Silent Lives | Frances Dal Chele

SILENT LIVES

Aristocrats of the desert. Blue Men of the Sahara. Elegant masters of a vast, hostile expanse. What has become of these august and free nomads? What does their life of settled nomads resemble, after having been forced into a sedentary life by the profound political, economic and climatic changes that impacted their culture?
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Sarmi’s age is a mystery. His entire life has been spent in the desert, leading a nomadic life before becoming semi-nomadic. Wadi Essendilene, Algerian Sahara, 1997

Zahra, fortyish, was obliged to come back to the desert encampment to live with her mother, Hawa, and stepfather, Sarmi, after her divorce. Only two tents make up the encampment. She misses the oasis of Djanet where she lived before her divorce and where life was easier and livelier. Wadi Essendilene, Algerian Sahara, 1997

Mohamed is around 27 years old and lives in the oasis town of Djanet. Like many husbands and sons, he chooses to live in town rather than in a semi-nomadic encampment. His mother continues to live in the encampment, so Mohamed comes back every two weeks or so to visit her. Wadi Elt, Algerian Sahara, 1997

Sidi, around 17 years old, has never seen the inside of a school. He lives in a semi-nomadic encampment of two tents with his mother, Sekiwa his sister, and a baby brother. His father works in Djanet and only comes back once or twice a month to see them. Wadi Essendilene, Tassili Ajjers, 1997

Early evening in one of the semi-nomadic encampments along Wadi Elt. The women have gone to search for wood in the surrounding desert to use for cooking the evening meal. Tassili Ajjers, Algerian Sahara, 1997

These goats are going back to Taroumout, a village of sedentary Tuaregs. The daily chore of taking the goats out to forage falls on women and children. They cover several kilometers in order to find enough food. They leave at dawn and only come back late in the afternoon because the “trek” stops during the two hottest hours of the day. Tassili Hoggar, 1993

Goats are very fond of the beans of this tree close to Hawa’s tent. She is shaking its branches to make the beans fall. Tassili Ajjers, April 1997

In the relative coolness of early evening in Ezarnen, a village of settled Tuaregs, an elderly woman spins goat hairs. Tassili Ajjers, Algerian Sahara, 1993

During the daily trek in quest of forage, a goat that wanders too far from the rest of the herd and the watchful eye of the Tuareg woman shepherd runs the risk of being attacked and killed by a jackal. This happens regularly and always constitutes an important loss for the family who depends on its goats for milk, cheese, wool and meat. Tassili Hoggar, Algerian Sahara 1993

The frame of the akabar (a reed hut) that Entayent and the men of his village of settled Tuaregs have begun to build for Entayent’s oldest son who is getting married. Ezarnen village, Tassili Hoggar, 1993

Marriage celebrations are a nice break from life’s daily routine. The strident ululations of these Tuareg women are their way of expressing how much they admire the men parading proudly by on their dromedary. Tamanrasset, Tassili Hoggar, 1993

A Tinde in the desert not far from Tamanrasset. During this celebration, where Tuaregs from Tamanrasset and nearby encampments gather, the women sing and play percussions, and the men parade mounted on their most handsome dromedaries. Tindes are an opportunity to pick out one’s future wife or husband. Tassili Hoggar, 1993

Abeka lives in Djanet. He’s employed by a travel agency which organizes treks in the desert. Like many “city” Tuaregs, he often comes back to Wadi Essendilene to visit family and friends. Algerian Sahara, 1997

Galea lives in a semi-nomadic encampment in Wadi Elt. There are only women and children in this encampment. The men live in Djanet where they have employment. They come back every week or two to spend the weekends with their family. Algerian Sahara, 1997

Sekiwa, a lovely adolescent, lives in a semi-nomadic encampment of two tents with her mother, her brother Sidi, and a new-born brother. She has never been to school. Her father works in Djanet and only comes back once or twice a month to see his family. Wadi Essendilene, Tassili Ajjers, 1997

Ibrahimi gave up the desert life for a sedentary life in Djanet. He often comes back to visit friends still living in the sparse settlements dotting Wadi Essendilene. Algerian Sahara, 1997

Two children in front of their akabar in the village of Ezarnen, a village comprising a handful of families of settled Tuaregs. Tassili Hoggar, Algerian Sahara 1993

This settled Tuareg from the village of In-dalag takes his herd of goats and a few sheep out to forage every day. During the hottest hours of the day, he and his animals rest next to the watering hole. Tassili Hoggar, Algerian Sahara 1991

Donkeys are used to carry jerry cans and goatskins of water for the encampment. Getting to the waterhole can sometimes take a half-day of walking. This is the case with the Tuya guelta where the women of a semi-nomadic encampment in Wadi Elt go to fetch water. The Tuya guelta is also an opportunity to do some laundry and bathe. Tassili Ajjers, 1997

Two dromedaries in the cool of a quiet evening in Tamanrasset. Tassili Hoggar 1993

