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CURRENT
PROJECT
BEYOND
TIME AND TIMBUKTU
A
Film by Mohammed Kamara
TIMBUKTU: the fabled
city of old; renowned site of an ancient civilization; the End
of the World; a place that never was; a land of gold; a center
of trade.
"Salt
comes from the north and gold from the south,"
says
an ancient West African proverb,
"but the word of God and the treasures of wisdom are only
to be found in Timbuktu."
To
many in the Western world, Timbuktu is not a real place. The
name itself represents a threat or curse from a distant land,
beyond the reaches of civilization, where people are sent to
be permanently discarded. The popular saying, "I'll knock you
clear to Timbuktu," demonstrates how many Americans envision
Timbuktu. Beyond this use of the word, little is known, and,
if asked, many would likely claim that Timbuktu never existed
at all.
The
image of Timbuktu as mysterious or mythical has also survived
in other Western countries: a survey among 150 young Britons
in 2006 found that 34% did not believe the town existed, while
the other 66% considered it "a mythical place."
Beyond
Time and Timbuktu is a feature documentary film
that juxtaposes both popular American views about the legendary
city of Timbuktu with actual historical and cultural footage
of the 1200 year-old city, located in Mali, West Africa. My
objective is to salvage, restore and otherwise preserve on film
some of Timbuktu's past and present, while positing its prospects
for the future.
Settlements
in Timbuktu began around 1100 A.D. upon the discovery of a plentiful
oasis along gullies of the Niger River valley in the middle
of the Sahara desert; this was a blessing in disguise for the
Trans-Saharan caravan traders, moving toward the coast. They
rested as well as watered their camels in Timbuktu. In the Middle
Ages, Timbuktu grew and became the foremost economic and cultural
capital of West Africa: a waypoint for robust dealings in grain,
gold, salt, and slaves. Timbuktu's
lucrative trade fueled Mali's empires as well as a rich ethnic
blend of African and Mediterranean people.
The
city reached its grandeur in the 15th century as an intellectual
and spiritual epicenter of the Islamic world. Architects, clerics,
scholars and students from universities in North Africa, Egypt
and Saudi Arabia came to Timbuktu. Others came in search of
opportunities. An educational system was developed, and
intellectual ferment with mosques, schools, and
libraries erected that housed vast collections of West African
relics and Islamic texts. Timbuktu's
llterary output was enormous, and it included works covering
the history of Africa and southern Europe, religion, mathematics,
medicine and law. There were manuscripts detailing the movement
of the stars, possible cures for malaria and remedies for menstrual
pain.
In
1591, a Moroccan army sacked Timbuktu's center of learning,
setting ablaze hundreds of thousands of books and historical
documents, and carrying off others. Schools, libraries and mosques
went up in smoke. The
splendor of Timbuktu tumbled into chaos: local thugs seized
control of the trade routes; raids, attacks, looting and pillaging
ensued; canals, oases and waterholes along the caravan routes
dried up; camels and donkeys toppled over from dehydration;
way signs and landmarks were obliterated; anarchy reigned. And
yet, somehow Timbuktu has endured.
Fire,
theft, and termites took a toll; yet 700,000 books have survived.
Most of the volumes date from the 12th century. About half of
the surviving works--some illuminated in gold and crimson, others
illustrated with maps--are still intact. The growing sense that
the manuscripts are tangible proof of West Africa's sophisticated
literary history inspired me to pursue this project.
My hope is that the film, Beyond
Time and Timbuktu, will help to increase
knowledge and interests in the rich cultural and religious history
of Timbuktu, as well as to create a dialogue with viewers regarding
their own cultural histories.
Majority
of the research and interviews have been conducted, and some
of the archival footage, texts and music we intend to use have
been collected. What is presently missing from the film, of
course, is Timbuktu itself. In order to complete the whole picture,
I need to travel to Mali to capture modern-day footage of Timbuktu
and its surroundings. Your contributions or donations will be
appreciated as well as acknowledged in the final film. Call
713-527-0470, or email tdp@talkingdrumproductions.com. Thank
You!!!
The
8-minute video sample you are about to watch consists of original
interviews juxtaposed with archival material and it demonstrates
the great disparity between western-held notions of Timbuktu
versus the actual place, itself. The video trailer also shows
the over-all effect that the finished film might employ. This
trailer is intended for educational use only and any commercial
use of any part or in whole is an infringement of Copy Rights.
Watch Video Now...
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