French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
: "Salt Cure"), or "Festival of the Nomads", is a yearly gathering of the
Tuareg
The Tuareg people (; also spelled Twareg or Touareg; endonym: ''Imuhaɣ/Imušaɣ/Imašeɣăn/Imajeɣăn'') are a large Berber ethnic group that principally inhabit the Sahara in a vast area stretching from far southwestern Libya to southern Al ...
and
Wodaabe
The Wodaabe ( ff, Woɗaaɓe, Adlam: ), also known as the Mbororo or Bororo (Adlam: , ), or Pullo, have a name that is designated to those of the Fula ethnic group who are traditionally nomadic and considered to be "ignorant of Islam." For this ...
peoples in the northern
Niger
)
, official_languages =
, languages_type = National languagesIn-Gall. The ceremony marks the end of the rainy season, and usually occurs in the last two weeks of September. The government of Niger began sponsoring the festival in the 1990s, fixing its date for each year (in 2006: September 11), its duration (three days), and bringing in dignitaries, performers, and tourists.
Traditions
The end of the rainy season is an especially important event in the lives of Saharan pastoralists.
Tuareg
The Tuareg people (; also spelled Twareg or Touareg; endonym: ''Imuhaɣ/Imušaɣ/Imašeɣăn/Imajeɣăn'') are a large Berber ethnic group that principally inhabit the Sahara in a vast area stretching from far southwestern Libya to southern Al ...
clans gather at the salt flats and pools near
Ingall
Ingall is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Francis Ingall (1908–1998), British Indian Army officer
* Lisa Ingall (born 1980), English snooker player
* Marjorie Ingall (born 20th century), American non-fiction writer
* Mi ...
to refresh their cattle and goat herds, and to prepare for the trip further south so they can survive the dry season. The Cure Salée is also believed to benefit the local people, and medicinal cures are a major part of the festival.
However, the Cure Salée is as just as important as a social gathering. After a season in dispersed clan groups, there's the chance to share news, trade, and renew friendships both within and across ethnic lines.
For Tuareg and
Wodaabe
The Wodaabe ( ff, Woɗaaɓe, Adlam: ), also known as the Mbororo or Bororo (Adlam: , ), or Pullo, have a name that is designated to those of the Fula ethnic group who are traditionally nomadic and considered to be "ignorant of Islam." For this ...
peoples, Cure Salée marks the time of traditional courtship and marriage. The most famous images of the festival are Wodaabe tradition of Gerewol, in which young men vie for the attention of women seeking husbands. Organized dances and tests of skill culminate in men donning traditional costume, headdress, and elaborate makeup.
Amongst the Tuareg peoples, women seek for the attention of marriageable men, while men of all ages show off their skills as riders, artists, dancers, musicians and craftsmen. A great parade of Tuareg camel riders opens the festival, which continues with races, songs, dances, and storytelling. While the official festival is limited to three days, the festivities can last for weeks while nomadic groups remain in the area.
Changes
While the Cure Salée has been taking place for several hundred years, independence from France in 1960 brought the involvement of the central government from Niamey, and the attempt to formalise it as a national festival and tourist attraction. During the last in a long line of
Tuareg
The Tuareg people (; also spelled Twareg or Touareg; endonym: ''Imuhaɣ/Imušaɣ/Imašeɣăn/Imajeɣăn'') are a large Berber ethnic group that principally inhabit the Sahara in a vast area stretching from far southwestern Libya to southern Al ...
insurgencies (See: Tuareg Rebellion) against the central government, from 1990-1995, InGall was a prime fortification of the Niger armed forces, and no official Cure Salee was held. In September 2000, a "Flamme du Paix" ceremonial 'Burning of Weapons' by the rebel and government forces in Agadez forced the first Cure Salée following the final peace deals to be hastily rescheduled.
On September 17, 2001, a much publicized Tuareg memorial was held for the victims of the
9/11
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commerci ...
attacks in the United States.
In recent years, the Niger government has tried to promote the Cure Salée, creating a tourist festival (sponsored by large international corporations like
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance bar, temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pembe ...
) for western visitors, and using the cross-ethnic traditions of the Cure Salée to foster "a celebration of social cohesion in Niger".''A nomad's life'' AFP wire article on political tensions at the festival in 2005. This aspect has come to the fore following 2000. Official involvement also has brought a greater emphasis on culture common to the rest of Niger: electric pop bands, beauty contests, and the sometimes forced ending of other rituals. In 2005, armed Niger Army troops enforced a ban on a traditional dance that emulates self-mutilation.
One
Wodaabe
The Wodaabe ( ff, Woɗaaɓe, Adlam: ), also known as the Mbororo or Bororo (Adlam: , ), or Pullo, have a name that is designated to those of the Fula ethnic group who are traditionally nomadic and considered to be "ignorant of Islam." For this ...
man was quoted by the AFP:
It is more and more of a circus. The government sets the date artificially, decides who gets to perform, and creates a structure none of us understand.
UNICEF
UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to c ...
, and the
Niger
)
, official_languages =
, languages_type = National languages
, First hand accounts from visitors to the 2005 festival, with photographs.
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoni ...
article on the UN Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) involvement at 2003 festival. ''A nomad's life'' AFP wire article on political tensions at the festival in 2005.
*Carol Beckwith, Angela Fisher, ''Nomads of Niger'', . Western photographers book on the
Wodaabe
The Wodaabe ( ff, Woɗaaɓe, Adlam: ), also known as the Mbororo or Bororo (Adlam: , ), or Pullo, have a name that is designated to those of the Fula ethnic group who are traditionally nomadic and considered to be "ignorant of Islam." For this ...
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an independent agency and program of the United States government that trains and deploys volunteers to provide international development assistance. It was established in March 1961 by an executive order of President John ...
witness to Peace Ceremonies ending Tuareg insurgency in
Agadez
Agadez ( Air Tamajeq: ⴰⴶⴰⴷⴰⵣ, ''Agadaz''), formerly spelled Agadès, is the fifth largest city in Niger, with a population of 110,497 based on the 2012 census. The capital of Agadez Region, it lies in the Sahara desert, and is also ...