Everybody on the blog loved this video of Timbuktu about its great university, one of the world’s oldest universities. I loved these centuries’ old manuscripts on medicine, art, literature, astronomy, and other subjects. The idea that my ancestors knew all these things, and that even today people are still trying to decipher these, make me so proud. The great historian Ibn Battuta talked about Timbuktu’s great universities, scientists, and scribes, and the beauty and wealth of the place when he visited in the 1300s. Enjoy the video below.
It is with horror that I watched and read about Timbuktu‘s desecration these past weeks, and I could not /would not stay silent as African treasures are being ransacked and destroyed. Why would somebody destroy such a rich historical city? Why would someone want to erase history? Then I read the articles on BBC, and they say that the destruction was conducted by muslim fundamentalists. Seriously who do these media think we are? Stupid? Muslim fundamentalists? Isn’t Timbuktu’s history linked to Islam? Why on earth would somebody who loves and respects Islam destroy a place dear to his life? It’s like saying that a catholic fanatic would want to destroy the Vatican or Jerusalem… really? then they say these Muslim fundamentalists are from Northern Mali and are Touareg groups working to divide Mali. See, again, BBC must really think that we are stupid or newborns. How could a Malian, a Northerner, a Touareg, destroy his own home? unless this group is not from Northern Mali… unless this group is from somewhere else. Remember Libya? there were foreigners attacking, and NATO, which destroyed the beautiful Libyan historic places: Sabratha and Leptis Magna … Remember that remains of Babylon were almost destroyed during the attacks of 2003? Where are these stolen treasures today? Please watch this video on Timbuktu and learn why any son of Africa should fight for its preservation. There is over 10 centuries of history in Timbuktu, and it is our duty to save this place. There are over 700,000 manuscripts saved in public libraries and private collections. Check out this photojournal on BBC. Enjoy and share!
Oh wow… I always knew Timbuktu (Tombouctou in Mali) because of the story of the great emperor of the kingdom of Mali, Mansa Kankan Musa. I knew it was the center of his empire, but it is only lately that I realized that it was one of the world’s first and oldest thriving university! Students came from all over the world to study at Timbuktu. Imagine that, students from the middle east, and Europe coming to Africa to study! oooohhhh … Goodness Gracious, that sight only would make me proud! Well, to those who say Africa only has an oral tradition, go and check out the 700,000 manuscripts at the great Sankore University in Timbuktu, and tell me what you think! Oh la la…
In one documentary, the speaker mentions that they translated one of the manuscript on Algebra from Arabic to
Sankore University in Timbuktu
French, and sent it to France to be evaluated educationally; well, that manuscript revealed that the mathematics it contained was currently studied in 2nd year of university in France, and the speaker then says “and that was taught at universities in Timbuktu before the 16th century“! Wow… my Goodness!
Timbuktu also houses some of the world’s oldest mud mosques, and every year the people of the city unite to re-do the walls of the mosque. It was added to the UNESCO world’s heritage list in 1988 (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/119/).
African Heritage 