The material below chiefly concerns Tuareg writers of the twentieth century, and is heavily dependent on the work of H. T. Norris, to whom I am also indebted for supplying copies of some fragmentary manuscript material. One of the most important Tuareg learned groups is the Kel Aghlāl (a branch of the Kel Dennik), centred around the small town of Abalagh (or Abalek, approx. 15° 9’ N - 5° 15’ E). As Norris notes (1975, 180), they not only participate in the ancient tradition of learning in the area, but some of their young men have spent time in the Middle East and are …