Born in a region plagued by exile, constant warfare and ceaseless droughts, the music of Tinariwen vocalizes the political plight of the Tuareg people. For over a century, these tribes of the southern Sahara have searched the barren landscape for every weapon available, be it touba swords or the words of Che Guevara and Nasser, to maintain hope in the midst of ethnic cleansing and public executions. With the dawn of 21st Century communications, the Tuaregs have turned to the global circuit. A Tinariwen song claims, “If I could sing so that those in London could hear, then the whole world would hear my song.” Tinariwen formed in 1982, but they were forced to remain underground (Mali and Algeria banned the political lyrics) until the group moved to the Malian capital of Bamako in 1999. There the ten members drew on a rebel rock sensibility, openly playing their passionate, trance-like desert blues. Soon they became musical revolutionaries, creating a new style of music called ‘Tishoumaren', or simply ‘guitar.' The songs of Tinariwen have become a rallying cry for Tuareg youth. In a land void of laptops and TVs, cheap cassette recordings spread hope and determination, sick of the suffering caused by armed rebellion, the music of Tinariwen is the new weapon of choice.