A local proverby says: "The boats come from south and the camels from north but wisdom and knowledge live in Timbuktu".
Timbuktu, also called Tombouctou, is a town of Mali and is located at the lower edge of the Sahara desert and few kilometres away from the Niger river.
This town has been founded during the 12th century as a seasonal camp for a nomadic group of Tuaregs; and later on became the spiritual and intellectual capital of the Islamic expansion in north Africa. During the 14th century Timbuktu was and important trade centre. The Tuaregs caravans took in salt and in exchange they got gold as the area was rich with gold mines. Timbuktu was famous also for the slaves trade.
The Tuaregs caravan still arrive in Timbuktu with salt but there is not anymore gold to barter with as Morocco and France have exploited all the mines driving them to the end of resources.
The population of Timbuktu is represented by four ethnic groups that, even if very different among them, have been able to live together for many centuries without rivalry and search of preponderance of one group to the other ones. The "Songhay" are devoted to agriculture and fishing; the "Kel Tamashek" (better known as Tuaregs) are nomads and the like the trading; the "Fulani" prefer to breed livestock; and finally the "Moors" that are the descendants of the Arabs that arrived here, during the 7th century, from the north Africa with the aim to spread the Islamic words.
The main reason to visit Timbuktu is to see the complex of mosques and madrasas (the Koran schools) that is known as Koran University of Sankore. Those buildings are a typical example of sub-Sahara architecture; they are made with straw and mud. Unfortunately the mosques are in very poor conditions due to the tropical weather that changes from months of rain to months of drought. The mosques of Djingareyber, Sankore and Sidi Yahia are now included in the list of sites protected under UNESCO. Another reason is to see the "manuscripts", a set of documents of several centuries ago which historical, sociological and religious significance is similar to the ones found near the Dead Sea. Beside their contents, they have a sole beauty of colours and miniatures (many are handwritten and many others are composed by wooden small boards).
Then walk around the local markets full of colours and scents. Meet the local population that is poor but meantime proud of its origin and town. Eat what the local people eat, at first instance the foods look strange but then the taste is so good that you will ask again.
Timbuktu is still considered a mythical and mysterious destination and it is not included in the tour operator catalogues (at least here in Italy) and I think this is a great luck because I'm afraid that a mass tourism could damage this "wonder".
I don't suggest to reach Timbuktu by air due to difficult schedule and poor safety of the airline. So there two different ways (I used both and I suggest the second): by camel crossing the Sahara desert or by boat along the Niger River.
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Jul 5th, 2005
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