The inhabitants of the town of Djanet, in the state of Illizi (Algerian south), celebrate the Sbiba that took place in the Doghia Square.It is an annual festival originating in the ancient history of the war waged by the two main Tuareg tribes of Tassili N'adjjers and the Pact of Peace which they will sign after years of confrontation.
This festival is held since the first day of the year of the Hegira (Moharrem) until the day of the Ashura, on the initiative of the Office of the Tassili National Park (OPNT) and the town of Djanet (the capital of Tassili). All the inhabitants are dressed in their finest traditional costumes with colorful colors.
Djanet's Sbiba allows local tribes to meet each year on Ashura day to celebrate a peace pact their ancestors have for thousands of years.It gave rise to the execution of folk dances on a the taming rhythm of the tambourines and the women’s songs and thrills to encourage the warriors, exhibitions of fighting reconstructing the last battle as a result of which the pact of peace was signed. This peace treaty between the Oraren and the Tar Orfit tribe meant the end of one of the longest fratricidal warfare in the history of the Ajjer tribes.
During the Sebiba, they replay the last act where the warriors find themselves face to face, and against the backdrop of women youyous (thrills), face, defy and provoke under the sounds of the bendir(tambourine). Then, at the moment when the tension reaches its climax, wisemen intervene to stop the warlike parades of the two tribes and end, after long discussions, to renew the pact of peace signed by their ancestors.
Thus, it is the best time to visit the Algerian Sahara to live such authentic experience of Tuareg festivities and life style.
The Tuareg Festivities: Sebiba (Written by ARAB Sabrina)