Last week I wrote about how a bold new solar power project in Mali is going to help to bring 21st century opportunities to one of Africa's poorest nations, and here I am, back talking about Mali again already. Why? Because it turns out that there are numerous really cool stories coming out of the country at the moment.
The solar plant is great news for the future, but this week has seen the unveiling of some great news from the past. I didn't mention it in my last article, but Mali is home to a pretty famous place, even if most of us would struggle to explain why it's famous, or where it is. That place is Timbuktu, which the English language has mutated into a word for "somewhere a long way away". Well sure, it is a long way away, unless you're in Mali. If you're in Mali, it's quite close, and it's also a town that many Malians are very proud of.
What happened in Timbuktu?
Before monorails, rollerblades, and hoverboards, there was no easy way to get south from the Mediterranean Sea, across the vast, inhospitable expanse of the Sahara Desert, and down to the prosperous coastal empires in the vicinity of modern day Ghana. Fortunately, camels had been invented by around 600AD, so the journey improved from basically impossible, to highly unpleasant. Trading routes emerged, along which caravans – groups of vehicles/camels travelling together for mutual support – carried the main cargo items of the day. Towns sprung up along the routes, and by the early 12th century, Timbuktu had become a permanent settlement servicing the gold, salt, ivory, and slave trade.
After a while, word got back to Europe that Timbuktu was incredible. Untold riches, much mystery, an Islamic university, a thriving spiritual/academic culture and book trade. Being so hard to get to, and so far away, people in Europe couldn’t really prove or disprove these rumours, so imaginations ran wild.
But seriously, the period from the 12th to the 16th centuries was Timbuktu’s glory era, with tremendous mosques and other buildings constructed that can still be seen today. The University of Timbuktu was capable of housing 25,000 students, and had a library of 400,000 to 700,000 manuscripts – the largest collection of books in Africa since the ancient Egyptians over a thousand years before. All of this happened on the southern edge of the Sahara desert, with no electricity, many centuries ago.
Since then, the rise of long distance shipping along the African coastline diminished the importance of inland trade hubs, and by the time the French took over in 1893, the glitz was long gone from Timbuktu. Since 1960, Timbuktu has been part of the independent republic of Mali. The town is revered by adventure travellers; if you’ve managed to make it to Timbuktu and its World Heritage Site, you have more backpacking street cred than most.
You still haven't told me about the reconstructed tombs
Fair point, let's do that. As I mentioned in last week's article, Mali spiraled into conflict in 2012. Armed rebels took hold of territory in the north of the country, and these rebels were linked to Al-Qaeda. Then there was a military coup (when the military kicks out the government and takes over), and then the French military launched an operation to restore order in early 2013. But during that time, some priceless parts of Mali were destroyed. 14 tombs in the Timbuktu area, some dating back to the 13th century were destroyed by the rebels. These tombs are connected to the Sufi religious tradition, which, while it is an aspect of Islam, it is an aspect frowned upon by the hardline fundamentalists who swept through the country in 2012.
For people living in extreme poverty in remote parts of the world, sometimes history and culture is a central source of pride and identity. So if that history and those monuments are destroyed, it might have a much bigger impact than if someone crushed Stonehenge, Mount Rushmore, or the Eiffel Tower. It's taking away one of the only things they've got, and one of the only ways that they might be able to welcome international tourists and be connected to the world. And that's no good at all.
So after the French military helped to restore order in Mali, one of the priorities was to rebuild the ruined tombs. A combined local and international project commenced, starting with the broken pieces of stone and mud. Three years later, the first three tombs are fully restored, using traditional building techniques, guidance from old photos, and fragments of the original tombs. These three monuments were put at the front of the queue because they're monuments to saints from three different areas: Timbuktu, Algeria, and the Niger Delta.
Sadly, much of the relics from Timbuktu's famous library were burnt or looted in 2012, though more and more items are again seeing the light of day. The local people did what they could to keep them safe; hiding them under floors, inside roofs, or smuggling them out of the city for safety. The newly restored tombs are a symbol of a town's people working hard to reclaim their history, after it was very nearly stolen from them at gunpoint.
During and after armed conflict, of course it's urgent to ensure there's enough food, to keep medical clinics and schools functioning, and to prioritise peacekeeping. But in the long run, it's also so important that the people living in these zones remain connected to their identity. Symbolic victories like the restoration of Timbuktu's tombs mean that the story of the world isn't erased by hate. It cheers me right up!