Houa Albaka

Niger

Tuareg Leather Work

Houa comes from a family of traditional Niger craftsmen. She started learning leather craft at a young age from her mother. Traditional leather products from the region are made of goat leather dyed with natural dyes, with cut out designs and the addition long fringe, sometime braided with tassels. These distinctive items continue to be used in everyday life of the Tuareg people and are unique to their culture. Houa has lived a very traditional Tuareg life and attending the folk market will be the first time she has traveled out of Niger.