This article looks at Tuareg culture, through the lens of architectural design and handcrafted reed matting.
Tuareg is a term which is widely used when referring to the nomadic people of the Sahara. Let's call it an umbrella term; because it encompasses and greatly simplifies, the complex societal differences which exist between Saharan tribes.
In fact, a Tuareg person would only use this name if describing themselves to a non-nomadic person. Generally, Saharan nomads call themselves Kel Tamasheq or Kel Tagelmust (which means "speaker of Tamasheq/Tagelmust"), both names referring to the dialect spoken in the desert regions. Tuareg people belong to the Berber ethnic group, and primarily inhabit a vast expanse of the Sahara between southwest Libya and the southern regions of Algeria, Niger, Mali & Burkina Faso. Many historians recognise the Tuaregs as having originally belonged to the Berber group of North Africa. By means of their nomadic lifestyle, they've played a great role in the dispersion of the Islamic faith across the continent. Perhaps we are so fascinated by the nomadic lives of the various Saharan tribes, because their lifestyles seem very far away from how our own "western" society operates. It is my opinion that we "westernised" people, can learn a great deal about sustainability, resilience and gender equality, from the traditional practices of the Saharan people.
A subject we must touch upon when talking about Saharan people, is of course their iconic architecture. If I wanted to talk about the variations in style of living structures, across the expanse of inhabited Saharan territory, then I would have to write a whole book. Actually, in the 90's an author called Labelle Prussin published a book called African Nomadic Architecture: Space, Place and Gender and it is a great resource for study of Tuareg culture.
With each tribal region, comes a recognisable differentiation in structure design and decoration. However, they all have some very important things in common:
1) They're built by hand with organic, locally available materials.
2) They're temporary. Allowing for a "leave no trace" habitat.
3) They're light enough to be carried on foot (or by camel), across arguably the world's harshest climate.
To the untrained eye, these structures might appear basic. The reality is that they're a perfectly engineered design for their purpose. Unlike a modern house made of bricks and mortar; with electricity, running water and wifi, these structures have a lot to contend with environmentally. Contrary to common misconception, these structures create a home which provides cover from the burning sun of the day, warmth in the cool desert nights, protection from sand storms, security and storage for food and possessions and so much more. A place to love, to nurture children, to enjoy life with minimum negative impact on the natural environment.
One particular element of Tuareg home design, which has found it's way into homes worldwide, is traditional reed and leather matting. If you were paying close attention, then you might have noticed it's common appearance in the previous images for this article. Since the early 20th century, women belonging to the Tuareg tribes have been hand-weaving this matting from available resources.
First a base is made with a close weave of reeds and palm leaves, so that the matting will be relatively lightweight and very durable. When the base is complete, it is decorated with fine strips of dyed camel leather. The decorative patterns are not random, and incorporate powerful, protective symbolism belonging to each tribe or family. In fact, often the same symbolism can be found both in the Tifinagh alphabet, the jewellery and textiles worn in the region and also the henna worn by the tribe's women.
The matting is seemingly used for a variety of applications, within a Tuareg home. Sometimes it is seen on the inside of a leather roof cover, other times it lines the walls of a tent and usually it covers the floor space beneath a structure. The close knit weave helps prevent dangerous insects (such as scorpions), from entering the family home. It also aids in maintaining a good indoor climate, against the harsh sun and cold evenings. Thus explaining the addition of protective symbolism.
The world of contemporary interior design, has popularised this style of Saharan floor matting. After the wave of the recent Beni Ourain carpet trend, it seems that these woven reed carpets are the new home design must-have.
We cannot deny, these carpets do look particularly stylish and have a great aesthetic impact on any space. They are available in a range of shapes and sizes and it's interesting to see how they translate into a very "non-Saharan" space! The market for these carpets is growing rapidly. For that reason the genuine vintage or antique pieces are, both in high demand and increasingly expensive to buy. We are now seeing contemporarily made imitations, coming from Senegal. Even the contemporary versions are beautiful, but they come with a price tag which almost equals the older pieces.
In 2017-2018, we worked with a California based company called Woven Abode, to source a number of these nomadic carpets. Kim Gunter, the company founder has an amazing eye for unique pieces. Her online store is definitely worth a visit.
We have some beautiful, hand selected examples of these nomadic carpets available to view upon request. Equally, if you are looking to source antique or vintage Tuareg pieces then do not hesitate to contact us today.
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