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

Barbati’s chapati - In the Thar Desert (western India), this young nomad woman, called Barbati, is preparing the chapati, traditional Indian bread. An image that, except for some clothing details, might as well belong to everyday life in the Sahara. Similar conditions, similar traditions. - 1990

Beauty from Rajasthan - Abhirushi, which quite fittingly means "beautiful" in Rajasthan, is a nomad. She is wearing beautiful traditional jewellery – but would it be so beautiful without the brightness of her smile and the fineness of her eyes? (Region of Udaipur, Rajasthan, India) - 1990

Portrait of a young Touareg - Faris / Aïr / Niger

Game
Every nomad likes to play. The preference is given to the game of checkers, whose pawns are pebbles or camel poop. Each move is punctuated by endless discussions.
Algeria - Hoggar Camp - 1968

Well of the Ténéré tree
At the bottom of this 36 meters deep well, the water is of poor quality, but necessary for caravaneers. It is brought to the surface by muscle power or with the help of animals.
Niger - Tenere - 1967

Entering another world
The caravan is about to enter a mineral universe that is no longer the world of men but that of an intact nature where only the nomads can survive.
Niger - Aïr - Erg Izane - 2002

Abakaoua
In his indigo outfit, chief Abakaoua ag Kanom, a symbol of the stubborn resistance of the Touareg Kel Tédélé people, proudly wears his 72 years and underlines the tenacious will of his gaze with a line of khol.
Niger - Aïr - 2003

Caravan
In the Aïr, the guide searches on foot for the best passage for his caravan through the dunes. Niger - Aïr - Erg Izane - 2000

In the morning light
Caravan in the Temet wadi.
Niger - Aïr - 2003

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

Long live the bride
The pectoral pendant is the centrepiece of the adornment of a woman on the day of her marriage. Around the neck, she wears a collar formed by cloves. The scent that emerges is very appreciated among women.
Algeria - Illizi - 1967

Moorish camp in the heart of the Spanish Sahara. The dwelling of the Réguibat nomads consists of a pointed tent made of camel and goatskin, usually sewn together from seven panels. Inside, they lay out mats, some rugs, sometimes fur blankets. - Western Sahara - 1966

The Moors, like their cousins the Tuareg, are Berbers. They inhabit what is now Mauritania. You often meet them when, as here at Aïn ben Tili, they move from one camp to another with their heavily laden camels. Typical is the wide women's saddle, whose fragility and lack of balance are obvious. - Mauritania - 1970

A Réguibat tribe on their way over the pass of Ammojar (Mauritania). Wife and children make the journey in a palanquin that protects them from wind and dust. - Mauritania - 1968

The tent of a nomadic family Bir Moghreïn in the far north of Mauritania. - Mauritania - 1968

The nomad Sidi Ali Ali from the Tamchekett region in Mauritania. - 1970

Nomad tent made of animal skins in Sidi Mohammed's camp on the track through the Hoggar. - Algeria - 1966

Departure. The women fold up the Issabeur or Assaber, a kind of removable fence 8 to 10 metres long that protects against wind and winter cold. The Issabeur is made of mats stitched together with the long stems of the Markuba, a grass plant that thrives in clumps in the desert. - Algeria - 1966

The tea water is boiled on an open fire. Targui Litni in Sidi Mohammed's camp on the track through the Hoggar. - Algeria - 1966

In the camp, life melts away in little drops of time that you sip with relish. Every nomad loves to play. The favourite pastime is a kind of checkers game with stones, some of which are pebbles, others camel dung balls. There are endless discussions between the individual moves. - Algeria - 1966

The purple mountains of the Tassili N'Aijer shimmer in a mirage of water. The Tassili mountains are the domain of the Ajjer Tuareg, the land of veiled, poor but independent men. - Algeria - 1966

Nomad tent at Fort Polignac, today called Illizi. - Algeria - 1966

Tuareg nomad camp in the Oued Djerat in the Tassili Mountains. - Algeria - 1962

A Tuareg woman grinds the grain on a stone mill - Camp Idriss - Dider - Tassili n'Ajjer. - Algeria - 1966

The imzad, a one-stringed violin, consists of half a bottle gourd covered with goatskin and a wooden handle. The string is made of horsehair. The bow is a curved piece of laurel rose wood. Only the women play this instrument on festive days. Tuareg poetry is expressed orally. - Algeria - 1962

