Ghat is a Tuareg
oasis, located in southern Libya, very close to the Algerian border,
at the base of the enigmatic Tadrart Acacus. She earned her epithet The
Last Oasis from being the last oasis before venturing into the
desert regions of Acacus. Like many other desert settlements, the old village
is connected via narrow streets, archways and passageways, very reminiscent of
those of Ghadames, where Tuareg blacksmiths display their unique silver jewellery,
and traders offer their leather products and indigo coloured fabrics.
There are several prehistoric circular graves, covered with stones. These were
thought to belong to the Garamantian period.
The Medina (The Old City) of Ghat is almost uninhabited today with
only a few families remaining within its ruins. The fortress, shown
at the top is an interesting place to see. The old museum houses
a range of artifacts from the area. Cultural events such as the Annual
Ghat festival, which takes place at the end of December (now November),
and the Tuareg camel race will give a glimpse of the Berber way of life
in the desert.
Ghat folklore music from the festival of ghat.
The Ghat Tourist Festival is normally
held near the end of December (29 to 31 December), and lasts
for three days. It is an important festival
where Tuareg tribes from Libya,
Algeria and Niger, and tourists
meet and celebrate the Tuareg
traditional culture, folklore and heritage and explore handicraft
exhibitions of traditional industries. The
Tuareg's best travel companion,
the camel, plays an important
role in the festival.
A unique opportunity to experience the Tuareg way of life
and find out about the enigmatic Tuareg of the Sahara. The first Ghat festival
was held on the 30th of December 1994.
The committee in charge has announced that the Ghat festival will now take place in the month of November. The reason for the change was that a number of students participate in this cultural festival and that the old date coincides with their exams.
