The Tuareg people of the Sahara are not your average Muslims. Even though the tribe has embraced Islam they have firmly held onto some of the customs that would not be acceptable to the wider Muslim world.
It is the men, and not the women, who cover their faces, for example. As if that is not enough, before a woman marries, she is free to take as many lovers as she wants.
The people turn a blind eye to the woman’s promiscuous ways. This level of promiscuity is also permitted for young girls who have similar great freedoms as the boys.
The Tuareg men who veil themselves so carefully have been a source of interest to many foreigners and tourists. The veils can cost great prices and are a source of great pride. However, why they wear it is not known.
Some say it is a practical decision, to keep the dust away. Others suggest it is to protect from the bad spirits – although whether it is bad spirits escaping the mouths of the person, or those escaping the mouths of others, is unclear.
For years, the men of the Tuareg have been able to ride to a young woman’s tent and sneak into the side entrance – while his well-trained camel stands quietly and waits.
There, they will spend the night together – while the family, who all live in the tent, politely pretend not to notice. Should the woman choose to welcome a different man into her tent the next day, so be it.
This has resulted in the girls getting married later than they may otherwise do. Although, before then, they will have been wooed with poetry written by the men, who spend hours carefully crafting the words which they hope will win their beloved over.
Tuareg women have quite an elevated position. In fact, they own the home and the animals. And the animals are an invaluable resource to the Tuareg in the middle of the Sahara.
Many marriages end in divorce among the Tuareg. And when it happens, it is the wife who keeps both the animals and the tent. And it is she who normally decides that she’s had enough.
In practice, this often means a man is forced to return home to his mother, possibly with just his camel and nothing else. His wife, meanwhile, will keep possession of everything she brought to the marriage and that includes the children.
And there is no shame in divorce. Families will often throw their daughters a divorce party, to let other men know they are available once more.
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