The Shangri-La of Tofatat

THE SHANGRI-LA OF TOFATAT: The next thing Aubine and I did was to climb high into the boulders, through indescribably twisted passageways where we repeatedly had to help one another. At the summit of Tofatat we discovered a natural marvel whose existence still baffles me to this day: there was a small limpid pond surrounded by an earthen sward where a few flowering acacias and tender shoots of grass grew. Read more…

The Artist

THE ARTIST: Aghali , aged four, belongs to a reknown family of Inadan, the Touareg artisan cast. The man, the Inadan, makes tools, crafts intricate jewelry from metal, makes camel saddles, sharpens stone… the list goes on.  The women artisans, the Tchinadan, are leatherwork specialists.  They craft bags, pouches, and various decorations from beautifully dyed leather.  The artisan tradition is inherited from father to son, mother to daughter, and Inadans almost always exclusively marry amongst themselves. Read more…