Explore our curated resources below to learn about Saharawi culture and their invisible history.

The Saharawis are the indigenous people of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony in North West Africa and a territory which still remains to be decolonised.

Traditionally a pastoral nomadic and tribal society connected to the trans-Saharan trade, the Saharawis have a vibrant culture shaped by Berber, Arab, and West African roots,. Rich in oral traditions of poetry, music, and storytelling these were transmitted over the centuries, from generation to generation, and embodied their history, wisdom, values and sentiments.

Today, the Saharawis are still largely unknown to the world, as is the long standing conflict in their homeland of Western Sahara, beginning with Morocco’s military occupation in 1975. This conflict has not only divided their land but also every family, which forcefully displaced over half the population to harsh desert refugee camps in South West Algeria. .

In this section we aim highlight the story of the Saharawis and their remarkable agency in fighting to defend their way of life and claim their right to self-determination. Despite international inaction, they remain steadfast in their resistance to end decades of occupation, cultural erasure and dispossession. Sandblast stands alongside them to amplify their voices and share their stories.