Just a little bit of harissa

A little bit of harissa… or how I ended up hosting the leader of the Tuareg rebellion in Niger for fifteen days.

Life sometimes brings unexpected encounters. Some arise from chance, others from invitations, and a few from something as simple as sharing a meal. That is how I had the privilege of hosting Mohamed Ag Aoutchiki Kriska for about two weeks. He was a major figure in the Tuareg cause in Niger.

Contrary to the simplified image often associated with Saharan rebellions, Mohamed was not a fighter. He was above all a defender of Tuareg identity—its culture, its language, and its nomadic way of life, which were increasingly threatened by political and economic changes in the Sahel. His involvement in the events of the 1990s should be understood in this context: a struggle for recognition and dignity rather than warfare.

At the time, he was in France because we had invited him to CIRAD, where I was working, in order to benefit from his deep knowledge of the fauna and flora of the Saharan regions of northern Niger. This vast desert area was of particular importance for my research on the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria). His field expertise, accumulated over a lifetime in the desert, far exceeded what could be found in academic literature.

The desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria.

During his stay, it quickly became clear that such knowledge deserved formal recognition. We therefore encouraged him to enroll in a diploma program at the École pratique des hautes études (EPHE) in Paris, which he successfully completed. This was a remarkable achievement for someone whose science had been shaped not in universities, but in the vastness of the Sahara itself.

The Tuareg rebellion of 1990–1996 deeply affected Niger and Mali. It began on 29 June 1990 and formally ended on 27 March 1996 with the symbolic “Flame of Peace” ceremony in Timbuktu. Mohamed was among the respected figures of this movement, not as a man of arms, but as a representative of political and cultural aspirations.

After this turbulent period, he devoted himself to development work. In 1998, he founded the Erough primary school, affectionately known as the “stone school.” Hidden among mountains, at the foot of Mount Tchighigha and near the pastoral well of Tchinkokane, the school opened its doors with 33 nomadic children, including only four girls.

With the support of a group of Swiss friends, Mohamed funded the teachers’ salaries. But his involvement went much further: he covered the school canteen costs, provided his own irrigated garden using a pump, and even supplied goats and poultry to improve the children’s nutrition.

In 2008, he became president and co-founder of the FFR, continuing his commitment to development, education, and the preservation of Tuareg culture.

During the fifteen days he stayed with me, we spoke about the Sahara, locusts, plants, animals, politics, education, and the future of nomadic societies. Mohamed had a rare ability to connect intimate field knowledge with broader global issues.

And then there was food. Mohamed was particularly fond of spicy dishes. His favourite phrase was “just a little bit of harissa.” With him, however, “a little bit” was a highly elastic concept, often enough to turn a simple meal into a culinary challenge.

Those fifteen days were a lesson in humanity, knowledge, and commitment. Behind the activist stood a desert scholar, a builder, and a man deeply devoted to transmitting knowledge and ensuring the future of his people.

Great causes are not always carried by those on the battlefield. Mohamed Ag Aoutchiki Kriska was one of those rare figures who bridged worlds—not with weapons, but with knowledge, conviction, and, of course, just a little bit of harissa.

Title of his EPHE thesis: Contribution to the Chorological Inventory of the Biogeocenoses of the Aïr and the Nigerien Tamesna

Author: Kriska, Mohamed Aoutchiki

University of defense: EPHE – Section of Life and Earth Sciences (Paris)

Degree: EPHE research thesis (2001)

Iferouane region, in northern Niger (Aïr Massif).