Tuareg society has a matriarchal structure. This imzad player (the imzad is a one-stringed musical instrument) praises the great deeds of her ancestors as handed down to her by her mother; she is the keeper of tradition. However, the difficult art of playing the imzad is becoming more and more lost. The instrument is made of half a calabash with sheepskin stretched over it, the bridge is made of the wood of the laurel rose. - Algeria - 1962

In the middle of the Tassili, you can suddenly come across a nomadic mosque. - Algeria - 1962

On the edge of the Tibesti, a group of Toubou women are busy building a nomad tent. This dwelling consists of an oval frame, while a network of palm branches and ribs supports an assembly of mats attached to each other by thorns. In the organisation of a camp, it is traditional that the house and furniture belong to the woman. - Chad - 1967

Somewhere in northern Tibesti, these tubu women are busy setting up camp. - Chad - 1967

Tubu camp. Among the objects essential to nomadic life is a traditional camel saddle. - Chad - 1967

Between the Enneri Tao and Bardaï, an old lava flow on the edge of the track underlines the geological origin of the Tibesti in a grandiose way and makes the progression difficult. - Chad - 1967

Young Toubou, in Zouï, near Bardaï. Considered as the greatest walkers of the Sahara, the Toubous have an extraordinary endurance. They are almost always on the move. A guerba filled with water and a few dates are enough for them to cross the desert and climb the rocks with agility. - Chad - 1967

A Toubou 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. - Chad - 1967

It is the woman who is entrusted with the task of setting up the house. The house and the furniture belong to her. - Tibesti - Chad - 1967

Nomadic Tubu herders on their way to Bardaï. While the men go on foot, pushing their donkeys and goats in front of them, the camels, heavily loaded, close the march. In the distance, the spiky triangle of the Botoum peak (2416 m altitude) rises up. - Tibesti - Chad - 1967

Caravan of Tubu nomads on the track leading to Bardaï. The men walk, the camels trotting behind the donkeys and the goats, carrying heavy loads. In the background, the rugged triangle of Pic Botoum. - Tibesti - Chad - 1967

Tubu woman. Early in the morning she has left her camp to go to Zouar, hoping to sell some lean goats there or to exchange them for tea, sugar or millet. - Tibesti - Chad - 1967

120 kilometres from Zouar, near the Enneri (Wadi) Maro, things are very busy. For the water, so indispensable for life, comes up fresh and cool from the bottom of the well here. - Tibesti - Chad - 1967

Toubou girl near Sherda (Tibesti). She offers eggs as a welcome. Hospitality in the desert is a sacred duty, a great honour; no nomad escapes it. It is usually expressed in a gourd of camel milk or a handful of dried dates. - Sherda - Zouar - Tibesti - Chad - 1967

Camel breeding is the occupation of the noble. In reality, they are dromedaries in the Sahara, but they have been called camels for centuries. Up to the age of three or four, the camel stays in the pasture. Then it starts to be trained. Between six and eight years, it is put to work. Male animals are usually used for the large caravans. – Niger - 1966

Camel market in In-Gall in Aïr (Republic of Niger). As in all marketplaces in Africa, people haggle extensively. The Tuareg are very vain. They often wear bracelets made of stone, e.g. serpentine, slate or limestone, above their elbows. The man in the white gandura on the left has a braid hanging from the litham on either side of his head, a custom typical of the Aïr. – Niger - 1966

Each tribe has its own special mark that it burns on the animals to be able to recognise them if they get lost. – Niger - 1966

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 - 1969

This girl is a splendid example of the Fulbe tribe found between Douentza and Hombori in Mali. The graceful harmony of the fine features, illuminated by an intelligent smile, are remarkable. The Fulbe belong to the large family of the Peul. - Mali - 1969

Filingué is located in a zone where agropastoralism is practised. The large market of Filingué is mainly used by pastoralists and millet farmers, members of the Fulbe and Tuareg ethnic groups. The town's inhabitants struggle with poor nutrition, lack of access to drinking water and problems with water drainage in rainy seasons. - Water transport by calabash - Niger - 1970

