Photographs by Rosemary

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The true Sahara of Mali and Mauritania. Sky and sand.Salt caravans led by Touaregs and Moors still cross the ancient routes guided by their keen memories and ability to discern the slightest change in the desert.The dunes are not crossable by either camel or 4x4. The empty black stretch in the foreground is called a 'gassi'. The caravan must search up and down the 'gassi' until the leader sees a pass through the dunes. If they do not find a pass, then the caravan is trapped in the 'gassi'.Many times our 4x4's would get stuck in the deep sands. The clutches would burn up, a tire nearly came off an axel, but we had mechanics as well as kalashnikov carrying guards. Our guide was an old Africa hand.These young R'guibat men were part of a caravan that had crossed from Mauritania to Taodenni in Mali.A moor crosses the desert with confidence. His camels were laden with items to trade for salt in Taodenni.We paused to visit some Moorish women in their tent. These people speak a dialect of Arabic called Hasaniya. It is similar to the dialect spoken in Morocco.It was the end of Ramadan in Tchit, Mauritania. The village came out to dance and drum as the sun set. The men wore long and full gandouras. The flowing garments looked like wings as the men waved their arms and bowed in their dance.The women dance as well. Everyone was happy to be finished with the fast of Ramadan.The mountain at Bab Taodenni. This means the gate to Taodenni, the infamous salt mines.A salt miner of Taodenni. The white streak on is head is from the roof of the salt mine. This is a good job for Malians. The pay was about $12.00 USD. The miners worked until they had as much money as they wanted and then they returned to their home in Tom boctu.Miner team work. They are prying up a slab of salt.Old armored vehicles from the French Foreign Legion rust in the sands of the abandoned fort.This primitive pickaxe is the only tool the men of Taodenni use.Here a man in his mine ( they stake a claim) shapes the salt into slabs easy for camels to carry. Each slab weighs about 80 pounds and each camel carries 4 slabs.Portrait of a salt miner.A caravan being loaded early in the morning. This is a young camel. One man sits on her head to keep her from bolting as she is loaded.Rows of salt slabs in the foreground wait to be sold to the caravaneers.
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The true Sahara of Mali and Mauritania. Sky and sand.



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