The Oasis of Gahames

During our time in Libya, our favorite place to visit was Ghadames, a small town in an oasis several hundred miles southwest of Tripoli. Nowhere else in Libya was so calm and beautiful, and the warm hospitality that we always received from the mainly Tuareg inhabitants made every visit there a delight.

The houses in Ghadames are built of mud and the roofs have pointed corners, supposedly to stop the devil from sitting on them.

The insides of the houses are painted in elaborate patterns with a vegetable dye, while the walls are hung with a variety of brass pots and colorful baskets.

When we were there, people kept the old wedding tradition by which the groom provided the house while the bride was responsible for decorating its interior.

As elsewhere in Libya, the women of the household spend most of their time on the rooftop, where they cook, chat with friends and even receive visits by traveling salesmen.

Unlike in the rest of the country, Tuareg women do not usually cover their faces and they work in the fields. Within the Tuareg culture, it is the men who keep their faces covered, even when eating.

Unfortunately, the nature of Ghadames has totally changed since we last visited. A large military garrison was established there in the late 1970s and all of the people moved out of the old houses into new ones in 1986.

Notes:

The Tuareg are known as "the blue men," because the dye from their robes and turbans stains their faces. They were much feared by other tribes because they traditionally did not work but made their living mainly by robbing travelers (and herding camels).