The Aiel are a people that live in the Aiel Waste. They will never fight with a sword, but they are proficient with spears and without weapons. Aiel warriors wear cadin'sor, and veil themselves with the shoufa before attacking, which they refer to as "dancing the spears". Aiel women(except for Maidens of The Spear)wear shawls and bulky skirts, as well as much jewelry--multiple bracelets and necklaces, of gold, silver or ivory, often bejeweled, though finger rings are mostly unknown.
They refer to those who live outside the Waste as "wetlanders", except for the Cairhienin, who they have called "treekillers" since the Aiel War. When they conquer, they consider it their right to take "the fifth", or one-fifth of the losers' possessions.
Aiel do not like to ride, preferring their own legs, though they do use pack horses and mules. They do not use wheeled vehicles, because of the lack of wood in the Waste and the rough terrain.
They are considered mighty warriors, but their origins were in a peaceful people who followed the Way of The Leaf before the Breaking of The World. Their name means "dedicated" in the Old Tongue. This secret was known only to clan chiefs and Wise Ones until Rand al'Thor, the Car'a'carn, revealed it.
They are divided into the following clans: