Tuareg: The Warriors of the Dunes | Go Wild

foreign Warriors the blue men of the Sahara their nomadic lifestyle led to their name which translates as abandoned by God [Applause] they are the nobleman of the men of the only ones capable of disarming its Fury a people led by women who are responsible for its destiny a charred territory where codes of honor and Hospitality are held up by laws dictated by water they have always been feared for their ferociousness when protecting their inhospitable lands they alone are capable of Crossing through the very heart of the desert [Music] salt Caravans still travel through the much-feared tenere desert they have no understanding of limits or borders they know only that the desert is theirs that they are the only people capable of taking it on the true owners of this Wasteland [Music] the Sahara desert in Northern Africa is expanding tirelessly due to climate change it's the world's largest desert with over 9 million square kilometers [Music] its borders could Encompass the entire United States he's unwelcoming lands and their Fierce climate were dominated by the torreg until the mid-20th century although in many ways they are still the masters of these Dunes only they dare to venture into the desert's wildest most remote regions the various twiring tribes inhabit the countries of Algeria Libya Niger Mali and Burkina Faso [Music] the Rival of the Dromedary a one-humped camel brought about a real revolution in Northern Africa it was introduced by the Persians into Egypt in about 525 BC the animal's ability to store water and its strength which allows it to carry up to 200 kilos of weight made it possible for commercial rents to be created crisscrossing the Sahara from October to February tuarig Caravan set off these include the salt Caravans in the Aiea region of Niger for days now the women have been making Bula a paste made with dates goat cheese and cornmeal this is the only food that will be eaten on the Caravan until it reaches the salt mines of facci on the Oasis of bilma thank you during the heat of the day members of the Caravan dissolve the paste in water to make an invigorating energy drink they also drink tea and eat salt which keeps them from becoming dehydrated women do not cover their faces with the traditional Muslim Veil it is actually The Men Who hide their features with their turbines milk all the food necessary for the journey is prepared during the week that precedes the caravan's departure the wives of the Caravan leaders and other women from the community form teams and work all day long in the courtyards of each house they also make the mats they use for transporting their goods to Market and for bringing back the salt cakes they acquire in bilma [Music] the men are in charge of braiding dry to Sparta grass for tying on the goods and for harnessing the camels each animal requires at least 12 straps virtually all activities that are not related to the departure of the Caravan come to a halt during this week everything depends on the Journey's commercial success important to ensure that the Skins old and new are in good shape as they will carry all of the water necessary for the journey these containers made of goat skins keep the water cool through a process of evaporation caused by the wind but even one tiny leak will mean the loss of this elixir of life and on this trip that could mean life or death the mountain Massif is in central Northern Niger about 160 kilometers north of the city of agates a mountain range standing about two thousand meters high a sort of Island surrounded by the Sands of the tenere desert these mountains are home to the Kell away who are considered to be the finest caravanners they have cross-bred extensively with the black Bella people who were once their slaves the result is that their skin is darker than other tuire they also speak a different language called Taco away the city of timia to the north of Ayer is located between two Weds or dry riverbeds which have water only sporadically years can go by in fact with no water at all this is the departure point for the Caravans of Aire from here they will descend to agadez where they will enter the Tannery desert [Music] foreign ER for salt are bought at the Village Co-op nothing is sold by weight but is rather measured by the handful everything must be packed well corn is stored in large sackcloths while semolina dried tomatoes and hot peppers are kept in watertight bags all of the cargo must be well secured during the trip it could be lost almost without anyone noticing while crossing the dunes or in the middle of a sandstorm the soil is quite firm and water is abundant almost everything is grown in local Gardens fruit especially grapefruit and lemons is highly valued in bilmar where there is almost nothing their value in bartering is extremely high [Music] [Applause] they take with them a large supply of mats which will serve to hold and protect the salt cakes they will bring back from the fudgy salt mines [Applause] the day before the Caravan sets off a festival is held called attendee which attracts people from all over the region leaves of each Clan dress up in their finest clothes the women dye their turbans indigo the dark blue color with a copper colored Gene that