In the camp at Oued Agamgam - Aïr - Niger

Decorated hands of a Targuia in the camp at Oued Timia - Niger

Tuareg women take care of their goats in the camp near Oued Timia - Niger

Return from the well - The donkeys are tired, the water odres are full and the sun approaches its zenith: a common sight on the track between Iferouâne and Arlit. - Niger / Aïr / 2003

Selima, a Targuia from Zakkat - Her husband is still a nomad, but Selima has become sedentary. In the Zakkat oasis, she educates her two children and takes care of a herd of goats. A Targuia is a woman; a Tuareg, a man. - Niger / Aïr / 2001

Targuia at the fountain of Tezirzek - Between the high plateau of the Aïr Mountains and the Ténéré, the Tezirkek fountain attracts nomads and their animals. Unlike the men, the women do not wear a headscarf. - Niger / between Aïr and Ténéré / 2003

The two sisters of Toufouchi - Their features are clean; their look, determined. And a firm will is needed to survive in these inhospitable latitudes. The two sisters of Toufouchi look after the goats, cook, fetch water and find enough time in between for jokes and laughter.

Selima and son - Called «cul-nu» by the photographer, the son of Selima hides his tiny garment under the wide skirt of his mother. - Niger / Aïr / Zakkat / 2001

Smiling woman - The smile of this woman at the well of Tezirzek shows confidence in her freedom and the serenity that a hard but happy life offers. - Niger / Ténéré / 2003

At the Djanet oasis in the Tassili n'Ajjer (Algeria): Fadi is playing the imzad. This single-stringed bowed instrument is made out of a calabash and horse hair, accompanied by the singing of men, who tell of war, love and nomadic life without end...

Preparing tea at the Toufouchi camp site. (Aïr, Niger)

A Tuareg woman, placid pride rooted in a millennia-old matriarchate. (Oued Tchioulmas, Aïr, Niger)

Mother and children at the Arali camp site. (Oued Issaouane, Aïr, Niger)

Tima using her goat´s milk to make a cheese called Tukemarine. (Toufouchi, Aïr, Niger)

The Tuareg Kel Tédélé - Kogo / Aïr / Niger

Touareg woman at the well of Faris - Aïr / Niger

Aïr / Toufouchi / Beauties of the desert In the camps the camel-drivers find their wives dressed with their finest attires, like the sailors on their return to the harbour....

Aïr / Camp Chanounou / A veil of respect To guide the ancestral way of life, tradition and freedom are combined with respect for each other.

Kadi, sedentary Touareg woman, of French father, wearing her jewels (Djanet / Algeria / 1968)

Young sedentary Tuareg woman in party outfit (Djanet / Algeria / 1961)

Tuareg blacksmith woman (Tézirzek well / Aïr / Niger / 1992)

Wife of Chanounou, chief of a traditional Tuareg tribe (North of Aïr / Niger / 2001)

On indigo fabric background, nomad woman's hands and traditional Tuareg jewellery

Shepherdess of the Iférouane region (North-Aïr / Niger)

The trees feed the goats, which feed the nomads (Nord-Aïr / Niger)

Imzad
This instrument is made of half a calabash, covered with goat skin, a wooden handle and one horsehair string. The bow consists of a piece of bent oleander wood. Only women play this instrument on festive nights. They accompany the chants of the men, dedicated to warrior courage, love and eternal nomadic life ...
Algeria - Tassili - 1968

The shadows are getting longer
The evening arrives and the shepherdess returns to the oasis with her little herd of goats.
Algeria - Djanet - 1967

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

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

Tuareg woman from the Dag Rali tribe in the Hoggar. Around her neck, apart from the simple necklaces, she wears a pendant of 14 silver, faceted diamonds attached to a leather base. Underneath is an amulet with geometric ornaments. It encloses a Koran verse and is typical of Berber art. - Algeria - 1966

The preparation and tasting of green tea represent the most uniformly performed rite in the whole expanse of the Sahara, where coffee is practically unknown. There is an "etiquette of tea", and the way it is prepared and drunk is followed with a critical eye by the Tuareg. The Targuia of Illizi, Tassili n' Ajjer, stands out as much for the nobility of her bearing as the delicacy of her features. The Berber ancestry is very clear here. All the jewellery she wears is made of silver. The wealth of this "big tent" woman would undoubtedly allow her to own gold, but this metal is said to attract the evil eye. The Tuareg are extremely superstitious. - Algeria - 1966

