First Glimpses of the Sahara

Over the weekend I finally set foot in a part of the world that I’ve wanted to see since I was quite young. My interest in the Sahara has matured from an early fascination with images of camels and sifting mountains of sand as I’ve been reading more and more about the region and its peoples and cultures over the past few years, but I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t continue to feel some of that same early excitement from my childhood, stemming from the exoticism of the Sahara to which any American with a pulse has undoubtedly been exposed.

Although I had intended to visit the Sahara last summer during my time in Niger, circumstances didn’t really allow for it at the time. And this past weekend’s trip was not exactly my ideal way to make such a visit, crammed into a huge, air-conditioned bus with nearly forty other American students rushing from one point to another on a jam-packed schedule. Being part of an obnoxiously large tour group wasn’t my dream visit to the Sahara, and even though riding a camel and sleeping under the stars in the Sahara were experiences I can now happily check off on my bucket list, there were particularly rewarding experiences this weekend that also weren’t part of my nebulous idea of what an ideal trip to the Sahara would entail. Most significantly, and most rewarding of all, I never imagined that whenever I would visit the Sahara that I’d be communicating with locals in Arabic.

So, I’ve had a quintessential tourist experience of the Sahara, and although I still yearn for many return trips in which my time is spent living and getting to know people in a little less structured or artificial contexts, tourism is a hugely important industry for people throughout the Sahara and it is an issue of profound significance with regard to Tuareg music. This was an experience I might not have sought out on my own time and money, but it will provide useful perspective as I get to this region more intimately in the future, in shaa’a Allah.

Breakfast stop in the Middle Atlas, the first mountain range and one of many amazingly beautiful landscapes we encountered en route from Meknes to the Sahara.
Breakfast stop in the Middle Atlas, the first mountain range and one of many amazingly beautiful landscapes we encountered en route from Meknes to the Sahara.
A Barbary ape in a campground in the Middle Atlas.
A Barbary ape in a campground in the Middle Atlas.
Entering the High Atlas, which in many ways resemble the rocky landscapes of the American Southwest, including the Grand Canyon.
Entering the High Atlas, which in many ways resemble the rocky landscapes of the American Southwest.
An abandoned structure near a sprawling oasis town where a lot of dates are grown, on the Sahara side of the High Atlas.
An abandoned structure near a sprawling oasis town on the Sahara side of the High Atlas.

First views of the Sahara: Merzouga, the town where we met our camels and guides into the dunes. This picture also highlights that contrary to popular assumption, the Sahara is not one giant sea of sand but in fact comprises several different landscapes, including the flat, rocky terrain in the foreground.
First views of the Sahara: Merzouga, the town where we met our camels and guides into the dunes. This picture also highlights that contrary to popular assumption, the Sahara is not one giant sea of sand but in fact comprises several different landscapes, including the flat, rocky terrain in the foreground.

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I'm here, wearing Sahawari garb and a tagelmust/cheche/turban to protect from the sun and sand.
I’m here, wearing Sahawari garb and a tagelmust/cheche/turban to protect me from the sun and sand.

Riding off into the twilight.
Riding off into the twilight.
It's actually quite difficult to take photos from the back of a camel, so this is from after we arrived at our camp.
It’s actually quite difficult to take photos from the back of a camel, so this is from after we arrived at our camp.
Sunrise.
Sunrise.
Self-portrait.
Self-portrait.
On our way out of Merzouga after camping, we stopped in a nearby village to attempt a performance of Gnawa music, which is a rich tradition that is also quite popular among foreigners. Although it developed in Morocco, it shares many traits with musical practices from West Africa, as it emerged among descendants of Sahelian peoples brought from Mali, Ghana, and Guinea as slaves around the 17th century.
On our way out of Merzouga after camping, we stopped in a nearby village to attend a performance of Gnawa music, which is a rich tradition that is also quite popular among foreigners. Although it developed in Morocco, it shares many traits with musical practices from West Africa, as it emerged among descendants of Sahelian peoples brought from Mali, Ghana, and Guinea as slaves around the 17th century.

Hello, Niger! This was an interesting but entirely surprising discovery in a tourist shop we visited: this collection of crosses was presented as a collection of compasses representing different families, but from what I understand these are actually all cities in Niger (see Agadez and Zinder in the lower right corner of the box, for example). From previous readings, my understanding is that artisans in Niger developed these symbols for Saharan cities in Niger in order to attract tourists interested in collectible artifacts. Although undoubtedly rooted in historically significant symbolism, it's striking how artwork from several thousand miles away also winds up in another part of the Sahara. (I also saw other artwork, such as leather pillows, decorated in an identical fashion to those I saw in Niger.)
Hello, Niger! This was an interesting discovery in a tourist shop we visited: this collection of crosses was presented as a collection of compasses representing different families, but from what I understand these are actually all cities in Niger (see Agadez and Zinder in the lower right corner of the box, for example). From previous readings, my understanding is that artisans in Niger developed these symbols for Saharan cities in Niger in order to attract tourists interested in collectible artifacts. Although undoubtedly rooted in historically significant symbolism, it’s striking how artwork from several thousand miles away also winds up in another part of the Sahara. (I also saw other artwork, such as leather pillows, decorated in an identical fashion to those I saw in Niger.)

3 Replies to “First Glimpses of the Sahara”

  1. Fantastic photos Eric! Another dream come true for you. It is almost surreal to see you there in your garb and turban with the camels in the background.
    Keep on enjoying every moment.
    Thella frasek. Kanebgik! Mom

  2. Great “stuff” as always! Love your attitude towards things not being perfect but still worth doing….we are certainly gaining from your wondering about! Looking forward to more on the Atlas Mountains and will you eventually make it to Marrakech?? Pictures from the back of a camel….use a high shutter speed and only one hand to shoot with!!…what a tease!
    Thanks for the adventure, Love, Dad and Margie

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