Oualid Khelifi - Multimedia Author

Tazrouk sits in a remote rocky valley tucked between Hoggar mountains in Algeria's far south.

Abegui prepares his afternoon tea at the family field where he has worked since his childhood. With music claiming less time, he is fully dedicated to caring for family's small land and garden

The courtyard of Abegui's mud-built house goes very quiet as the family naps in the afternoon.

33 years old Aicha, young sister of Abegui and a traditional musician, sits awaiting visitors inside the family's house. Her rear payments haven't not come neither.

After months of no rehearsal nor stage performance, Abegui's troupe throws a small evening party for visiting guests.

The mother of Abegui, 79 years old Fatimata, sits lost in thought inside her house. She had just gone through an old photo album of when she used to perform traditional music.

Festivals passes from state-controlled events Abegui had attended in the past.

A common subject of conversation between men of a certain age in Tazrouk often centres around the younger generation dramatically losing Tamasheq Beber language and the associated large repertoire of ancient poetry considered as the backbone of Tindé and other Touareg musical genres

Abegui takes a moment before heading for lunch break after a morning of work at the family's field outside the village. Herding and farming have become his only activity now that he boycotts state's music events.

On the wall of a local house, a guitar is drawn by a group of young musicians who turned their backs to traditional genres due to exploitation endured by the old generation.

Reflecting on the old times, Abegui's neighbour complains about a monotonous Tazrouk and the disappearance of the festive spirit over the past decade.

Ahmed is a high school student in Tazrouk. His knowledge of the community musical heritage is quite limited despite living under the same roof with Abegui.

Aema is a Tazrouk teenage percussionist who is into modern 'Ashumar' music made very popular by Touareg bands like Tinariwen and Bombino. Tindé genre isn't very appealing amongst his age group.

Aema and Azzou tune their guitars. They say they are both saddened by grievances of Abegui's generation given how ancestral art is dying out due to state cultural management which makes them reluctant to embrace genres like Tindé.

Ayman convinces his distant uncle Abegui to attend a jam to share traditional heritage with young musicians of the village.

Abegui sings traditional Touareg poetry along the electric guitar jam. Aema and Azzou also join in.

Abegui tightens the animal skin to tune his Tindé percussion which he brings out only on very rare occasions over the past few years.

Tazrouk sinks into the night after the jam.

Archive picture of Tazrouk's traditional musicians, some of whom died without receiving a penny of paycheques promised by organisers of the state's official festivals.