Feminine adornment. The silver chest pendant is the jewel in a woman's outfit on her wedding day. Its composition and ornaments are always the same. Around the neck: a kind of necklace composed of cloves, whose fragrance is much appreciated by women. - Algeria - 1966

Illizi in Algeria: The Touareg woman - wife of Amastan - loads her dromedary with her household goods. - Algeria - 1962

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

The shadows are getting longer, evening is coming. The shepherdess returns to the oasis with her meagre herd of goats. In the background, the Arab village of Azzelouaz, which together with the Tuareg-inhabited Adjahil and the predominantly black El Mihan forms the most important oasis in southern Algeria, Djanet. - Algeria - 1962

The water service is women's work. The containers are made of bottle gourds. The women carry them from the well to their homes with the help of a rope tied around their foreheads. - In the El Mihan district, Djanet. - Algeria - 1966

The water service is women's work. The containers are made of bottle gourds. The women carry them from the well to their homes with the help of a rope tied around their foreheads. . - In the El Mihan district, Djanet. - Algeria - 1966

Two Tuareg couples in festive garb. The woman on the left plays an imzad, the targui on the right has his lance stuck in the sand in front of him. - Djanet - Algérie - 1962

Young sedentary Tuareg woman in festive robe. - Djanet - Algeria - 1962

Tuareg girl from the Djanet region. - Algeria - 1962

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

Young Tuareg woman from the Djanet region. - 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

The inhabitants of Djanet dance the festival of Shebiba. The women beat the obsessive rhythm tirelessly with their drum, the Ganga. - Algeria - 1962

«Modern» Tuareg woman in the streets of Agadez. The coloured umbrella protects from the sun and gives great dignity. – Niger - 1966

The interior of a house in Agadez (Niger). The women are admirably skilled in leather handicrafts, which they decorate with geometric patterns. These leather pieces are assembled into a tasufra, a sack that is hung on the camel's saddle and filled with clothes and various utensils when moving around. – Niger - 1966

Tuareg girl from In Abangarit, northwest of Agadez - Niger - 1966

Salt mines of Tegguiddan-Tessoum in the northwest of Agadez, Niger. Salt mixed with earth is extracted from the surrounding salt pans and dissolved in water, in this type of salt pans. Once the water has evaporated, the salt is collected by the women in wide gourds. – Niger – 1966

In Camp Agamgam - Aïr - Niger - 1992

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

In the camp of the Kel-Tédélé-Tuareg in the Oued Gouloukou - Kogo - Aïr - Niger - 1992

Targia with child in the Kel-Tédélé-Tuareg camp in the Oued Gouloukou - The mortar is hand-carved from aborak wood and is also used as a musical instrument when reversed and covered with a goatskin. The stick is made of acacia wood. - Kogo - Aïr - Niger - 1992

The goat's milk is stored in a gourd container. - Camp of the Kel-Tédélé-Tuareg - Oued Gouloukou - Kogo - Aïr - Niger - 1992

Girl and baby in the Kel-Tédélé-Tuareg camp in the Oued Gouloukou - The mortar is hand-carved from aborak wood and is also used as a musical instrument when reversed and covered with a goatskin. The stick is made of acacia wood. - Kogo - Aïr - Niger - 1992

Preparing food in the Kel-Tédélé-Tuareg camp - Oued Gouloukou - Kogo - Aïr - Niger - 1992

A goat being milked - Kel-Tédélé-Tuareg camp - Oued Gouloukou - Kogo - Aïr - Niger - 1992

In the camp of the Kel-Tédélé-Tuareg in the Oued Gouloukou - Kogo - Air - Niger - 1992

In the camp near the well of Faris - Air - Niger - 1992

Young Targia in the Kel-Tédélé camp in the Oued Tchiulmas at the foot of the Tamgak massif - Aïr - Niger - 1992

Targia in the Kel-Tédélé camp in the Oued Tchiulmas at the foot of the Tamgak massif - Aïr - Niger - 1992

The fruits of an acacia tree - called afagag in the Tuareg language - serve as fodder for the goats - Adrar Chiriet - Aïr - Niger - 1992

