The Djenné Manuscript Library’s final digitization project with
the Endangered Archives Programme (EAP) of the British Library has drawn to a
close and I am putting the last touches on the translation into English (from
French) of the descriptions which accompany the digitized
Djenné manuscripts. The documents are in Arabic, but the Djenné workers have translated the meta data into French.
It is a varied crop of documents : much repetition of traditional works of Islamic Jurisprudence ; numerous copies of
the Quran as well as other religious material such as Hadiths (traditional
stories from the life and times of the Prophet Mohammad). There is correspondance
and advice on how to write letters ; there is some history (we have two
copies of the famous Tarik-Al Sudan, (1655), partly written in Djenné by Abd al-Sadi, which
chronicles the Songhai Empire. We have plenty of texts which concerns Sufism.
And we have hundreds- no thousands-of manuscripts which deal with magic…Djenne’s
speciality. This was an interesting one :
« How to find fortune and be admired by others by the
use of quranic verses and the names of
Allah in conjunction with the flesh and skin of the Uromastyx lizard… »
I remember this lizard- I would sometimes see it when out
riding- it is not the common type which one sees everywhere around Djenné.
Although some orthodox factions in Islam would question
certain magic practises in Djenné, the Djenné marabouts believe that because
their magic is exercised in connection with verses from the Quran it is
definitely legitimate.
Meanwhile the Timbuktu project has seen its first working
week- above a ‘family picture’ of the team by the Imam Essayouti Library.
And, on the home front, I went to the lovely city of
Folkestone yesterday with Mali veterans Pia, Andrew and Yonatani. A seed has
been planted…
I cannot think of anywhere more beautiful to live than in a large
flat on the top of the cliff with views over the channel all the way to France on
a clear day ! And just around the corner, for sunset drinks on the veranda, is the fabulous Grand Hotel, which someone aptly
called the Chelsea Hotel of Folkestone. It also reminded me of the Lido in
Venice in its Edwardian faded splendour. Could this be the Future ?
The horror, the horror...you cannot be serious! Maybe Folkestone is less oldie-ville than when I last visited. But I want to know about the show (forgot that Pia had joined you - the subject didn't come up when I saw her tonight).
ReplyDeleteWhat's wrong with Folkestone? I loved it! And so did the rest of the crew- including Pia, at least I think so. The show (play) in the Grand, written and directed by my dear old friend Claire was charming.Hope to see you Tuesday for more in depth up-date!
ReplyDeleteOld Folkes-tone, I think it's called. It may well have looked up since my childhood impressions of drear (funnily enough I love Eastbourne).
ReplyDeleteWell thats serendipity - we came to your home back in Xmas 06 and now you are visiting mine (well where I grew up and my family still lives) - Folkestone! Could hardly believe it. David is not wrong when he says it has been a pretty dreary place but the impact of the Creative Foundation has been profound. Its not something that will bring change overnight and indeed its even now been years in the making, but the creative sector is thriving and the infrastructure gradually being refurbished with a highlight this year of the railway bridge across the harbour being opened as a pedestrian walkway - and of course this year is a Triennial year - Folkestone is an Art School! https://www.facebook.com/pg/fstonetriennial/videos/? ref=page_internal I always leave feeling energised - and then theres the sparkling sea ...
ReplyDeleteWell! Isn't that interesting! I am actualy going back this Saturday to look at a flat on Clifton Crescent...
ReplyDeleteAnd I didn't see any dreariness, apart from that eye sore in the harbour, the Burstin Grand.
Well well well - I am sure it will take you but 5mins to get involved in something, theres so much going on. My top tips: Happy Hour cocktails at RockSalt looking over the harbour (where the shiny people go - those you dont see much of elsewhere but lovely outlook and sweet staff), generous cheese board in Kipps, top of the high street. Lovely vibe, live performance and beer in two opposite micro pubs in Tontine Street The Troubadour and the Lime Bar Cafe opposite. We give wide birth to the Burstin ... though it has hosted tremendous Triennial works in the past so not all bad - lifes rich tapestry...
ReplyDelete