Nomads on the move north of Filingué - Niger - 1970

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

Overview of the well of Ekismane. The herders distribute the water to the watering troughs. The cattle wait for their turn. - Niger - 1970

With the help of the dromedary, the water is lifted while the cattle wait patiently until they are led to the watering place. A spectacle that is repeated daily. - Well of Eskiman - Niger - 1970

After watering, the cattle are returned to the surrounding pastures. - Eskiman well - 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

It has often been overlooked that cattle also served as pack animals and as such played a major role in the civilisation of the Sahara. As a rider we find the same girl as in the previous photo. - Well of Ekisman - Niger - 1970

Typical of their breed are the tattoos on the Bororo's face. The ears, pierced all along the rim by many holes, allow to wear amazing amounts of silver rings. Strings around the neck are used to hold various collections of amulets. - Fountain of Ekisman - Niger - 1970

Region between Bou Ediane and the Grotto of the Viper. A nomad is on the move with his packed donkeys. Algeria - Tadrart - 1993

A group of Tuareg nomads have completed their barter transactions near Adrar Madet and are getting ready to return to the Aïr Mountains. - Adrar Madet - Niger - 2002

Departure of the caravan. - Adrar Madet - Niger - 2002

The caravan forms up for departure. - Adrar Madet - Niger - 2002

The caravan leaves the Adrar Madet in a westerly direction. About 70 kilometres lead through the Erg Brousset to the foothills of the Aïr Mountains. - Adrar Madet - Niger - 2000

The caravan begins with the crossing of Erg Brousset. - Niger - 2001

Late afternoon in Erg Brousset. - Niger - 2000

In the desert, it is always the man of knowledge and experience who chooses the best way to obtain the caravan's resources. - End of the crossing of Erg Brousset. Abakaoua, the Tuareg chief, leads the caravan to the sand dunes of Tagueït. - Niger - 2001

The dromedaries are led to the nearby well of Ibil, where they can quench their thirst. - Tagueït - Niger 2002

The dromedaries have quenched their thirst in nearby Ibil and return to the camp at Tagueït. - Niger 2002

The feet of a Tuareg nomad - Guelta Agamgam - Aïr - Niger - 2002

In the camp at the Crab Claw at the end of the Oued Arakao - Aïr - Niger - 2000

A Targia in the camp at the Crab Claw at the end of the Oued Arakao - Aïr - Niger - 2000

Camp in the dunes of Lérouanan - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2000

The well of Faris. Right beside it grows an Aborak tree, a desert date palm (Balanites aegyptiaca) - Air - Niger - 1992

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

Setting off to cross the Erg Izane - Issouane - Air - Niger - 2002

Setting off to cross the Erg Izane - To the right, at the back, is the area of Tchi-n-Taboûrak, from where we departed. - Issouane - Air - Niger - 2002

The caravan on the way in the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2002

Crossing the sand sea Erg Izane. The Sloughi Temet is also there - Air - Niger - 2002

Crossing the sand sea Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2002

On the way in the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2002

On the way in the Erg Izane - A dromedary needs to be reloaded - Air - Niger - 2000

On the way in the sand sea of the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2002

Crossing the sand sea Erg Izane - In the background, on the left the mountain Adrar Chiriet, on the right in the distance a marble hill - Air - Niger - 2002

Immersing into another world - The caravan enters another universe that is no longer the world of humans. In this untouched nature, only the nomads can survive. - On the left, the Adrar Chiriet - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2002

In the late afternoon in the Erg Izane - Air - Niger - 2002

In the late afternoon in the Erg Izane - The hour of prayer - Air - Niger - 2002

In the late afternoon in the Erg Izane - In the background, the mountain Adrar Chiriet - Air - Niger - 2002

The march continues through the dunes of the Erg Izan - In the back left the Adrar Chiriet - Air - Niger - 2002

The dromedaries come back from grazing - In the background the Tamgak Mountains - Near Adrar Chiriet - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2002

Travelling from Adrar Chiriet to Tamgak - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2002

Lunch break - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2002

The march continues in the direction of Tamgak - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2002

The camp of Tanao against the backdrop of the Tamgak - Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2002

Instead of the traditional guerbas, modern water canisters are filled with the delicious liquid - Niger - Aïr - 2003