Boys and girls in the camp of Abakaoua, the Kel-Tédélé clan leader - Adrar Chiriet - Aïr - Niger - 1992

A young Targia in the camp of Abakaoua, the clan leader of the Kel-Tédélé - Adrar Chiriet - Aïr - Niger - 1992

This series of pictures shows the construction of a tataram as it is carried out by the sedentary Tuareg. The photos were taken in November / December 2001 in the area of the confluence of the Tamgak and Zakkat rivers, about 5 km east of Iferouâne - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Women have a special status among the Tuareg. The Targia are very highly respected. They are allowed to choose who and when they marry. The prerequisite is that the chosen one can pay the bride price. Married couples usually live monogamously. The children receive their social status through their mother. While women in Arab Islam still have problems getting divorced today, the Targia can divorce at their own request. In the event of divorce, the children remain with their mother - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The size of the tataram is determined with a circular line. The supporting posts are then dug in at intervals of about one metre. These posts are made from a tree called Apple of Sodom (Calotropis procera), also known as roostertree, a shrub or small tree that grows to a height of 1 to 6 metres. These branches are reinforced and extended with the strong leaf stalk of the palm fronds of the date palm, so that the interior of the new hut is covered - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Whether a tent, hut or house in which the family lives is owned by the woman. Building a house is also part of the Tuareg woman's job. The women have a say and express their opinions: they take an active part in the discussions at the tea ceremonies - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The fan-like leaves of the doum palm are divided into their individual leaves. These parts in turn serve as ‘strings’ with which the posts and leaf stalks of the date palm are tied together - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Tying together the posts and leaf stalks of the date palms - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The basic framework with the main beams for the roof is in place - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Now the beams are connected horizontally with further leaf stalks of the date palm to create a solid framework - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The wheat straw is tied vertically to this scaffolding - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Half of the wall is already covered with wheat straw, carefully tied to the scaffolding with the leaves of the doum palm - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The wall of the hut is completely covered with wheat straw, only the opening for the door remains free - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The wall of the hut has been fixed all round with wheat straw, only the opening for the door remains free - Aïr - Niger - 2001

At head height, a first ring of branches of the tree called Apple of Sodom (Calotropis procera), also known as roostertree, is now fixed for stabilisation - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The Targias have brought their mortars from aborak wood, which makes it easier for them to lash the stabilising ring - Aïr - Niger - 2001

A large amount of wheat straw is still needed before the roof is finished - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Layer after layer of wheat straw is now fixed in place like tiles and lashed down with a tyre made of the same material - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Layer after layer of wheat straw is now being laid down like bricks and lashed down with a tyre of the same material - Aïr - Niger - 2001

A ring is made to secure the wheat straw - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Layer after layer of wheat straw is now fixed all round like bricks and secured with a ring of the same material - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The skeleton is clearly visible inside the hut. Above it, the layers of wheat straw are tightly bound and form a dome - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The roof construction is nearing completion. The wheat straw is tied down layer by layer. This prevents rainwater from entering the hut - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The roof will soon be finished. The only thing missing is the finish - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Finally, a rain-repellent mat woven from palm leaves is tied around the smoke opening - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The hut is finished. The door is also fixed. The family can move into their new home - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Three Targias in the Tezirzek camp - An old tin barrel serves as a drum - Niger - Aïr - 2003

Two happy Targias in the Tezirzek camp - 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

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

A veil of respect - To follow the ancestral way of life, tradition and freedom merge in mutual respect. - Camp of Chanounou - Aïr - Niger - 2003

Wife of Chanounou, the chief of a traditional Tuareg tribe - Aïr - Niger - 2003

Targia with child - in the gardens of Iferouâne - Aïr - Niger - 2000

A young Targia with her child in the camp of Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2000

Young Targia preparing a meal - Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2000

As with many other indigenous peoples, the Targia carries her infant on her back - Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2000

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

Young Targia with traditional jewellery - Oued Timia - Niger - Aïr - 1992

Hands of a nomad woman with traditional Tuareg jewellery on indigo fabric in the background - Oued Timia - Niger - Aïr - 1992

