Imzad Music

The imzad is a single-stringed fiddle with a bowl of half a gourd covered in skin, played with a curved bow, and among Tuareg communities in Algeria, Mali and Niger it is played only by women. It accompanies sung poetry performed at evening gatherings, where men recite or sing and the instrument answers the voice, and the repertoire carries names, genealogies and events. The practice declined sharply as ways of life changed, and it was inscribed on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage in 2013. In Tamanrasset a dedicated house of Imzad teaches young women to make and play the instrument, and performances can be arranged through it.

What you actually see

• A one-string gourd fiddle - the instrument and how it is made.
• Played only by women - the rule the tradition is built around.
• Sung poetry answered by the bow - the form of an evening gathering.
• Teaching in Tamanrasset - the house set up to pass it on.

When to go

November to March, when travel in the south is comfortable. Two hours for a session, arranged in advance rather than found by chance.

Honest expectations

This is not a scheduled performance you can drop in on; it must be arranged through the association. The tradition is fragile and the number of players is small. Recording and photography need explicit permission. Travel to the far south requires authorisations.

Nearby

The Hoggar rises north-east; Assekrem lies in the same massif.