Tin Hinan was a Berber queen of Moroccan origin from North Africa who ruled over the Tuareg tribes in the 5th century AD. It is on her legacy that the social structure of the Tuareg Berber people rests, a society that continues to draw strength from the wisdom of women to this day.
Who is Tin Hinan… the Story:
Tin Hinan was a unique queen of her time, as myths and monuments prove that she defended her lands and people against invaders from the tribes of Niger, modern-day Mauritania, and Chad. She was renowned for her wisdom and cunning. She was crowned queen because of her extraordinary abilities, and historical accounts say that the name Tin Hinan is composed of two parts: Tin + Hinan, which is a word from the ancient Tamahaq dialect, meaning “to set up the tents” in English.
The Origin of Tin Hinan:
Tin Hinan, originally from the Tafilalet region in southeastern Morocco, arrived on her white camel, accompanied by her servant “Takamat” and a few slaves, to settle in the mountainous region of the “Hoggar,” about two thousand kilometers south of the extreme south of Morocco. This is now the capital of Algeria. After a long and perilous journey, she established herself in this area.
The famous historian Ibn Khaldoun mentions that her son, “Hougar,” who later gave the name to the entire region, was the first to cover his face, and the people followed him in this practice, which continues to this day. Analysis of the remains confirmed that the skeleton attributed to Tin Hinan dates back to the 5th century AD.
The Tuareg Berbers:
The skeleton believed to belong to Tin Hinan is securely displayed in a glass case, surrounded by her gold and silver jewelry and her leather dress at the Bardo Museum in Algiers. It was transferred from the tomb of “Abalisa” in the Ahaggar region, a site discovered by a Franco-American team in 1925. “Appalicia” is considered a place of memory for the Tuaregs, who sanctified it as the resting place of their grandmother and queen, Tin Hinan.
Last modified: 24 March 2025
