Women unveiled: Class and gender among Kel Ferwan Twareg (Niger)

Abstract

The Kel Ferwan Twareg dwell in the Air mountains of Niger, where, they live from camels, cattle, sheep and goats. Like the Kel Ahaggar they have a highly stratified society. The article deals with contemporary conditions, and illustrates how gender inequality has different consequences for high status women and women from the servant groups, even though both these categories lead lives which are in sharp contrast to the mobile life of Twareg men. High status women have only limited independent control of livestock, compared to high status men. However, they as women have a greater control over labour, since they “own” the female servants that give birth to more servants. The servant women, generally of slave descent, are constrained to menial work, while the woman of high status is able to make decisions and organize the work of others for her own profit.