•Geographical and Historical Background
•Touareg Cultural and Traditional Literature
•UNESCO Campaign to revitalize Touareg Language
•Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People
(2007, UN)
•Language Rights in Libya
Areas where significant number of Touareg live
Geographical and Historical Background
Tuaregs are indigenous tribes, live in five countries in Africa (Mali,
Niger, Algeria, Burkina Faso and Libya). They are also considered
as a branch of Amazigh (Berber), the wide spread tribe in North
Africa. Gramant is believed to be the origin of Tuaregs and it was
the predominant tribe in the south west of Libya some time
before 1000 BC. Migdalovitz (1989)
Tuaregs live in a tribal society. Tuaregs’ population is estimated
at about 1,200,000 people in the five countries mentioned (Mali,
Niger, Algeria, Burkina Faso and Libya) Prasse (1995). The
population of the Libyan Tuaregs is approximately 10,000 Ajjer
Tuaregs. About 8,000 Ajjer live along the Algerian border while
the rest (2,000) settles in the Oasis of Ghat in the south west of
Libya Prasse (Ibid) and Migdalovitz (1989) . This estimation is
different from the one cited by the African Commission on
Human and Peoples’ Rights (60,000) in a report issued in 2009.
Cultural and Traditional Literature in Tuareg
Tuareg language, Tamasheq, has its own alphabet
(Tifinagh). The history of Tifinagh dates back to the ancient times
(the Phoenicians, the Greeks and the Romans) when the signs
were used on the monuments, Prasse( 1995).
The Northern Tuareg have no written records of their history. The
contemporary source material is of French origin when the French were
pushing south into the Sahara until (1920), Keenan (2004). The orally
transmitted literature is extensive. Literature is transmitted through their
poems, riddles and proverbs Prasse (1995).
UNESCO Campaign to Revitalize Touareg Language
•A decision was made by UNESCO to literate Touareg in their
language by using Latin alphabet, though they were not truly
illiterate as they have the Tifinagh.
•A conference was held in 1966 in Bamako to establish
orthographies for Tuareg and other languages.
•In 1968 a seminar for local literacy campaign workers was
organized in Niamy. A short grammar of Tuareg was prepared and
Prasse compiled a short dictionary for use in the literacy programme.
Little progress has been made in the literacy process.
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007, UN)
Article 13
1. Indigenous peoples have the right to revitalize, use, develop
and transmit to future generations their histories, languages, oral
traditions, philosophies, writing systems and literatures, and to
designate and retain their own names for communities, places and
persons.
Article 14
1. Indigenous peoples have the right to establish and control
their educational systems and institutions providing education in
their own languages, in a manner appropriate to their cultural
methods of teaching and learning.
2. Indigenous individuals, particularly children, have the right to all
levels and forms of education of the State without discrimination.
3. States shall, in conjunction with indigenous peoples, take
effective measures, in order for indigenous individuals, particularly
children, including those living outside their communities, to have
access, when possible, to an education in their own culture and
provided in their own language.
Article 16
1. Indigenous peoples have the right to establish their own media
in their own languages and to have access to all forms of nonindigenous media without discrimination.
Language Rights in Libya
In the Decree No (131) issued by the vice minister for the social
affairs, ``languages such as Tuareg, Swahili, Toubu and Peluh will be
taught as a minor subject in the basic education and the teaching
of these languages must continue into higher education`` Article
(1)
Article (2)
` the national institute for Scientific teaching is responsible for
preparing the necessary programme for teaching these languages.`
Bibliography
Keenan, J. 2004. The lesser Gods of the Sahara. Frank Cass, London.
Migdalovitz, C. 1989. Libya: a Country study. Headquarters Department
of the Army. United States.
Prasse, K. 1995. The Tuaregs: The Blue People. Mueum Tusculanum,
University of Copenhagen.