TheImprovement ofTropical and Subtropical Rangelands

THE KEL TAMASHEQ 253
FIGURE 3-3 T8nt layout looking nonheaat. NOh small tent of houaehold Ulan
beside noble's hnt.
can provide fodder for young goata. In the cold months of December
and January, the camp is moved into the shadow ofan acacia "forest,"
or, ifthat is unavailable, near a large dune to gain protection from the
cold winds. During the hot and rainy seasons, the camps are made
on top of hish dunes to take advantage ofcooling breezes during the
hot season and to avoid the mosquitoes and water runoff associated
with the rainy season.
The nomads explain that at no time are camps placed within
100 m of a water source, since it is prohibited to eat in such places.
Within the camps, there appears to be no pattern regarding the
placement oftenta other than personal preference (some family heads
prefer higher ground, others like to camp beside a tree, and some
families habitually camp near each other becauae they get along well
or have herds in common). The exceptions are that tents of slaves
who care primarily for camels (alon n iminN) will be placed to the
east of the master's tent and the tents of thOle who are "slaves of
the cows" (Ulon fa tell) are always to the west. Tents of the artisans
are generally situated in a cluster to the west of the camp. The
chief or most respected person chooses his place first and the others
follow, apparently in order of eeniority. Tenta appear to be always
oriented toward the east, which is contrary to the observations of
others: (Briggs, 1960) in the northern Sahara, and Nicolaisen (1963)
[ 1.)ltIZ ,d byCoogIe