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Niger's Festival of Nomads

Gazali Abdou
October 29, 2021

The famous Cure Salee festival in northern Niger brings nomadic people from across the Sahara to celebrate their rich culture, hold camel races and meet with other dignitaries from the region.

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The Cure Salee, or Festival of Nomads, takes place at Ingal, northern Niger.

Here, nomadic people of the Sahara celebrate their culture, music and animals.

The camel race is just one of the event's highlights.

But the festival is also about showing harmony these nomadic groups enjoy with their animals, and the region's music.

Women often play a central role in music performances.

The songs that the women sing show appreciation for the camel and donkey drivers on the parade. They are always accompanied by the music of the Tende drum.  

Here, camels and donkeys are transport, but also a sign wealth: Each Tuareg camel driver spends about one and a half million CFA francs just for his outfit before riding his camel during festivals. 

The famous 'fantasia' celebrates the rich nomadic culture with camel and donkey parades.

For nomads, the Cure Salee is a cultural celebration.

Meanwhile, the Nigerien state has promoted the festival as a national tourist attraction.