The Touaregs are decendants of the ancient race of Berbers who migrated from the Anti-Atlas mountains in Morocco about a thousand years ago to eacape the Arab invasion in North Africa. They tracked southwards across northern Algeria into the Sahara desert, finally settle down along the borders of Mali and Niger. They are known as the blue people from the indigo pigmentation of their robes that rubs off and permeates the skin. This is also a status symbol because indigo is costly and that represents wealth. Camel breeding provided them with transportation in the Saharan desert. They later use them in their great trans-Saharan caravans, carrying slaves, gold and ivory to the Mediterranean and returning with salt and other commodities from Europe and the Middle East.

Tcherot, talismanic silver boxes can be embellished with copper or brass but never in gold because silver is the metal of the Prophet. Gold is believed to bring bad luck. These boxes contain verses of the koran.