characterizes the Tory this is the root of their nickname Blue Man little by little the veil that covers the face ends up staining their cheeks arms and hands [Music] for the 10-day Festival their dromedaries are decorated with traditional adornments that clearly show the noble lineage of their Riders [Music] thank you touring Clan Chiefs preside over the festivities they show off their military insignia and their green these amulets of leather or silver are small boxes containing prayers from the Quran the arrival of the Riders mounted on their soft-haired Mahari dromedaries the women call out the sakuri a traditional cry which is made by flabbing the Tongue the call expresses a desire for good luck for those who are about to depart [Music] with their Maharis all decked out the Riders who are usually members of the noble class wait for the sound of the 10 day and to the rhythm of this ritual tuarig drum they show off their skills on campback [Music] oh [Applause] foreign Races they gather around the musicians who play epic songs singing the Praises of the Valiant Deeds of brave taurang warriors [Music] 10-day festivals are usually held when a young man of 15 or 16 years of age receives his first turban his new status as an adult man the festival is also organized when members of the noble class are married and to Mark the departure of the Caravans [Music] the most decisive moment of the festival comes when the clan Chiefs dance to the sound of the den day drum flourishing their various banners foreign [Applause] princes dance using symbolic movements that Express specific events or states of being these are traditional gestures that are easily interpreted by all those present [Music] the next morning they pack up the dromedaries led by the Maduro the leader of the Caravan from this point on he is in charge maduroos are very important thanks to them the Caravans are able to travel through the desert they are familiar with the celestial map above the Sahara and can find their way by day or by night their knowledge is passed on from generation to generation the moment has come to leave timia some one thousand kilometers lie between the Caravan and the salt mines of Fati a month-long Journey [Music] [Applause] foreign [Applause] [Music] they load up enough grass for the camels to eat on the trip and on the return since grass does not grow at the Oasis of Belmont some camels will carry only their own food and nothing else the madugus generally stop in this area of willek because the grasses that grow here are more resistant to the extreme desert temperatures at IU's furthest outlying well they fill their skins with water not a single well can be found on the road to build [Music] they all work together it is of utmost importance that the Skins are filled to the correct capacity later they must be closed and sealed with resin so that not even a drop of water is lost the dromedaries carrying water carrying nothing else using this method it's easy to see exactly how much water there is from the time the Journey Begins it must be rationed strict control of their water supply will affect the outcome of the trip and could save their very lives they are on the move slowly they descend toward the ten at a the first days are the hardest until they find their rhythm their minds are filled with visions of other trips they know what lies before them oceans of sand storms The Frigid night air the exhaustion these men are tough and strong Heirs of the indomitable and rebellious toric Warrior cast that dominated the Sahara for hundreds of years [Applause] all Caravans from aieir pass through the rocks of Davos this is a magical place for the tware one which protects them and gives them good luck on their Journey petroglyphs of giraffes antelopes ostriches and other animals were drawn by those who inhabited this region some 10 000 years ago before this was a desert according to tuarig Legend it was a Mythic hero named aniguran who made these marks [Music] a territory only they have dominated throughout history no one in their right mind dared enter here without their consent or without a kelewe madugu guide from the region of aieir in the year 1321 the famous Arab traveler and chronicler IBN batuta was already writing about the tuarig in this mountainous region and about their large tents made of skins described a meeting with them in this way we come upon a tribe without whose protection the Caravan will not be safe on its travels they are nomads and their tents look like those of pilgrims their women enjoy a higher level of dignity than their men possible that the tents used by the modern tuarig have not changed much since the time of this Arab Traveler like all nomadic shelters they are quite simple they don't need to resist freezing temperatures or rain or ice but they must stand up to the wind the sand and the sun's Relentless rays each tent is built using a framework of thick Acacia branches the cover is made with goat and camel hides that have been sewn together depending on the size between 30 and 200 hides are used Furnishings are austere which is the norm among nomadic tribes a portable bed measuring about two by one and a half meters is constructed using four rods of wood or metal that form a base these support two poles that in