Folk Music of the Sahara: Among the Tuareg of Libya (2004)

Synopsis: Situated as they are on the borderlands between north and central Africa, the Tuareg tribe of the Sahara Desert has forged a unique culture straddling Arab Muslim and black African traditions for... Situated as they are on the borderlands between north and central Africa, the Tuareg tribe of the Sahara Desert has forged a unique culture straddling Arab Muslim and black African traditions for thousands of years. The nomadic Tuaregs--who occupy parts of Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso--are noteworthy for their long history as trans-Saharan traders, their rich oral and written traditions, and, most remarkably, their strongly matrilineal social structures. In Tuareg society, women control wealth and property and dominate art and culture--in fact, it is the male Tuareg who wears the veil while the women do not. This fascinating program documents one of the Tuaregs' female-driven ceremonies in the village of Ghadames, Libya, with female musicians and singers performing traditional songs on drums, reed instruments, and wailing vocals. The result is a visually beautiful and artistically rich celebration of an extremely unique culture and musical heritage. [More]