The well of Tchintoulbus, en route to Iferouâne - Niger - Aïr - 1999

Acacia raddiana (called Afagag in the Tuareg language) grows in dry areas and has many uses. The species is common in the driest areas along temporary watercourses on light, well-drained soils. Although the wood is not used industrially, it has many local uses, not least because of its importance for feeding animals and occasionally people (famines). In traditional medicine, Acacia raddiana is known to be a particularly effective wound-healing agent. The wood is a much sought-after fuel (firewood and charcoal) and a favorite material for handicrafts (mortars, bowls, etc.) - Camp Chemma - Niger - Aïr - Iberkom - 2001

Tatum, a young Targia, weaving ribbons that are further processed into mats - Iberkom - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Tatum prepares a meal for the road called Arichira. She needs dates, cheese and water - Iberkom - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Tatum, a young Targia, weaving ribbons that are further processed into mats - Iberkom - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Portrait of Tatum, a Targia in the camp of Chemma - Iberkom - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Portrait of a Targia in the camp of Chemma - Iberkom - Aïr - Niger - 2001

In the Chemma camp in Iberkom - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Selima preparing cheese from goat's milk - Chemma camp in Iberkom - Niger - Aïr - 2001

A Targia making cheese from goat's milk - Chemma camp in Iberkom - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Tuareg women preparing a meal - Niger - Aïr - 2001

The fire must be rekindled - Toufouchi camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Wood must be pushed close so that the fire does not go out - Toufouchi camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Tuareg women preparing a meal - On the left, the goat's cheese is being dried - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Ibrahim's daughters fetch the precious water from the waterhole - Toufouchi camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Ibrahim's daughter tastes the precious water from the waterhole - Toufouchi camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Ibrahim's wife with her daughter Djamila - Toufouchi camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

This Targia is called Tima and is the daughter of Ibrahim - Toufouchi camp - Aïr - Niger - 2001

This Targia is called Tima and is the daughter of Ibrahim - She uses Khol, a powder, to apply make-up - Toufouchi camp - Aïr - Niger - 2001

School for life - In order to take part in life in the camp, the girl learns the necessary skills early on so that she can support her family. Here she is pounding millet in a mortar. The mortar is carved from aborak wood and also serves as a musical instrument when turned upside down and covered with a goatskin. The stick is made of acacia wood. - Toufouchi camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Tima uses goat's milk to make cheese called Tukemarine - Toufouchi camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Everywhere on earth the wind helps to separate the wheat from the chaff - Targia Raisa with her children Fatima and Hamed -Toufouchi camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Tea ceremony in Toufouchi camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

This Targia is a daughter of Ibrahim - Toufouchi camp - Aïr - Niger - 2001

A Targia with child in the Toufouchi camp - Aïr - Niger - 2001

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

I wonder if the grandmother is looking after her grandchild here? - Toufouchi camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

With the vessels in her hand, this young Targia looks round for a goat to be milked - Toufouchi camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

Return from the well - The guerba is filled with water - Toufouchi camp - Niger - Aïr - 2001

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

The vital water is poured into the drinking trough for the animals - Tanet Mellet well - Bachar camp - 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

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

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

Targia with child in the gardens of Ibrahim near Iferouâne - Niger - Aïr - 2001

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

At the well of Eghaghar or Erarar - 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

In the Zakkat camp at the confluence of the Tamgak and Zakkat rivers. Two Targias prepare the ‘sieve’ made of wheat straw, which is used to drain the goat cheese Toukamarin - Aïr - Niger - 2001

In the Zakkat camp at the confluence of the Tamgak and Zakkat rivers. A Targia shows her visitor how to drain Toukamarin goat's cheese - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Making a mat woven from palm leaves - Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Selima washing her pots - Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Appointment with the hairdresser - Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The millet for the taguella is pounded in a mortar - Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

A Targia preparing tea - Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

People like to combine the preparation of a meal with a chat - Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

On the day of the ‘Méchoui’, a whole sheep is roasted over the fire in honour of the guests - Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Sedentary Tuareg build a hut surrounded by cultivable land - Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Tuareg girl in the camp of Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Young Targia in the Zakkat camp - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Selima, a Targia from Zakkat - Her husband is still a nomad, but Selima has settled down. In the oasis of Zakkat, she raises her two children and looks after a herd of goats. A Targia is a Tuareg woman, a Targi is a man. - Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Yvonne, a Targia from Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Yvonne, a Targia from Zakkat, has just come from the hairdresser - Aïr - Niger - 2001

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