Taguelmoust

   The taguelmoust, or alechcho, is the traditional veil worn by the Tuareg. It is a piece of Sudanese indigo-dyed cloth, 1.50 to 4 meters long and 0.25 to 0.50 meters wide, wrapped around the head and across the face. It is a dominant symbol of Tuareg identity as expressed in their self-designation as Kel Taguelmoust, meaning literally "the people of the veil." It is worn by all adult men in Tuareg society, and all men wear it from puberty for the remainder of their lives, and the adolescent boy's first wearing of the veil marks the passage of the boy into manhood. For the remainder of his life, he will rarely be unveiled either when traveling alone or even when sleeping. Women, however, do not put on the veil but rather a head cloth, which is also taken in puberty.