TheImprovement ofTropical and Subtropical Rangelands

PASTORAL REGIMES 0' MAURITANIA 219
pastoral pattern ofthe former that will be discWll!led here. Despite the
fact that some scholars have contended that the pastoral activities
of the Rigaibat take them everywhere in the western Sahara in a
pattemless pursuit of rainclouds,lO nothing could be more at odds
with the truth. Albeit somewhat less structured than the regularized
pattems of southern Mauritanian pastoralists, the Rigaibat regime
nevertheless involves regular, seasonal movements.
The areas occupied by the Rigaibat Lqacem are largely barren.
The reg of Yetti is nearly devoid of wells, a circumstance making
its use impossible except when winter rains cause the formation
of rainpools. The same conditions apply to the Hamada of Tindouf,
although Erg Iguidi, which bisects the Lqacem country, is surprisingly
rich in wells. In contrast to the aridity of the central reg. and
JatJmtJtltul, the peripheries of the Lqacem area are more elevated, and
the wadis draining the slopes of al-Hank and Zemmour Labyad offer
better pouibilities for locating water throughout the year. Because
ofthe wide expanses of land that are without vegetation during most
of the year, a similarly wide disperson of Inq. (the basic herding
unit of five or six tents) is also common. This wide dispersion is apt
to create an impression of irregularity. Although individual sections
within the Rigaibat tribe have traditional areas of nomadization, in
anyone place in the Rigaibat territory, at anyone time, a number
ofInq. from various sections may be found as individual tent groups
follow their own best advantage. This pursuit of relative advantage
is not without regularity, however, even though unusually bad years
may force a departure from the normal regime and a concentration of
Inq. in the Wadi Draa of Morocco or in the better watered portions
of central and southern Mauritania ll - peripheral areas usually well
beyond the normal zone of Rigaibat Lqacem grazing.
In winter, the various Rigaibat groupe can be found around
permanent watering points or shallow wells in Wadi al-Saquia al­
Hamra, Wadi al-Ma, and Wadi Chenachane, along the flanks of the
Zemmour Labyad and al-Hank ridges, or in especially favored hollows
among the sand dunes of the Erg Iguidi. 12 During the summer, the
/riq. are concentrated in the wadi bottoms of the erg., and the
reg. and JatJmtJtlu are almost totally devoid of occupation.
The
distribution of herds and Inq. remains unchanged until the first
rains begin.
Once there is a definite rainfall, scouts are sent out to determine
the precise part of the htJmtJtltJ in which the rainfall and resulting
vegetation are best. 13 A variety of different moves, or no moves at