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Article on West Aftica's Islamic heritage

  • 27-04-2007 1:33pm
    #1
    wes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,747 ✭✭✭✭


    Unearthing The Lost Literary Heritage Of West Africa

    The Legacy of Timbuktu: Wonders of the Written Word breaks multiple stereotypes and introduces the visitors to an Islamic African society known for its tolerance, justice and emphasis on God-consciousness and education.

    By Kelly Izdihar Crosby, April 24, 2007

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    As the International Museum of Muslim Cultures enters its sixth year of operation, this unique museum in the South has brought yet another world class exhibition to Jackson, Mississippi. Drawing from the success of the previous exhibit, Islamic Moorish Spain: Its Legacy to Europe and the West, the museum's newest exhibit The Legacy of Timbuktu: Wonders of the Written Word reveals West Africa's lost literate heritage. Opening in November 2006 to positive reviews from local and national media, this exhibit details the rich history of the great African Islamic empires.

    Upon entering the museum doors, visitors are presented with displays that tell the story the ancient city of Timbuktu. Many visitors to the museum are surprised that Timbuktu is a real city located in the Republic of Mali, West Africa. In ancient tales of travel and lore, Timbuktu has represented a distant, mysterious place. But at the height of Timbuktu's glory, it was a wealthy center of trade and commerce and a sacred city of three Islamic empires — Ghana, Mali, and Songhay. Timbuktu once controlled and produced two-thirds of the world's gold, and also dominated the global trade of salt.

    Click here to read the rest of the article

    Not sure if this is the right place to put this, so apologies if this is the wrong place to put this.

    Anyway great article. Its great to hear that African's were more advanced they are often portrayed. Its really sad that there culture was effectively destroyed by colonialism and the slave trade.


Comments

  • #2
    InFront
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,698 ✭✭✭InFront


    Interesting article, there is also a very interesting radio show about Islam, education, scholarship and culture in Mali and Songhay on the bottom of this page.

    It even features the very interesting story of Abu Bakr II who set off to discover the new world almost 200 years before Columbus! Whether he reached America or not cannot be known, but it sounds very interesting.
    The region clearly had a very rich history in pursuit of knowledge and as a thriving economic hub, it's a pity to see how it was neglected and abused in subsequent years


  • #3
    wes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,747 ✭✭✭✭wes


    InFront wrote:
    Interesting article, there is also a very interesting radio show about Islam, education, scholarship and culture in Mali and Songhay on the bottom of this page.

    It even features the very interesting story of Abu Bakr II who set off to discover the new world almost 200 years before Columbus! Whether he reached America or not cannot be known, but it sounds very interesting.
    The region clearly had a very rich history in pursuit of knowledge and as a thriving economic hub, it's a pity to see how it was neglected and abused in subsequent years

    Sounds very good, there are several groups who found the new world before the Columbus (who was a mass murdered btw, something that needs to be mentioned more often in the history books).

    Its amazing how rich West African culture was and a shame more people don't know about it.


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