Niger "Nomads of Tidene" Jay Dunn (29 images)

"Nomads of Tidene"

For centuries, nomadic Tuareg and Fulani herdsmen have made the Tidene Valley in Niger one of their homes. Living in low domed structures indistinguishable from nearby natural materials, these resilient and welcoming people face the daily hardship of life in an inhospitable desert with grace and equanimity. Thorn bushes, brush and heavy knotted branches tightly encircle their open cooking areas, while raised sleeping platforms under arched hide...
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"Nomads of Tidene"

For centuries, nomadic Tuareg and Fulani herdsmen have made the Tidene Valley in Niger one of their homes. Living in low domed structures indistinguishable from nearby natural materials, these resilient and welcoming people face the daily hardship of life in an inhospitable desert with grace and equanimity. Thorn bushes, brush and heavy knotted branches tightly encircle their open cooking areas, while raised sleeping platforms under arched hide covers protect all from the elements. Made from well-worn gnarled wooden parts, these are homes designed to be moved within a day should circumstances prove unendurable.

Two or three big stockades for goats keep the vulnerable herd close at night, while donkeys, camels and cattle stay within sight of camp, dependent on their resourceful hosts for water. Insufficient rains have become a fact of life in Niger. Though the Tidene Valley has been a hospitable location, the nomads are clearly prepared to move on if necessary.

More at www.jaydunn.com
Humanitarian Issues & Cultural Tradition Worldwide

Look for the anthologies
"Ritual and Romance in Asia" and "Agadez to Accra: from the deserts of Niger to the Gulf of Guinea" at

www.ritualandromance.com
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