Ténére meaning desert/land embodies everything that is the Tuareg culture. For more than 1,000 years, the Ténére has served as the home and refuge of the Tuareg people. Due to the intense heat and lack of water, the Tuareg people have traditionally settled around oases such as the famous oasis city of Djanet in Southern Algeria. Famous Tuareg songs such as "Ténére Sastanaqqam" by Tinariwen highlight this core part of our identity. Traditionally, the Tuareg people have led a nomadic lifestyle, living in tents made of Ulli (Goat) and shifting to different areas depending on the season and resource availability.  

Today, Tuaregs are increasingly settling in various towns and cities across the Sahara such as Tamanrasset, Djanet, Illizi, Ghat, Kidal, Bamako, Sabha, Agadez & Niamey.

Tuareg cuisine is largely one of substinence. Due to the lack of readily available resources, food is kept simple and filling. Daily meals consist of eshink (millet porridge), taguella (flat bread made of flour & water), ach (goat milk), aheggar (dates), keskusu (couscous) & aghajera (soured goats milk drink).

Due to the high value of livestock and the difficulties of replacing them, meat is often only eaten on special occasions such as for Eid, weddings, or when receiving a guest.  Commonly consumed meats are goat, chicken, gazelle & hare (rabbits)

Tuareg men are famed for this indistinguishable Tagelmust. The Tagelmust is a face covering traditionally worn by males once they become a man (16-21 depending on the area & community). Traditionally, Indigo has been the classic & well known color. The Indigo is dried and pounded into the fabric due to the need to conserve water. Because of this, due to frequent wear, the indigo occasionally tends to leak from the fabric into the skin of the wearer. Hence why the Tuaregs are also known as the Indigo people. However, nowadays, Tagelmust's of all colors can be seen.

In the Tuareg culture, women typically do not cover their face. Women traditionally wear an indigo coloured Melhfa (full body wrap) that fully covers the body and loosely colors the hair. In the era of modernization & urbanization, younger teens have adopted more colorful mehlfa's and western styles of clothing. 

For traditional Tuareg marriages,  the man will ask one of his elders to ask for her hand in marriage. The families will then set the dowry/bride price and begin organizing the wedding festivities. As the Tuareg culture is matriarchal, most of the dowry is actually paid to the girl's parents. Traditionally, Tuareg wedding ceremonies last for a week or several days. It is also customary for the groom to begin building the tent that he and his new wife will live in. The tent automatically becomes her property. In the event of divorce which is permissible in the Tuareg culture, the wife keeps the tent and it is the husband who is expected to leave/move out.