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ALFELLAGA 189portance of Alfellaga as a time of great suffering stretches even further and isconnected to later catastrophes. Not without reason the poverty of the Adaghafter the rebellion is blamed on the destruction of herds by the Malian ArmedForces.Before Alfellaga the Adagh was rich. There were no Tuareg beggars. There weremany camels. There were people who had never tasted grain. They only lived onmilk, dates and meat. Only after Alfellaga did they learn to eat rice. The soldiersbrought rice, since there were no herds left. The women did not even know how toswallow this rice. They were not used to it. When the army found a herd [makes ashooting gesture] they gunned them down. They killed many animals, camels andgoats. 83The extermination of herds and the destruction of the environment, thepoisoning of wells and the cutting down of trees by the Malian Armed Forcesare even presented as direct causes for the drought of the 1970s.Before Alfellaga, the Adagh was green. All the wadis were covered in trees. Thearmy cut them down and that brought the drought. 84Not only those who lived the events remember Alfellaga. Poems and songshave been composed in remembrance by those who lived those times, but alsoby the ishumar, the young men and women preparing the rebellion of the 1990s.These songs and poems are known throughout the Tamasheq world. Poetry isthe main vehicle of historical knowledge. One stanza in particular was recited tome in and outside the Adagh. It compares French and Malian rule. Even themen who epitomised the bad side of French presence – the goumiers – are nowremembered with some fondness when compared to their Malian counterparts.The goumiers of oldthose of the Frenchwere beautifulWith their white-haired camelsHow should the worth and wickednessof Sidi Ongoiba be judged?If not by the massacreIf not by the silly hats 85This particular stanza was recited to me twice in the Adagh and twiceoutside the Adagh by different people on different occasions. ‘Sidi’ Ongoibaserved as Second Lieutenant in the Adagh during the rebellion, and afterwardsas Chef d’Arrondissement at Boughessa and commander of the goum. The ‘sillyhats’ refers to the caps worn by Malian soldiers, which are compared to the838485Conversation with Takhnouna. Bamako, 08/02/1998.Conversation with Amegha ag Sherif. Bamako, 08/02/1998.Part of a poem by Akhmudan ag Meddi.