guatemala. He is the principal or religious leader of the community, who leads all the ceremonies and rites celebrated by the members of his group. He is also known as the anciano or pasado (elder). To reach this enviable position, he has had to carry out a wide range of functions throughout his life, successively dedicating himself to the church and the objects of worship, organising the processions and serving the patron saint of his village. The principal is a respected man who acts in concert with the chiman or indigenous priest of the community. Both are the most faithful defenders of the tradition. They also seek, by their example, to maintain the balance and safeguard the morals of their group. The principal usually comes from a fairly well-to-do family, which is not necessarily the case for his closest aides. Nevertheless, both strive to perform tasks that are aimed at the material and spiritual development of the representatives of their clan. - 1977

The main festival in Chichicastenango is celebrated every 21st December during the winter solstice in honour of Saint Thomas the Apostle. Throughout the pre-Columbian period, the Indians knew only two types of musical instruments, drums and wind instruments (flutes, trumpets, whistles and ocarinas) made of cane stalks, bamboo or clay. Instruments made of copper such as trumpets, trombones, saxophones and horns were soon adopted by the natives from the Spanish conquerors. The use of the foreign musical instruments and the adoption of a foreign type of music brought noticeable changes to the folklore of the indigenous people. - 1977

Street scene from the city of Belize. The majority of the inhabitants of Belize are coloured, Mayan, Mestizo, Antillean, Mulatto, Syrian, Lebanese and Chinese. All these people speak a language with Spanish, English and French elements. British Honduras or Belize is a small country that is hardly spoken of, at least not in Europe. - 1978

The majority of the inhabitants of Belice are coloured, Mayan, Mestizo, Antillean, Mulatto, Syrian, Lebanese and Chinese. All these people speak a language with Spanish, English and French elements. British Honduras or Belize is a small country that is hardly spoken of, at least not in Europe. - 1978

Domino players in Belize City. Games are an important part of the daily life of people in the tropics, so much so that they sometimes take precedence over other more lucrative activities. However, it should be taken into account that life in these latitudes is already difficult because of the heat and humidity. In any case, the natives could not maintain a work rhythm similar to that of the inhabitants of temperate regions. - 1978

A Berber musician group in the streets of Chinguetti. The tidinit is a long-necked lute and is traditionally played by nomadic Berber tribes. It has a body made of a calabash. The soundboard is made of a degreased but untanned animal skin. Unlike tanned leather, this rawhide becomes very hard and remains firm. - Mauritania - 1968

This old man from Tidjikja, southern Mauritania, has the typical features of his breed. The sun and life in the wide open spaces have chiselled his countenance and shaped him. - Mauritania - 1968

These three Arabs have plenty of time to chat. - Ksar Ikiss oasis south of Adrar in Algeria. - 1971

In a country where the sand is 75 degrees Celsius in summer, the main architectural problem is to create shady and cool zones. The oasis dwellers are masters in this difficult art, whether in the Bordj of Chinguetti in Mauritania or in the narrow alleys of Ghadames (picture) in Libya. - 1969

A caravan leader from Sudan is resting in Djanet. He has brought goods from the south with which he barters here. - Algeria - 1962

Our journey has taken us to the sandy deserts and to Djebel, through the gorges of Tassili and into the tall grass of the steppe. Everywhere we met people who were able to build their lives and even laugh and sing. But it is to the sand that our minds and, why not, our hearts are drawn. This single man leading his camel across the hot, soft sand represents the triumph of the will over the most hostile matter. Sure, at the end of the journey, palm trees await him again, similar to those here in the valley of Adjahl; but even these exist only thanks to the will of other people, if the sand is not ultimately to win the day. - Libya - 1964

In Fezzan, in the Edeyen of Oubari, a strange people lives near the lakes surrounded by high dunes. They are the Daouda. The word Daouda comes from "doud", which means worm in Arabic. In fact, the Daouda eat "worms", which they fish in the lakes fed by underground springs. Occasionally, however, a goat is slaughtered and the meat hung out to dry. - Libya - 1964

Date harvest in Murzuk in the Fezzan of Libya. Dates are rich in sugar and have a correspondingly high calorie content. This earned them the name "bread of the desert". Fibre, minerals such as potassium, calcium and magnesium, and B vitamins make them a healthy snack. The content of the amino acid tryptophan is particularly interesting. - Libya - 1964

At noon, the main square of Bardaï is deserted by the population. - Chad - 1967

Grain sprouts between the date palms. The sedentary leads a hard, miserable life, he is a slave to his land. For days he draws water from the bottom of the well and empties it into the seguias, the irrigation channels that run through the cultivated land. - Chad - 1967