The caravan follows the Oued Temet - Niger - Aïr - 2003

Targia at the well of Tezirzek - Between the high plateau of the Ténéré and the Aïr Mountains, the well of Tezirkek attracts nomads and their animals. Unlike the men, the women do not wear headscarves. - Aïr - Niger - 2003

Women's smiles - The smiles of the women at the well of Tezirzek testify to their confidence in their freedom and the serenity that a hard but happy life brings. - Aïr - Niger - 2003

Women's smiles - The smiles of the women at the well of Tezirzek testify to their confidence in their freedom and the serenity that a hard but happy life gives. - Aïr - Niger - 2003

This Tuareg boy´s hair plaits are consecrated to Allah. In the camp of the Kel-Tédélé of Tezirzek - Aïr - Niger - 1992

A young Targi in the Abakaoua camp in Tezirzek - Niger - Aïr - 1992

Tuareg boy in the camp of the Kel-Iguéga of Tezirzek - Aïr - Niger - 1992

The brother of the clan chief Abakoua fetches a dromedary from the pasture - Niger - Aïr - 1992

Members of the Kel-Iguéga clan in the Tezirzek camp - Niger - Aïr - 1992

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

Portrait of a Targis in the Kel-Iguéga camp near Tezirzek - Aïr - Niger - 1992

Young Targia with her little brother in the Kel-Iguéga camp - The boy carries a lucky amulet containing a written verse from the Koran - Well of Tezirzek- Niger - Aïr - 199292

The goats are supplied with water - Well of Tezirzek- Niger - Aïr - 1992

Cutting the drinn on the way, fodder for the dromedaries - Niger - Aïr - 2003

Travelling in the dunes between Tezirzek and the Oued Tchioulmas - Niger - Aïr - 2003

The caravan travelling through the dunes on the edge of Erg Izane - Niger - Aïr - 2003

The caravan travelling through the dunes on the edge of Erg Izane, between Tezirzek and Oued Tchioulmas - Niger - Aïr - 2003

The well of Tchou-m-Adegdeg - Tebet region between Adrar Chiriet and Tamgak - Niger - Aïr - 1992

At the well of Tchou-m-Adegdeg - A goatskin guerba is filled with water - Tebet region between Adrar Chiriet and Tamgak - Niger - Aïr - 1992

From the edge of the Erg Izane, we head towards the mountains of the Tamgak massif - Niger - Aïr - 2003

At Guelta Iffazane, the water gushing out of the ground flows over several steps into a small lake. Fresh greenery can be found here all year round - A guerba is filled with water - Niger - Aïr - 2003

In the Oued Aouï – The Tamgak Mountains in the background on the left - Niger - Aïr - 2003

Warehouse in the Oued Aouï - Salt from Bilma is traded here - Niger - Aïr - 2003

The dromedaries are freed from their burden - Tachaouit camp - Niger - Aïr - 2003

The caravan sets off again early in the morning - Tachaouit - Niger - Aïr - 2003

Evening atmosphere in the camp of Chanounou - Niger - Aïr - 2003

Everything that needs to be kept safe from the goats is hung up in the appropriate place - Chanounou camp - Niger - Aïr - 2003

Sleeping place in the camp of Chanounou - Niger - Aïr - 2003

The camel drivers sit around the fire under which the traditional taguella is cooked - Guelta Baloumat - Aïr - Niger - 2002

The meat of a goat is cut into pieces and roasted on the fire - Guelta Baloumat - Aïr - Niger - 2002

Boubakar twists a new string from plastic strips - Guelta Baloumat - Aïr - Niger - 2002

A Targi with his takuba, the sword of the nobleman. As former warriors, the Tuareg are often homesick for their past. In their secret thoughts, they revive the memory of the former rezzous, raids against the caravans that brought slaves and gold up from the south. - Guelta Baloumat - Aïr - Niger - 2002

The caravan approaches the end of the gorge that runs through the Tamgak massif. - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The dromedaries are loaded again in the camp at the exit of the gorge - Tamgak - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Loading the dromedaries at the camp in Oued Takarit - Aïr - Niger - 1999

Rest in the Tebet area, on the edge of Erg Izane - Aïr - Niger - 2000

Leaving the dunes of Erg Izanes behind, the caravan approaches the foothills of the Tamgak Mountains - Aïr - Niger - 2001

