ABSTRACT
An analysis of the substantial body of literature that has been written on the Tuareg, including that by Arabic writers in pre-colonial times, would probably reveal that the most commented upon custom of the Tuareg is the veiling (anagad) of their men.1 Reference to the wearing of the veil by Tuareg men can be traced back to the writings of several early Arabic authors such as El Bekri (1028-94)2 and Ibn Batutah,3 whose journeys in the fourteenth century certainly took him into Tuareg country. If that turned out to be the case, it would not be surprising, as the veiling of Tuareg men is not only an ancient custom but has probably always been the most dominant symbol of ‘Tuaregness’.
