The Tuareg are an ancient Saharan people described as early as Herodotus, who currently number up to 1.5 million people. For more than 2000 years, this semi-nomadic and pastoral people have practiced trade caravanner trans-Saharan , basing its economy on livestock and trade.
Besides Mali, they inhabit the sub-Saharan countries of Niger, Algeria, Burkina Faso and the southernmost tip of Libya. Their spoken language is tamasheq , a language that has its roots in North Africa, and their writing system is an ancient hieroglyphic script called Tifinagh, of Berber origin. The predominant religion is Islam.
THE BLUE PEOPLE OF THE SAHARA
The Tuareg are also known as the " blue people ", because of their custom of veiling their faces with indigo-dyed fabrics: The Tagelmust . Worn by Tuareg men, it gives the appearance of a veil and turban, which was traditionally worn at maturity to ward off evil spirits, whilst having the practical effect of offering protection from the sun and the fierce sands of the Sahara.
SAFEGUARD THE HERITAGE AND CULTURE OF THE TOUAREG TRIBES
The mid-20th century saw great changes in the Tuareg way of life, with the end of French colonial rule in West Africa and the creation of new countries with new borders. The devastating droughts of the 1970s decimated livestock herds, alongside the resulting political disruptions and economic constraints.
While many have managed to maintain their traditional nomadic existence, some have been forced to settle in towns and villages to seek new forms of income. Although they are minorities within larger national groups, their tribal heritage and culture have a much wider influence, and the main channel for this is the activity of artisans within Tuareg communities.
TOUAREG TRIBAL ART: SYMBOLISM AND COSMOLOGY
Tuareg tribal art focuses on jewelry , leather work , metal saddle ornaments and the richly crafted swords. It is the repository of Tuareg heritage and culture, transmitted through the female line, and gives birth to exquisite silver jewelry and leather objects. Over generations, Tuareg artisans have preserved the symbolism and cosmology of their environment and incorporated it into their jewelry. Geometric patterns and designs are integrated into the pieces in a way that results in jewelry that speaks universally about the particular and has a unique aesthetic appeal.
There Tuareg cross is one of these pieces. The term " cross " was used by Europeans to try to describe this jewel and has no equivalent in the Tamasheq language. The Tuaregs call it Teneghelt from the verb " enghel " which means " to pour " and refers to the " lost wax " method by which the piece is created. The circle and cross inside the piece combine masculine and feminine symbols in union, to create an object of great beauty, and is made of silver, considered a noble metal.
This heirloom is based on an ancient myth of love, but it is also given by the father to the son at puberty as a symbolic reminder of the nomadic lifestyle of the Tuareg, and to help him find his way in times of confusion , distress or difficulty in the four directions of the world.
THE ROLE OF ARTISANS AMONG THE PEOPLES OF THE SAHARA
The Tuareg artisans who create such items, and many others, follow a long tradition that defines their function and social status within the community. They occupy a unique position within their society, in which they enjoy unusual independence. Not only are they capable of producing objects of great symbolism and beauty, but they hold the oral history and tribal heritage of their community which they then translate into physical objects.
Thus, they hold the tradition and culture of their people in a special and unique way. The coins themselves become the repository of this rich tribal heritage, while representing the wealth and status of the individual who owns them. Each object therefore moves between the individual and the collective and vice versa, through the ages.