A young Tubu from the Tibesti. The origin of these nomads remains a mystery. According to certain traits, they could belong to the black race, according to others they are more Mediterranean or even Ethiopian in type. - Tibesti - Chad - 1967

Tea time ... a special moment for the Saharan nomads. - Tibesti - Chad - 1967

View of the Enneri Bessama (Tibesti). Note the small figure: it serves as a scale for the landscape. "Enneri" means something like "river". Like a wadi, it is characterised by the fact that it is almost always dry. The road that connects Bardaï with Soboroum runs through the bed of the Enneri Bessama. The volcanic tuff seems to have been cut with a gigantic sword stroke; soft, very fine sand, which makes walking difficult, fills the bottom of the Enneri. - Tibesti - Chad - 1967

View of the Enneri Bessama (Tibesti). Note the two men: they serve as a scale for the landscape. "Enneri" means something like "river". Like a wadi, it is characterised by the fact that it is almost always dry. The road that connects Bardaï with Soboroum runs through the bed of the Enneri Bessama. The volcanic tuff seems to have been cut with a gigantic sword stroke; soft, very fine sand, which makes walking difficult, fills the bottom of the Enneri. - Tibesti - Chad - 1967

One of Marshal Leclerc's Tubu guides, inspector of troops in North Africa, who distinguished himself in Chad and Libya during the Second World War. - Tibesti - Chad - 1967

The former chief of the Chirfa district, photographed in the Maman Delaï camp near Chirfa in Djado - Niger - 1966

Achegour is a regionally important water point on the northern Aïr-Bilma route between the Arbre du Ténéré and Dirkou in the Kaouar valley in northern Niger. The well is located in the middle of a sandy depression of the Falaise mountain range of Achegouar in the Ténéré desert. The water level is about 2-3 m deep. The water is slightly salty, but drinkable. Camels, however, drink the water only reluctantly. There are several acacias and tamarisk trees at the well of Achegour. - Ténéré - Niger - 1975

Tegguiddan-Tessoum. Salt extraction is gruelling work under the Saharan sun. – Niger – 1966

At the market in Timbédra, this old man patiently waits for a buyer. - Mauritania - 1969

This Moor waits for a job in the port of Kabara. - Mali - 1969

Silver and leather working is an important craft. The sword scabbard of a takouba is made here. - Kabara - Mali - 1969

A visit to a hairdresser is not only for a shave, but also for a long chat. - Timbuktu - Mali - 1969

A young water carrier in the Mopti area - Mali - 1969

Preparing the weaving threads - Mopti region - Mali - 1969

Joining forces makes it easier to lift the water bag - Eskiman well - Niger - 1970

Girls as well as boys help to bring the cattle to the drinking trough. - Eskiman well - Niger - 1970

It is difficult to find a people with more sense of pomp and adornment than the Peul. At festivals, one can witness true competitions for male beauty. The Peul are extremely ostentatious - as far as poverty does not set natural limits to this. But it is most interesting to note that these men, whose effeminate demeanour conceals a legendary courage, like their neighbours, the Tuareg, know the ancient custom of the courtyard of love. At festivals, the participants never refrain from carrying this long sword, so similar to the takuba from the Hoggarm massif. They make up their faces with vivid colours, saffron yellow, red and white predominating, and one would come to no end to make an inventory of the jewels and amulets they are wont to spread out on these occasions. To win the approval of the lady of one's choice, one must know how to show oneself off, and looks, grimaces and contortions count.... This is what the beautiful spectacle observed at the fountain of Ekisman is all about. - Niger - 1970

Until a few decades ago, ethnography did not credit the Peul (Fula) with a prehistoric origin; but we did not yet know what prehistory has since revealed to us. This Bororo Peul, found between Abalak and In Gall, is a descendant of the Neolithic cattle herders. Although dark-skinned, but copper-coloured rather than black, the Peul may well be the heirs of the Neolithic people of Sudanese tradition, who had emerged from the mixture of several races, at least one of which came from the Mediterranean area. - Eskiman well - Niger - 1970

It is difficult to find a people with more sense of pomp and adornment than the Peul (Fula). At festivals, one can witness true competitions for male beauty. The Peul are extremely ostentatious - as far as poverty does not set natural limits to this. But it is most interesting to note that these men, whose effeminate demeanour conceals a legendary courage, like their neighbours, the Tuareg, know the ancient custom of the courtyard of love. At festivals, the participants never refrain from carrying this long sword, so similar to the takuba from the Hoggarm massif. They make up their faces with vivid colours, saffron yellow, red and white predominating, and one would come to no end to make an inventory of the jewels and amulets they are wont to spread out on these occasions. To win the approval of the lady of one's choice, one must know how to show oneself off, and looks, grimaces and contortions count.... This is what the beautiful spectacle observed at the fountain of Ekisman is all about. - Niger - 1970

