Tuareg Desert Blues

• Post Date: 11/25/2024
• Author: Haley Collins, registration assistant
• Reading Time: 6 minute read

• Exhibits tag

The traditional territory of the Tuareg people in Northern Africa was partitioned by the French into newly independent states like Niger, Mali, Libya, and Algeria in the 1960s. The Tuareg’s traditional nomadic lifestyles were threatened by this partitioning. Tuareg people were forced into sedentism or across borders in search of work and to avoid areas made unlivable by drought. The Tuareg rebelled repeatedly against Mali and Niger from the 1960s into the 2010s to fight for an independent Tuareg nation. The term Ishumar originally meant “unemployed” but now refers to those who were displaced following colonial rule and political infringement and is characterized by the changing norms and values of Tuareg youth.

These rebellions have been the backdrop of the musical genre commonly referred to as “Desert Blues.” This genre encompasses Tuareg guitar music, much of which is inspired by the political struggles and violence Tuareg people faced in fighting in these rebellions, as well as the harsh conditions of living through drought as nomads. Tuareg guitar music is one of resistance and was popularized in the 1980s and 1990s for protest anthems released by the band Tinariwen. The group was founded in the late 1970s by Ibrahim Ag Alhabib. His father was a rebel, and at a young age Alhabib witnessed his father’s execution by the Malian government. He taught himself how to play guitar and found fellow Tuareg musicians in refugee camps and around the Sahara searching for work. Tinariwen’s music became the voice of rebellion. The band’s first album was Kel Tinariwen and was originally released only on cassette in the early 1990s. Their first international release was in 2001, titled The Radio Tisdas Sessions. They garnered worldwide recognition for their music and have since received several awards, including the Best World Music Album Grammy for their album Tassili in 2012.

It is essential to recognize the influence that Tinariwen had on the genre. Tinariwen are the pioneers of desert blues, and in their international success they popularized the genre beyond local audiences. The bands included in the playlist below give their regards to Tinariwen and their impact on Tuareg guitar music and in creating a voice for the ishumar. Some other notable bands associated with the genre include Bombino, Tamikrest, Terakaft, Toumast, Les Filles de Illighadad, and Mdou Moctar. This genre has further developed, incorporating pop elements and collaborations, like Etran Finatwa’s collaboration with Disclosure on the song “Etran.” Etran Finatawa is a Niger-based band that blends traditional Wodaabe music with Tuareg guitar.

Tuareg Desert Blues Playlist

The following playlist is meant to highlight contemporary Tuareg music and some of the major names that makeup the Desert Blues genre. This playlist is not exhaustive of every Tuareg guitar artist but is instead meant to be a starting point for listeners to discover more about the genre. Many of these bands are actively releasing music. In listening to their music, you are not only supporting Tuareg artists but are also witnessing a larger movement centered around the ishumar and the struggles that modern Tuareg people face. Through the music, the Desert Blues encapsulate contemporary Tuareg life and spread the genre’s political message internationally.

Tuareg Desert Blues Playlist (Spotify)