What does the Tuareg cross mean?
Though the exact meaning of the cross is a matter of debate, some Tuaregs say that the circle at the center of the cross symbolizes a well and the smaller circles around it are the footprints of desert jackals that come to drink at the well.
What is a Berber cross?
The Agadez Cross (also Agadès Cross, Cross of Niger, French: Croix d’Agadez) is the most popular category of Saharan Berber jewelry made especially by the Tuareg people of Niger. Only a few of this jewelry really looks like a cross.
Are Tuaregs Berbers?
The Tuareg people (/ˈtwɑːrɛɡ/; also spelled Twareg or Touareg; endonym: Imuhaɣ/Imušaɣ/Imašeɣăn/Imajeɣăn) are a large Berber ethnic group that principally inhabit the Sahara in a vast area stretching from far southwestern Libya to southern Algeria, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
Do Tuareg men wear jewelry?
Among the Tuareg, only men manufacture the stunning silver jewelry for which their people are famed. That jewelry, worn by both men and women, carries symbolic meaning. Silversmith Mohamed Ahnou explains many of the forms and designs.
Why do Tuareg people wear blue?
The Tuareg are sometimes called the “Blue People” because the indigo pigment in the cloth of their traditional robes and turbans stained their skin dark blue. The traditional indigo turban is still preferred for celebrations, and generally Tuareg wear clothing and turbans in a variety of colors.
Where do the Tuareg originally come from?
It is believed that the Tuareg are descendants of the North African Berbers, and that they originated in the Fezzan region of Libya. They later expanded into regions bordering the Sahara, bringing local farming peoples into their own society.
Are Tuaregs Muslims?
The Tuareg people are about 2 million nomadic people who live across the Sahara Desert, including in the North African countries of Mali, Niger, Libya, Algeria and Chad. The Tuaregs are part of the Berber group of people, and they are largely Muslim.
Why do the Tuareg wear blue veils?
Known as ‘the blue men of the Sahara’, the Tuareg men wear a blue Indigo veil to protect their faces from the dust whipped up by desert winds, which often leaves a blue mark on their skin. Women own the tents, considered the heart of the family, and the animals, which are also theirs to keep in case of divorce.
What race are the Tuareg?
What is the traditional Tuareg food?
Tuareg cuisine is as austere as its desert surroundings. Meat is a rarity. Milk and milk products from camels and goats are the norm. Camel’s milk with dried dates or a millet porridge with a butter sauce are typical dishes.
Why do the Tuareg wear blue?
Tuaregs wear dark blue clothes aim at reducing the effect of UV radiation from the Sun. Also, they always have a cloth around their mouth and nose to keep a moist flow of air as they breathe.
Are Tuaregs Arabs?
It is FALSE. The Tuaregs are Berbers who live in the central Sahara and its neighboring regions: Algeria, Libya, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. They speak the Tuareg language (Tamachek) and use a Latin Berber alphabet called tifinagh.
What race is Tuareg?
What do Tuareg call themselves?
The Tuareg call themselves the Imazghan, meaning “free people.” Today they are known for a distinctive dark blue turban worn by the men, and for their long history as gatekeepers of the Sahara Desert.
What is the difference between Berber and Tuareg?
The Tuareg language is a southern Berber language having several dialects among the different regions. Berber is an Afro-Asiatic language closely related to Egyptian and Semitic-Canaanite languages.
Why are the Tuareg called blue people?
They have been labeled “The Blue People” for centuries because of their fabulous flowing turbans and robes. The indigo dye rubs off on skin, leaving a blue cast. Tuareg clans move around in a harsh climate, and their nomadic travels are determined by the seasons and the environment, not political boundaries.
Why do Tuareg wear a veil?
The Tuareg tribes’ men wear veils instead of the women. It is used to protect them from the sand and sun. It is also worn during meals, in front of strangers and women. The Tuareg inhabit Sahara Africa, mostly in Libya, Algeria, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.