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Tinariwen: From Saharan Weddings to Global Stage
13 Mar
Summary
- Tinariwen, Grammy-winning Tuareg musicians, are in exile due to violence in Mali.
- Their new album 'Hoggar' addresses displacement and human rights abuses.
- A new generation, like Imarhan, supports Tinariwen and evolves Tuareg music.
Grammy-winning Tuareg guitar band Tinariwen have been forced into exile due to escalating violence in Mali. The musicians, who have lived across Mali, Libya, and Algeria since their formation in 1979, are currently based in Algeria after fleeing their homes in October 2024. Co-founder Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni stated that Malian military and Wagner mercenaries have been committing atrocities, prompting the band to use their music to raise global awareness.
The band's 10th studio album, 'Hoggar,' directly addresses the complex and often violent political situations impacting the Tuareg people. The album features classic Tuareg rhythms and guitar lines, with tracks like 'Aba Malik' lamenting the abuses of the Wagner group and 'Erghad Afewo' discussing tribal infighting. Despite seeking only autonomy and safety in their homeland, the Azawad, they find themselves refugees.
Tinariwen's influence extends globally, attracting fans like Robert Plant and Jack White. Their latest album, 'Hoggar,' is an intergenerational project recorded in a studio founded by the younger Tuareg group Imarhan in Tamanrasset, Algeria. This initiative by Imarhan aims to support young Tuareg artists, particularly women singers, fostering the next wave of Tuareg music and preserving their cultural heritage.
