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In Oxford Dictionary, Timbuktu is referred to as a remote or extremely distant place (Timbuktu). However, this view is very narrow and does not reflect the reality. In The Manuscripts of Timbuktu, African scholars tell the story of the place and its scholarly heritage (Maseko, 2009). The film explains the importance of preserving the elements of ancient culture, as they are the proof of African intellectual capacity.
For centuries, Timbuktu was known as a trading center of Africa, but most importantly, a center of scholarship. In the middle of the sixteenth century, there already was a university attended by 25,000 students. The University of Sankore provided basic education in Arabic to everyone who was willing to study. The documentary features the story of Ahmed Baba, the outstanding scholar of the African continent. Baba tutored students in Timbuktu and continued teaching during his imprisonment in Morocco. He wrote many manuscripts on grammar, theology and other studies. In the film, African scholars, including Salem Ould El Hadj, discuss the importance of preserving these manuscripts as they have great intellectual value. It is notable that even after Moroccan invasion in the middle of the sixteenth century, the academic development of Timbuktu has not stopped. The documentary explains how during that time, right after the golden age of African scholarship, scholars were taken to Morocco with their manuscripts, and none of those people, except Baba, had a chance to return home. Unfortunately, some of the documents were destroyed by Islamic rebels, and others were taken to Morocco and belong to its collections to this day. The remaining manuscripts are highly valued and taken care of. It is fascinating how determined their caretakers were to keep them safe through generations.
In the documentary, African scholars share their views on how commerce shaped the intellectual and religious spheres of Timbuktu. The city was separated from the rest of the continent by the desert, but trading helped the citizens acquire writing skills and knowledge. It is clear that the speakers featured in the film come from a well-educated society, and are proud of their roots and predecessors. The way African scholars talk about the manuscripts show how much value they have to the citizens of Timbuktu and Africa in general. These ancient documents represent Islamic world of that time and the confluence of people and cultures. The film also shows how much African people of that time knew about the world. There are manuscripts from various fields from human sciences to astronomy. Some contain the knowledge people use to this day. The Manuscripts of Timbuktu is also notable because there are very few sources on the rich heritage of Timbuktu, especially documentary films. Such evidence of the great civilization must be spread and preserved.
The African history is enigmatic. There is still a lot to learn, many documents to be discovered and translated, and many stories to be told. The Manuscripts of Timbuktu offers an alternative point of view on how the world worked during the sixteenth-seventeenth century, letting the viewer reflect on what people know about ancient times and how much more there is to learn. Clearly, this evidence of the great intellectual and cultural heritage should be preserved and shared. The documentary makes one realize that Timbuktu is not just an extremely distant place , it is indeed an outstanding one.
References
Maseko, Z. (Director). (2009). The manuscripts of Timbuktu. Web.
Timbuktu. (n.d.). In Oxford Dictionaries. Web.
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