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190 CHAPTER 4Tamasheq veil and turban, the eghewid that conveys honour and proper behaviour.Later generations and other groups not only know of the eventsthrough poems and songs. Some witnessed certain events as children; othersheard stories about it from parents or relatives.Stories about Alfellaga have spread beyond the Adagh. Today they are relevantknowledge of history for all the populations of Northern Mali. Alfellaga isseen as the origin of the second rebellion, which involved all Northern Mali.Thus, stories about Alfellaga have been incorporated in an explanatory narrativeon the second rebellion. Those from outside the Adagh involved in the secondrebellion will stress not only the continuity between the two revolts, but ifpossible even the participation of non-Kel Adagh in Alfellaga. Informants of thetewsit Ishidenharen residing in the Cercle of Ménaka insisted that at leastfourteen of their men had joined Alfellaga. They could mention one by name:Bahoni, the father of Moussa ag Bahoni, one of the most important Ishidenharenleaders of the second rebellion. Albachir, a Daoussahak from the Ménakaarea, explained that ‘If one told the scientific truth, one would give paternity ofAlfellaga to the Daoussahak. In 1962, it was well and truly with Ilyas agAyyouba’s money that the rebellion took place with the Ifoghas in Kidal’. 86That Younes ag Ayyouba and his brother, Ilyas, were most likely the only twoDaoussahak involved in Alfellaga is less relevant to Albachir. Their involvementjustifies a claim to early resistance and participation in later events for hisown group. Thus, even outside the Adagh, continuity between Alfellaga and thesecond rebellion is assured along the genealogical lines of tribe and fraction.Just how widespread stories about Alfellaga are becomes clear from a conversationI had in Ménaka with Almoustapha, a young Songhay man from Gao.Almoustapha knew I was a historian, and he asked me the reasons for thesecond rebellion. I answered I didn’t know and asked for his opinion. He gaveme his personal opinion.Among other things, it has to do with taxes. In the French period taxes were leviedarbitrarily. Those who could not pay their taxes were put in the sun from eight in themorning to nightfall, or they were beaten. With independence we thought theseshameless practices would come to an end. Unfortunately there was the “famous”,or rather infamous leader of Kidal after independence, Diby Sillas Diarra. He causeda complete massacre. He killed many people in Kidal. Those who could not paytheir taxes were instantly executed. (...) One day, Diby passed a merchant on theroad. Diby drew his pistol to shoot him. Do you know why he wanted to shoot him?Because in walking by, the merchant had caused dust to fall on him. Only with thegreatest effort could Diby’s following withhold him from killing the man. “Very86Interview with Albachir. Bamako, 24/01/1998. Ilyas and Younes ag Ayyouba hadsold part of their father’s herds to finance the purchase of arms in Algeria before thestart of the rebellion.