turn hold up six to eight bars which create a sort of box spring the tents are arranged by Family unit all of the women help each other to put them up on top of the poles several mats serve as a mattress the tent and all of its domestic utensils are provided by the wife in her dowry should a divorce occur she will keep everything next to the bed she sets up the pantry a gourd kept up high where it cannot be reached by rodents [Music] its mountains were created by ancient volcanoes in its valleys are the camps of the nomadic Callaway tourig their Huts are not made of goat skins but rather of mats they're not portable [Music] they simply abandoned their shelters and build again in a new site sometimes since the migratory routes they follow almost never vary they make use of the structures they abandoned the year before making their homes here once more [Music] the tents are made using a series of wooden arches oval-shaped mats are then tied to the arcs the women are in charge of raiding the mats first they create strips which are then joined together to make cloth quite a lot of their time is spent on Personal Care the wife of Atari the singular form of twine has the obligation of keeping herself pretty for her husband she must style her hair and dress up every day with silver jewelry the Touareg have always been known for having the sweetest most beautiful women in all of Western Africa [Music] [Music] meanwhile the Caravan from Ayer is drawing closer to the doors of the Tanner a the desert within a desert only experience tuarig madugus are capable of Crossing it without losing their lives [Music] they call it full of the Sun where all signs of Life are destroyed by the sun's Unstoppable rays [Music] [Music] at the End of the Age Century Western Travelers began to explore the Sahara many of them were young men from wealthy families and most of them died in clashes with the Ferocious touring in 1788 upon the foundation in London of the association for promoting the discovery of the interior parts of Africa the number of expeditions multiplied charged a tax for allowing them to pass those who refused to pay were robbed and killed immediately after Sunrise the Caravan starts to move every day the routine is the same it takes nearly two hours to load up the dromedaries and to enough to gain strength for the day not until they make Camp again at Sunset will they consume anything else only their daily ration of water in these same spots many Western explorers died in their search for the mouth of the Niger River this is one of the myths of Africa in the 19th century like the city of Timbuktu which was thought to be overflowing with gold and riches Timbuktu was dominated for many years by The tuarig Who did not allow any foreigners to enter several westerners had the goal of being the first to set foot in that legendary City of Gold it was Alexander Lang who would do so on August 13 1826 months later he was murdered as was his fellow Explorer Hugh clapperton the first Frenchman to arrive was Renee kayi who later brought down the myth of Timbuktu writing that he had found a dying City with tumbledown houses lacking all signs of wealth for a long time the Tuareg Warriors continued to dominate all routes in the great desert riding their powerful Mahari camels they organized into various bands that sacked and destroyed all those who did not agree to accept their protection until well into the 20th century they still exercised their Authority on the roots that crisscrossed the Seas of sand they believed the Sahara belongs to them and that they are the true owners of these hostile lands foreign [Music] one of the leaders of the tuarig rebellion in Nair has called a meeting of his subjects ever since European Colonial powers divided up the map of Africa and squared off its borders the Tarik had been in a constant state of rebellion most especially in Mali and Niger these are imaginary lines borders that vanish in the dunes of the Sahara in their constant movement the tuanig do not understand Borders or political States they belong to the land and the land has no barriers in these meetings important actions are decided upon resistance to something that is being decided thousands of kilometers away is managed decisions regarding natural resources located on touring land would never agree to having a fence or a wall around his house or anything that would keep him from freely moving about his will is as impressive as the desert roses that crystallize in the dunes it's quite unlikely that they will ever give in or admit to being a homeless people they prefer to continue being considered abandoned by God [Applause] [Music] the Caravan has already entered the tanneray desert the kingdom of sun wind and sand where humans are tiny specks who must suppress their pride in the face of Nature's vastness only the chosen ones can survive in this Kingdom of nothing setting up the Expedition the madugu is the only one who knows the way only he knows how to interpret the markings and the dunes only he can read the Shadows thrown by the camel's ears steps are firm and constant his sure energy calms those who follow him his father walked this path and his grandfather and great-grandfather his family has been guiding Caravans through the desert for