Tuareg men gathering nearby encampment, near Tombouctou, Mali

Object Details

Local Numbers: A 1 TRG 16.1 EE 59
General: Title is provided by EEPA staff based on photographer's notes.
Local Note: Time Life Magazine no. 57938 1 44; Frame value is 19.; Slide No. A 1 TRG 16.1 EE 59

Topic: Cultural landscapes; Headdresses -- headgear -- Africa; Clothing and dress -- Africa; Weapons

See more items in: Eliot Elisofon Field collection; Eliot Elisofon Field collection / Mali

Archival Repository: Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art

Collection Citation: Eliot Elisofon Field Collection, EEPA 1973-001, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution

Collection Rights: Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. Where noted, some images remain under the copyright of Life/Shutterstock. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

Scope and Contents: "The Tuareg have acquired a great variety of weaving fabrics from the regions of Sudan and southern Sahel. Many of these fabrics were dyed with indigo. The dark bluish black indigo-dyed cloth called 'aleshu', which shimmers when worn, is most often seen today in rural communities. For many rural men, conventional dress also consists of the 'tagulmust' (tagelmust), a long piece of generally blue or white cloth that serves simultaneously as a face veil and turban." [Rasmussen S., 2006: Dress, Identity, and Gender in Tuareg Culture and Society; Art of Being Tuareg. UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History]. During his trip to Mali, Elisofon visited the Kel Tademekket confederation of Tuareg people located in the Tombouctou region. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for Life magazine and traveled to Africa from August 18, 1959 to December 20, 1959.

Collection Restrictions: Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.