A last camp in the sand dunes before the caravan makes its way through the mountains - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Portrait Touareg Arali - Tamgak - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Portrait Touareg Eikerim - Tamgak - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Portrait Touareg Chemma ag Gafid - Tamgak - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Portrait Touareg Hiram, the prayer leader of the camel drivers - Tamgak - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Portrait of Touareg Bachar ag Akhmadou - Tamgak - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Portrait of Touareg Abakaoua, chief of the Kel-Tédélé clan - Tamgak - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Boubakar - The chief of a Tuareg clan - Tamgak - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Eating millet and milk together - The hand replaces the fork - Tamgak - Aïr - Niger - 2001

There is always enough time for a chat at mealtime - Tamgak - Aïr - Niger - 2000

The caravan travelling in the valley of the Gueltas (waterholes), in the northern part of the Tamgak massif, also called Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2002

Two Targias lead their goats to a new feeding place in the Oued Timia - Niger - Aïr - 1992

Timia is a rural community in Niger. It is located approximately 150 kilometres north-east of Agadez in the middle of the desert area of the Aïr Mountains. The village is centred around a guelta oasis and is known for being one of the few places in the area with fruit trees. It is home to a seasonal waterfall, a French colonial fort and the ruins of the historic Tuareg village of Assodé. - Camp of Tuareg nomads in the Oued Timia - Niger - Aïr - 1992

Nomad tents in Boubakar camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Milking a goat must be practised - Boubakar camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

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! - Camp Boubakar - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Pounding millet in a mortar - In the background a sleeping place - Boubakar camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

A Targia in the Boubakar camp - Aïr - Niger - 2001

A young Targi in the Boubakar camp - Aïr - Niger - 2001

A young Targia in the Boubakar camp - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The wealth of a Tuareg clan is reflected in the number of goats - Boubakar camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Milking a goat must be practised - Boubakar camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

The wealth of a Tuareg clan is reflected in the number of goats - Boubakar camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Preparations for making a taguella - Boubakar camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Nomad tent with sleeping quarters in the Boubakar camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Many animals gather around the well of Afis - Niger - Aïr - 2001

At the well Tanet Mellet - On the left the chief Bachar - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Targia with child in the Irham camp at the Tanet Mellet well - Niger - Aïr - 2001

The Targia Jennifer in the camp of Irham - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The young Targia Fatima in the camp of Irham - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The young Targi Achmed in the camp of Irham - Aïr - Niger - 2001

In the Irham camp near the Tanet Mellet well - Everything that must be out of reach of the goats is either hung up or stored on a rack - Niger - Aïr - 2001

A Tuareg nomad bed with Achmed, Fatma and Siliha. The frame is made of aborak wood, the mat is woven from palm leaves - Irham camp at the well of Tanet Mellet - Niger - Aïr - 2001

In the Irham camp near the Tanet Mellet well - This tent has a protective fence against the goats - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Jennifer processes an onion - In the Irham camp at the Tanet Mellet well - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Portrait Touareg Omar al Mahadj of the Kel-Takriza clan - Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

A dromedary mare is milked at Brahim's camp near Iferouâne - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Ibrahim of Toufouchi - In the camp near Iferouâne - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Ibrahim in the gardens near Iferouâne - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Targia in Ibrahim's camp in the gardens near Iferouâne - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The Targi Ibrahim in the camp of Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Ibrahim's house near Iferouâne - Niger - Aïr - 2001

The well of Eghaghar or Erarar - Aïr - Niger - 2001

At the well of Eghaghar or Erarar - Aïr - Niger - 2001

About 5 kilometres from Iferouâne is the confluence of the Tamgak and Zakkat rivers, which flow down from the Tamgak massif. The Tuaregs have set up camp here. - Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

About 5 kilometres from Iferouâne is the confluence of the Tamgak and Zakkat rivers, which flow down from the Tamgak massif. The Tuaregs have set up camp here. - Preparations for a march into the Tamgak massif - Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Targia with children in the camp at the confluence of the Tamgak and Zakkat rivers - Aïr - Niger - 2001

In the camp at the confluence of the Tamgak and Zakkat rivers - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Targia with child in the camp at the confluence of the Tamgak and Zakkat rivers - Aïr - Niger - 2001

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