who knows how many generations at times the smaller Caravans meet up in agates to make the journey together finding safety in numbers It's Not Unusual for large expeditions to form with up to a thousand dromedaries it's said that in 1988 a caravan arrived in bilma with more than 20 000 camels the madugus take turns heading up these enormous Caravans although the most important decisions are made by the oldest guide every day they cover 40 to 50 kilometers which takes 14 to 16 hours our Caravan is like a small ocean liner riding the desolate waves of the tennery more than 400 000 square kilometers of sand where summer temperatures can reach up to 50 degrees Celsius and where there are practically no signs of life robberies are not common in this area but the torreg are always armed and ready to defend themselves with their traditional takuba swords the weapons are crafted by blacksmiths who enjoy an elevated social status in addition to making takuba swords daggers and machetes they also make tools for working in the fields and silver jewelry such as the tuarig cross in Africa they have always been highly regarded tribes with the best blacksmiths tend to have the best weapons the Bellows is the blacksmith's main tool with its two goat skin bags he's able to stoke the coals and achieve the ideal temperature for melting the various Metals he works with he is well aware of the energy that comes from burning different types of wood and he knows how to handle each piece he works with today the takuba which is Berber in origin is used by the torik tribes of Niger Mali Burkina Faso Algeria Libya and Mauritania it has a double-edged blade and is 74 to 84 Centimeters long the hilt has a simple cross guard which makes it similar to Medieval Christian swords in fact some think the takuba is actually of Spanish origin and was taken to Africa by the almaradids in the 11th century thank you a Target never travels without his takuba like his turban it is a symbol of his lineage the sheaths that protect the sword are made of cowhide and are usually highly decorated [Music] it is the witching hour when the sun sets Life Begins during the day almost no one speaks everyone is concentrated on the journey on keeping the animals moving the Caravan must always remain in motion if an animal were to lie down it would be very difficult to Rouse it before nightfall causing them to lose an entire day before the darkness of night engulfs them they set up camp just as they do every day they unload the animals and use the rolls of straw to make a shelter that will protect them from the wind each man has a task cooking hobbling the camels feeding the animals and checking the water supply they milk the camels this drink will provide them with a countless number of nutrients and even has magical properties around the campfire they tell stories of other Caravans before their time ones that were lost in the midst of a sandstorm ones that were buried in quicksand and others that were comprised of more than 50 000 dromedaries on the first few days of the journey in addition to the Bula porridge they eat the lamb meat they have brought before it goes bad the rest of the way they will eat only Bula goat cheese and sugary green tea diet is based mainly on lamb which they usually prepare with rice they also eat wheat cakes and dairy products made from goat milk like cheese and butter foreign settlements the women make these products using a goat skin they churn the milk with various movements and rhythms that are perfect for making cheeses butter yogurt and cream [Music] in this extreme climate dairy products must be consumed immediately they cannot be kept for long without spoiling [Applause] the Caravan is approaching a part of the tenere where sandstorms are quite frequent they will need to make sure their loads are secure the madugu is always out front always short of Step never resting never riding on Camelback in more flat areas like this one he is Guided by the sand dunes that have been sculpted by the wind every four or five days the dromedaries are watered they can actually go weeks without drinking water is fundamental in the lives of desert people for this reason like blacksmiths well diggers also enjoy a high social status their job is quite dangerous the narrow holes they dig can get up to 30 or 40 meters deep and even the slightest defect can cause them to cave in every year there are deaths among the welding cast who are buried alive using rudimentary tools they dig out the bottom of the well which is no more than one meter in diameter there are parts of aieir where Wells are dug every year in the wet season the rains are torrential Wells are flooded with mud and must be abandoned they use the camels to find good digging sites these animals are able to sniff out water from several kilometers away not all Wells are large and permanent the majority are small and temporary serving only to water a small herd of goats in ayir there are good pastures thanks to its altitude and a network of aquifers it's possible to raise livestock here especially goats Lambs and to a lesser extent cattle okay [Music] each Clan Has its own Wells and charges attacks for Shepherds from other tribes like the pounds who live in the same region but traditional tuarig law prohibits them from charging another human and what's more denying water to a thirsty man has always been punishable by Death efforts in their livestock begin to arrive at the Wells from their grazing lands every day of the year the animals are watered in the same way arguments are quite frequent because there are disagreements about how many liters of water each flock has consumed for this reason each well has a well keep who dictates when each Shepherd can bring his animals forward to drink first the dromedaries drink as they are considered the noblest animals come the cows and finally sheep and goats donkeys help to raise water from the Welling containers of rubber or hide that can hold up to 50 liters each the Bella are in charge of the donkeys that pull the ropes once the slaves of the toilet they now work for them in a state of semi-slavery in most cases both parties have agreed to this arrangement [Music] these slaves are the descendants of different black African tribes and have taken on the customs of their masters many are considered real twirings the touring people dominate other ethnic groups that inhabit the same regions they do like the pal who make their living with large herds of oxen most of which are property of the tware Society is made up of a rigid hierarchy that includes noblemen the clergy Warriors Artisans grouped into casts free men and slaves they have a commercial relationship with other groups like The hausa and the yerma with whom they trade salt for Surplus grain [Music] yerma Villages are easily recognized because of their large size and their many structures for storing grain from their main crops Millet corn and wheat this is the border between the Sahara and tropical Africa between white Africa and black Africa it is the Sahel region a transitional strip of land that was once home to such great African kingdoms as the Songhai Empire which paved the way for others like the germa people [Music] the germa lived near the Niger River they are farmers and livestock herders who depend greatly on Accords reached with the tuarig who control these regions foreign the mythical Niger River was the site of many Expeditions in the late 19th century most notably those headed up by Scotsman Mungo Park as he searched for the river's mouth at 4184 kilometers long this is Africa's third longest river at after the Nile and the Congo the Niger Basin takes up 2 262 000 square kilometers making it one of the most extensive in the world considering that almost the entire river is navigable it has long been Western Africa's main transportation artery the Niger River serves as the traditional Southern border for the tribes that make up the tuarig confederation [Music] fear scale force winds from the desert can lead to sandstorms in this meteorological phenomenon the upper layer of sand is lifted up from the huge herbs or fields of sand dunes in the Sahara but the Caravans do not stop not even when their visibility is reduced to just a few meters ahead of the Madu each grain of sand hits like a punch on the men's faces which are covered protectively with their turbines this is yet another challenge from nature which tests the courage and tenacity of these blue men of the desert the dust kicked up in East can travel thousands of kilometers saharan's sandstorms can influence the development of seedlings growing west of the Atlantic Ocean and according to some scientists they are an important source of minerals for plants in the Amazon rainforests after several hours The Horizon begins to clear the maduku has not stopped moving forward even for a moment his steps decided and firm he to the path which only he can make out especially in the midst of chaos [Music] once the storm has passed the Caravan continues on its way it's time to give thanks to Allah for his protection [Music] [Music] the torreg are Muslims starting when they are small they learn to read the holy book with the village teachers they spend hours reciting verses from the Quran which the teacher writes for them on their slates each child must memorize the 114 surahs or chapters in the Quran and must know how to interpret them with the explanations they are taught by the marahud although they are Muslims the tuarigs synchronize the teachings of the Quran with magical beliefs of African tradition tuarig women do not cover their faces with the veil only their hair it is The Men Who cover their faces with cloth from their turbans they were a monogamous people every Friday they go to mosque and they say their daily prayers wherever they may be but there are certain aspects that distinguish them from other Muslims including their belief in spirits Witchcraft and sorcery built in the sahelian style in 1515 the musket agates is a Muslim religious architectural gem it is also one of the most venerated spots in the region but it is also here just outside of the city that the Callaway Witch Doctors hold their spiritual rights foreign [Music] music dances and rhythms come together to create an atmosphere that is favorable for possessions Visionary trances and states of ecstasy [Music] friendly Spirits are invoked and make themselves visible throughout the night through the mediums who are usually women foreign [Music] they share medicinal cures hand out