The Tuareg: people of different culture

The Tuareg (Twareg or Touareg) are group of semi-nomadic people of Berber extraction residing in the Saharan interior of North-Western Africa.
The Tuaregs live in five north-western African countries (Algeria, Libya, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso).  Fewer numbers  — in Chad and Nigeria. The population distribution of Tuaregs is quite scanty, however, the unofficial estimates suggest that their total number in the region of  approximately 4-5 million.
The Tuareg have had several legends that explain their origin and appearance in Africa.

According to one legend, the birthplace of the Tuareg was an island in the Atlantic Ocean, which then sunk in result of a natural disaster, along with the people who lived there. But some traders and people who accompanied them survived and settled in Sahara desert.

By the way, the Tuareg  are considered to be the best traders in Africa.

According to another legend, the great queen Tin Heenan was a founder of all tuareg tribes. She had come from the territories of modern Morocco together with her maid. Tin Heenan, according to the legend, gave start to a major group of Tuareg tribes.

Tin Heenan’s glory was so great that the Tuareg still call her «our mother.» In the course of the archaeological excavations the scientists found the non-devastated tomb of Tin Heenan, it was clear from the inscriptions that were found there. All that was found in the tomb was placed in museums, and the tomb itself is restored and became a place of worship.

The Tuareg are known internationally by their popular name «the Blue Men of the Sahara,» «The Masked people» or «Men of the Veil,» because of the indigo color of the veils and other clothing which their men wear. This indigo dye is obtained from some species of bush widely spread in tropical and subtropical zones. The indigo dye was much appreciated in ancient times for the bright blue color and the ability not to fade for a long time.