Tabelat is five years old. She lives with her grandparents and her aunt in a two-tent encampment of semi-nomads in Wadi Essendilene. Her mother lives in Djanet. She had Tabelat out of wedlock. For that reason, Tabelat is living in the desert. Algerian Sahara, 1997

Leta, now a widow, knows no other life than life in desert encampments. Now semi-nomadic, she lives with her mentally handicapped daughter in Wadi Elt. Her encampment consists of six reed huts occupied by only women and children, since all their husbands and sons work in Djanet. Leta’s son is one of them and he comes back regularly to see her. Algerian Sahara, 1997

Abeka lives in Djanet. He’s employed by a travel agency which organizes treks in the desert. Like many “city” Tuaregs, he often comes back to Wadi Essendilene to visit family and friends. Algerian Sahara, 1997

Leta lives in an encampment of semi-nomadic Tuaregs in Wadi Elt. Her encampment comprises only women and children. Leta is married and a mother of two. Her husband lives and works in Djanet and only comes back on infrequent weekends. Algerian Sahara, 1997

Mohammed, environ 27 ans, habite la ville de Djanet. Comme beaucoup de maris et de fils, il a quitté la vie de campement semi-nomade pour vivre à la ville. Il revient toutes les deux semaines environ pour rendre visite à sa mère, restée au campement. La nourriture et les petits articles qu'il apporte avec lui améliorent le quotidien de sa mère veuve. Oued Elt, Sahara algérien, 1997

In the Wadi Elt encampment, a young semi-nomadic Tuareg woman leaves her tent around 6 a.m. to gather goats, donkeys and sheep before taking them out for the daily trek to Tuya guelta. The destination is invariable but the paths taken do change in order not to deplete the plants that the animals use for food. Tassili Ajjers 1997

During the daily foraging circuit covered by the goats belonging to the families in her encampment, Galea stops for one of the five daily Muslim prayers. Tassili Ajjers, April 1997

Abdelkader is a Tuareg who has chosen to live a settled life in Djanet. He owns dromedaries that roam freely in the desert, because a Tuareg’s wealth is still judged according to how many dromedaries he owns. Once or twice yearly, Abdelkader comes back to spend a few days in Wadi Essendilene to round-up his camels and brand the newborns. Other sedentary Tuaregs also hire him to the same thing for them. Tassili Ajjers, Algerian Sahara 1997

After a feast of goat and camel meat given in honor of the village’s departed ones in Taroumout, a village of settled Tuaregs. Celebrations are the only time the impoverished Tuaregs of desert villages and encampments eat meat. Tassili Hoggar 1993

In Ezarnen, a village of settled Tuaregs, a family is taking a late-afternoon pause before resuming their respective chores. Tassili Hoggar, Algerian Sahara 1993

After a feast of goat and camel meat given in honor of the village’s departed ones in Taroumout, a village of settled Tuaregs. Celebrations are the only time the impoverished Tuaregs of desert villages and encampments eat meat. Tassili Hoggar 1993

Little Mohamed is upset. He’s hiding behind his arm to cry. His father, Entayent, is trying humor to console him. Ezarnen, village of settled Tuaregs, Tassili Hoggar 1993

The women and girls of Ezarnen have gathered in Raïcha’s akabar. Tomorrow is Eid. The women have washed at the watering hole and are now taking turns at doing one and another’s hair. Raïcha is combing and braiding the youngest daughter’s hair. Tassili Hoggar, Algerian Sahara 1993

In Taroumout, a village of settled Tuaregs about 40 kilometers from Tamanrasset, it’s time for tea. Three glasses of tea - bitter, slightly sweet, sweet - are drunk in the afternoon once the heat has slightly abated. They refresh one’s energy. The fourth glass, very, very sugary, is for the children to drink. Tassili Hoggar, Algerian Sahara 1993

Three Tuareg men around their campfire one night in Wadi Essendilene. Tassili Ajjers, Algerian Sahara 1997

The nomadic Tuareg lifestyle is disappearing. Algeria has been pushing for decades to make them give it up and become settled. Wadi Essendilene, Tassili Ajjers 1997

Zahra is a divorcee who came back to live in the desert with her mother and stepfather after her divorce. She lives in a two- tent encampment in Wadi Essendilene, after having lived in the oasis town of Djanet. She is bored. Every day she takes the family’s goats and sheep to forage in the surrounding desert. Algerian Sahara, 1997

Galea lives in a semi-nomadic encampment in Wadi Elt. There are only women and children in this encampment. The men live in Djanet where they have employment. They come back every week or two to spend the weekends with their family. Algerian Sahara, 1997

Atayeb splits his time between Djanet and a settlement of semi-nomads in Wadi Essendilene where his family lives. He still rides his camel when coming back, contrary to many Tuaregs who now prefer Land Rovers. Algerian Sahara, 1997

Hawa’s age is hard to tell. She has spent her entire life in the desert, at first leading a nomadic life and finally a semi-nomadic one. She lives with her second husband in a two-tent encampment in Wadi Essendilene. Algerian Sahara, 1997

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