IMZAD — MEMORY OF A TUAREG CULTURE

Published on 2 October 2026 · Culture

Khoulene Alamine, an imzad teacher, on the Tagmart plateau, 30 km from Tamanrasset. 13 January 2016.

Tamanrasset (Algeria) - Threatened with extinction for lack of young players, the imzad, a single-string violin that only Tuareg women have the right to play, is attracting renewed enthusiasm and resonating more than ever in the majestic landscapes of the Sahara.

From the Hoggar mountains to the stone cathedrals of the Tassili in Algeria, from the Aïr massifs in Niger to the Adrar des Ifoghas in Mali, the imzad has for centuries accompanied the Tuareg, a people who consider women the central pillar of society.