commerce caravanier touareg

Terres Touareg

The history of Tuareg caravan trade up to the present day

From the Middle Ages until the 19th century, the Tuareg dominated trans-Saharan trade between Mediterranean countries and sub-Saharan Africa.
Thanks to their camel caravans, this mode of trade became known as caravan trade.

A test of life for Tuareg men

Caravan trade took men away from their camps for several months. For young boys, it represented a true initiation into adult life: finding their way across the vastness of the Sahara, locating water sources, cooking, caring for animals, bargaining for goods… all essential skills to acquire.

Meanwhile, Tuareg women had to demonstrate equal resilience and skill to ensure the survival of the camp in the hostile conditions of the desert.

The Sahara, a crossroads for interregional trade

Before being divided by modern borders, the Sahara was a vast area of economic, social and cultural exchange. Until the 20th century, major trade routes crossed it, facilitating the movement of people, ideas and goods.

These routes led to the emergence of strategic Saharan cities, which served as markets, religious centres, and intellectual and agricultural hubs. Among the main caravan cities were:

  • Sidjilmassa, Ghadamès, In Salah and Tripoli in the north
  • Ghat, Mourzouk and Bilma in the east
  • Timbuktu and Taghazza in the west
  • Kano in the south

These routes connected the Sahara to the Mediterranean, the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa.

The goods traded included:

  • salt, dates, spices, acacia gum
  • fabrics from the Sahel, silk, handicrafts (jewellery, leather goods)
  • incense from the Middle East, copper, gold

The Azalaï: salt caravans

One of the most iconic forms of trade among the Tuareg people is the salt trade, known as Azalaï. This involves caravans of camels transporting blocks of rock salt across the desert.

Two main Azalaï routes still exist today:

  • Timbuktu – Taoudeni (Mali)
  • Agadez – Bilma (Niger)

In Taoudeni, salt was extracted by hand and then transported to the markets of Timbuktu. On the other side, the caravans from Agadez to Bilma, called taghlamt in Tamasheq, exchanged goods from the Aïr Mountains for salt loaves produced in the salt flats of Bilma.

This desert salt, transported in slabs or grains, played an essential role in African trade. Its trade was very lucrative for a long time.

New sources of income for the Tuareg

Today, caravan trade has virtually disappeared. The Tuareg have turned to other economic activities: livestock farming, agriculture and Saharan tourism.

Livestock farming, the primary Saharan resource

Livestock remains the main source of wealth for families: goats, sheep, donkeys and camels are raised in a semi-nomadic lifestyle. Sheep and goats provide milk, meat and skins. Donkeys are used for transport. Camels enable long journeys and water supply.

The division of labour is traditional: women take care of small livestock and milking, while men take care of camels. Tuareg children participate in pastoral life from an early age.

Agriculture and oases

Many sedentary Tuaregs cultivate the land around the oases. Thanks to modernised techniques, Saharan agriculture now allows for production to be exported to several African countries.

Tourism and crafts

The development of Saharan tourism has enabled certain regions to diversify their income. Tuareg communities proudly welcome travellers who come to discover their culture, music and the landscapes of Tassili n’Ajjer or Hoggar.
At the same time, local crafts have grown in strength: jewellery, leather goods, musical instruments and other items also contribute to the livelihood of these desert peoples.

From traditional caravan trade to modern economic practices, the Tuareg people have adapted without losing sight of their roots. Through livestock farming, agriculture, and sustainable tourism,
the Tuareg perpetuate a way of life rooted in the Sahara, rich in tradition and history.

Terres Touareg
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