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248 CHAPTER 5au Désert in Tessalit remained local again, while the takoubilt of Anderamboukane,called Tamadasht (horserace in Tamasheq, the main festive event) was ofgreater importance. The Tamadasht would grow into an annual festival, whichremained true to the original character of the takoubilt: A tribal and politicalgathering to settle local matters. In 2002, the Festival au Désert was organisedin Essakane, near Timbuktu. The emphasis was no longer on reconciliation andlocal affairs, but on tourism as the festival was organised by the Tamasheq touroperators of Timbuktu, who had gained experience in these events during the‘Timbuktu 2000 Caravan’ event, organised at the eve of the new millenium. Bythat time the mythical city had already been discovered by tourists, who hadbeen introduced to the ‘desert blues’ of Ali Farka Touré through his album withblues guitarist Ry Cooder: Talking Timbuktu. The fame of the Festival auDésert had quickly spread among the planetary muscial elite for its setting, itsintimacy and the local bands. Among the participating artists at the 2002Festival au Désert was legendary Led Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant, whointroduced Tinariwen and their sound to the Anglophone world of rock music.In 2005 Tinariwen won the prestigious BBC Radio 3 World Music Award.Touring the world stages, playing to crowds of over 50,000, Tinariwen abandonedtheir jeans, T-shirts and sneakers for more ‘traditional’ festive garments:Two- or three-piece boubous and huge indigo eghewid, the very same indigoveils and turbans they once urged their brothers to abandon. Every counterculturebecomes mainstream. As their fans outside the Tamasheq world do notunderstand their lyrics, sound and image become more important. The Tinariwenwebsite (www.tinariwen.com) therefore emphasises the history of the bandand the meaning of their lyrics. The songs that are recorded on Tinariwen’s fourstudio CD’s and one live DVD, and on those of a number of bands of formerTinariwen members and other ishumar, such as Terakaft and Toumast, arelargely still the songs from the days of the Teshumara and the rebellion. Withoutknowing it, a worldwide audience listens to a recording of decades of KelTamasheq history.