The tagelmust (also known as cheich, cheche and litham) is an indigo-dyed cotton garment, with the appearance of both a veil and a turban. The cloth may exceed ten meters in length. It is mostly worn by Tuareg Berber men, the Hausa of the far northern Sahel region and the Songhai.

TIE YOUR TAGELMUST IN 3 MINUTES

Tie a knot 30 cm from the edge, then put the tagelmust on your head with the knot at the back and the rest of the fabric in front.

Then firmly wrap the fabric situated at the front of your head around so the tagelmust is held firmly in place on your head. Then twist it round as many times as is necessary with this part of the tagelmust.

Wedge the fabric in the back part of the tagelmust, above the knot.

Release the fabric restrained at the back by the knot so it comes to the front.

It then hides the lower part of your face, to protect it from UV and sand.

All set for adventure! If you use another technique to tie your tagelmust please let us know !

THE FINAL WORD
Why do the Tuareg always wear dark colours?
Because these clothes, which are worn over light-coloured clothing, are very loose, do not touch the skin and allow good air circulation and perspiration wicking. They are necessary because they protect the Tuareg from sand and desert wind!