It is difficult to find a people with more sense of pomp and adornment than the Peul. At festivals, one can witness true competitions for male beauty. The Peul are extremely ostentatious - as far as poverty does not set natural limits to this. But it is most interesting to note that these men, whose effeminate demeanour conceals a legendary courage, like their neighbours, the Tuareg, know the ancient custom of the courtyard of love. At festivals, the participants never refrain from carrying this long sword, so similar to the takuba from the Hoggarm massif. They make up their faces with vivid colours, saffron yellow, red and white predominating, and one would come to no end to make an inventory of the jewels and amulets they are wont to spread out on these occasions. To win the approval of the lady of one's choice, one must know how to show oneself off, and looks, grimaces and contortions count.... This is what the beautiful spectacle observed at the fountain of Ekisman is all about. - Niger - 1970

Until a few decades ago, ethnography did not credit the Peul (Fula) with a prehistoric origin; but we did not yet know what prehistory has since revealed to us. This Bororo Peul, found between Abalak and In Gall, is a descendant of the Neolithic cattle herders. Although dark-skinned, but copper-coloured rather than black, the Peul may well be the heirs of the Neolithic people of Sudanese tradition, who had emerged from the mixture of several races, at least one of which came from the Mediterranean area. - Eskiman well - Niger - 1970

It is difficult to find a people with more sense of pomp and adornment than the Peul (Fula). At festivals, one can witness true competitions for male beauty. The Peul are extremely ostentatious - as far as poverty does not set natural limits to this. But it is most interesting to note that these men, whose effeminate demeanour conceals a legendary courage, like their neighbours, the Tuareg, know the ancient custom of the courtyard of love. At festivals, the participants never refrain from carrying this long sword, so similar to the takuba from the Hoggarm massif. They make up their faces with vivid colours, saffron yellow, red and white predominating, and one would come to no end to make an inventory of the jewels and amulets they are wont to spread out on these occasions. To win the approval of the lady of one's choice, one must know how to show oneself off, and looks, grimaces and contortions count.... This is what the beautiful spectacle observed at the fountain of Ekisman is all about. - Niger - 1970

It is difficult to find a people with more sense of pomp and adornment than the Peul. At festivals, one can witness true competitions for male beauty. The Peul are extremely ostentatious - as far as poverty does not set natural limits to this. But it is most interesting to note that these men, whose effeminate demeanour conceals a legendary courage, like their neighbours, the Tuareg, know the ancient custom of the courtyard of love. At festivals, the participants never refrain from carrying this long sword, so similar to the takuba from the Hoggarm massif. They make up their faces with vivid colours, saffron yellow, red and white predominating, and one would come to no end to make an inventory of the jewels and amulets they are wont to spread out on these occasions. To win the approval of the lady of one's choice, one must know how to show oneself off, and looks, grimaces and contortions count.... This is what the beautiful spectacle observed at the fountain of Ekisman is all about. - Niger - 1970

A Bororo herdsman in typical posture at the well of Ekisman - Niger - 1970

The bow is one of the "revolutionary" developments of the Neolithic. It had the same consequences for its owners as the first rifles. The posture of the Bororo-Peul hunter dressed in leather testifies to the permanence of the traditional gesture, holding his bow much like the one on the rock painting of Jabbaren, Tassili n' Ajjer. - Fountain of Eskiman - Niger - 1970

A flute player replaces the orchestra and supports the chorus of dancers with his instrument. The beat is given to him by clapping hands. The women, prize of this peaceful competition, show a very seductive demeanour ... - Fountain of Eskiman - Niger - 1970

A young Bororo with his typical features at the well of Ekisman - Niger - 1970

This simple tent is the dwelling of a family Bororo - Ekisman well - Niger - 1970

This young Peul wears the typical hat of the Zinder region - Southern Niger - 1970

Site of the rock engraving on the edge of the Ténéré desert - The man of Tagueït - Aïr - Niger - 2000

The Man of Tagueït - Rock engraving on the edge of the Ténéré desert - Aïr - Niger - 2000

Targi in the camp near the well of Faris - Air - Niger - 1992

The brother of Abakaoua, head of the Kel-Tedélé clan, with his son - Tezirzek well - Niger - Aïr - 1992

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