There have been attempts, in northern Mali's Menaka region, to incite enmity and ethnic conflict between Tuareg, historically nomadic Berber people, and Fulani herdsmen, over scarce watering points in the Sahara, according to Euronews (28 April, 2018).
A plea to leave pastoral people in peace!
Back in 1978:
Fulani Flautist
At
the edge of the forest reserve
We
stopped to stretch our legs.
The
road gangs had not reached this far.
The
jungle cats had yet to come
To
claw up trees and undergrowth.
No
bulldozers, graders or scrapers,
No
pipeline crews; only our Landrover
Had
so far disturbed the peace.
Out of the forest the faint sound of a flute;
A
mirage of silver-white cows.
I
watched the herd materialise;
The
sound of the flute grew louder.
Long-horned
cattle, groomed like stallions,
Sleek-skinned,
clean and cared-for.
The
Fulani flautist emerged from the trees:
Standing
before us with a welcoming smile.
He
stopped to play, acknowledged our interest,
And
them ambled away with his herd.
I would have followed the Fulani herdsman,
But I
could hear less soothing sounds.
The
big yellow cats were coming,
Rumbling
through the forest reserve.
The
ground was beginning to tremble.
And
the fragile flute of the nomad
Would
soon be crushed beneath caterpillar tracks;
And
the cattle would soon have to graze
On
whatever might be left
Between
the asphalt and acres of maize.
JP, September 1978
See also, my posting, September 20, 2014:
My Old 'Ud (Outi, Oud); Chorly, Tuareg 'Ud
Chorly (album samples)
Also, on modern Tuareg music, from Prospero, The Economist - When Tuareg music and rock’n’roll collide
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