punishments and assignments and exercise all participants they hold a cleansing for all those who feel they have been affected by a spell this is the face of pre-islamic Africa which is so deeply rooted in these villages the dromedaries have grown weak the Caravan is almost to the Oasis of bilma it has been nearly a month since it departed from the mountains of aieir once again the madugu has found the way they are emotional upon arriving and must gather all their strength to walk the final kilometers [Music] they can just make out the palm trees in the Oasis of bilma where the mosque's Imam has come out to greet them the trials of the journey are visible on their faces but their Serene gazes are already contemplating an end to the suffering once again they see the green color of life the green of the palm trees and the sinuous sound of the water they will be here for a week while they do business and while the animals recover before the return trip [Music] under the Curious eyes of the Oasis inhabitants they unload the heavy packs they are brought here to barter with several men prepare the mats for packing the salt they will buy here while the others set up the stands where they will sell their merchandise soon the transactions begin always measuring by fistful there is no weighing here either the salt cakes brought here by the locals are packed up carefully in mats and strong they are very fragile and if they break they will sell it only half the price when they return it is women of bilma are famous for being tough both as buyers and sellers almost all of them speak hausa oh hundreds of salt cakes are packed up for travel camel can carry about 150 kilos without his load being damaged practically all of the tubu people in Fati work in the salt mines here the Earth produces just two things salt and dates Caravans continue to be their only connection to the outside world it is for this reason that the arrival of a caravan is such an important event for them [Music] [Applause] [Music] there are very assault mines in the area each family has its own plot where they scratch off the layer of salt that remains after the water has evaporated [Applause] it is extremely hard work in the summer months the temperature can reach 50 degrees Celsius but the tubu will never stop working this is the only way they can possibly survive sometimes prolonged contact with the brine produces skin ulcers the sheets of salt are ground up mixed with moist soil and shaped into cakes will be used for livestock later they are put into molds so that the mixture will harden in the sun established measurements are followed for the cakes that will be sold the finer saw which is found in the upper layers of the mines are for human consumption it is more expensive and is sold by the handful all right once the commercial transactions are complete the men begin to put everything in order for their return [Music] the dromedaries seem to know what awaits them and they protest a bit as they are loaded up ah [Music] once again they face the demanding Journey Through the 10 a day but now they know this is the last time until next year so their Spirits are much higher [Music] the men of the iron Caravans raise a special breed of dromedaries the asagraph this animal has a light colored coat with large spots that shade its eyes it has several qualities that are very important for crossing the desert including stamina and a submissive nature in addition they're able to walk in a single file one just behind the tail of the next this is fundamental as it keeps them from getting lost and maintains the Journey's Rhythm when the Saharan colonies became independent from France the new states were faced with the demands of different twiring groups regarding autonomy and the return of territory nevertheless the official need to exploit significant oil reserves gold mines and uranium Fields led to battles and persecutions among the tuarig different Guerrilla groups formed which continue today to make claims on their lands and to demand the abolition of borders it is a struggle that unfortunately seems to have no clear solution after making the torturous return trip through the always threatening tenure the Caravan begins to climb to IU Mount Marie also known as the Lighthouse of Tennessee bids them welcome it has been more than two months since their Journey began they are home once more the tough hardened toired caravanners have conquered the desert [Music] in the small town of timia a festival is taking place again the have made it home successfully not a single camera has been lost and there have been no mishaps with the cargo [Applause] [Music] the women sing for their husbands who dance around the fire the cycle is once again complete allies great and under his protection the men will continue to take on the tenure [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] foreign [Laughter] [Music] [Music] thank you

Channel: Go Wild

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Keywords: orf universum, documentary, blue chip, natural history, secrets of nature, planet earth, wildlife, free documentary, watch full documentary, nature films, wildlife films, go wild, nature, natura

Id: Mq4QhBLZXfY

Length: 50min 58sec (3058 seconds)

Published: Thu May 04 2023