Who are the Tuareg? The Art of Being Tuareg An Inadan Family Early Contact, Early Collecting Art in an Environment of Contrasts The Sahara Tuareg is a Globalized Marketplace
For the Tuareg, life and art are inseparable, and dress, adornment, art, movement and music are essential to the construction of the self. The artists and smiths known as inadan are in turn central to the development of the Tuareg aesthetic. Specialists in a range of media, the inadan at one time created virtually all the material goods used by the Tuareg. They are capable of making camel saddles, twisting rope, decorating leather pillows, producing cooking vessels, and melting and molding metal to create finely designed jewelry, weapons, and tools. Not restricted to the role of visual artists, the inadan were also musicians, poets, ambassadors and healers. 
Whereas in the past the  inadan served the Tuareg nobility, today they have adopted multifaceted roles, pursuing a clientele beyond their noble patrons. They have embraced change and adapted to new lifestyles, creating jewelry and leatherwork for the global marketplace. In the process they have become the most prosperous of all Tuareg groups.

Pectoral pendant

Woman's bracelet, 1980's

Cross of Agadez

Bag