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Sahel Salt Caravan

Also known as Azalai (Taoudenni to Timbuktu)

For many centuries long camel caravans have carried slabs of salt out of the Sahara, from mines such as Taoudenni to Timbuktu and, in Niger, from Bilma to Agadez. The journey takes weeks over dunes and between wells, and the caravan must share water, loads and trust.

Play the previewAbout this tradition
Sahel Salt Caravan: photograph by François-Edmond Fortier
Photo: François-Edmond Fortier, Public domain, source on Wikimedia Commons
Sahel Salt Caravan: the game in attract modeLive previewPlay

Runs in your browser, works offline once loaded.

How to play

  1. Lead a salt caravan along the map from the mine to the market.
  2. Tap a choice, or press its number, to decide how your caravan loads, rests and trades.
  3. When the well-keeper asks you to share the slabs, pick the answer you think is right.
  4. Water, salt and goodwill change as you choose; your ending gives one to three stars.
Rules at a glance
  • The caravan passes five places on the map and has three possible endings.
  • Careful, fair and patient choices earn wisdom points; rushing and cheating earn none.
  • Wandering lost, driving a lame camel, pushing at the well, hiding cracks and a wrong share cannot be undone and cost the best ending.
  • The sharing puzzle is answered once; a wrong answer starts a dispute.
  • Three stars need water, salt and goodwill and none of those missteps.

About the tradition

Salt caravans, known as azalai, have crossed the Sahara for centuries, led by Tuareg and other desert families who know the wells and the stars. Slabs from the Taoudenni mines still travel to Timbuktu, and in Niger a caravan carries salt from Bilma to Agadez. This is an original tale of one such crossing.

Origins

Usually placed in the era of Crossroads and Golden Ages (about 500 to 1500), although its exact origins are uncertain, within the cultural world of Africa: Sahel, West and Central.

Credits

Sources

Get the app

Sahel Salt Caravan is one of 10 stories and theatre games in the Story & Theatre of the World app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Submitted to the App Store and Google Play; in review. Store links appear here the day it goes live. One app, many traditions, no account needed.

See all 10 stories and theatre games in the app

In review on theApp StoreIn review on theGoogle Play

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