How the Political security crisis in northern Mali affected the craft Industry in Timbuktu.
- El Hadj Djitteye
- Jun 4, 2017
- 2 min read
Mohamed Oussmane Ag Abellow , working with his uncle at the house of craft of Timbuktu
Timbuktu, the city of 333 holy saints, the black pearl hidden on the edge of the Sahara Desert, used to be one of the most attractive destinations for international tourists coming to Mali. The music, known around the world as the roots of blues and rock ‘roll, drew thousands to the legendary Festival Au Desert, held annually outside Timbuktu. In addition to the historic mud brick architecture, with their distinctive ornate doors, the rich selection of local crafts also appealed to tourists in Timbuktu.
Jewelry, such as the Timbuktu “passport” necklaces, leather work, and fabrics found eager customers, and sustained the livelihoods of the craft families of Timbuktu. The craft industry legacy is transmitted from one generation to another one in Timbuktu. Before the crisis of 2012, the craft of folk art was one of the most promising industries in northern Mali. Today, due to the lack of customers, the crafts of Timbuktu and northern Mali are slowly dying.
In 2012, northern Mali was invaded by Tuareg separatist groups and Islamist militants and Timbuktu fell under the hands of militants linked to al-Qaida in the Arabic peninsula. The occupation of Timbuktu also made the city a no man’s land and one of the most dangerous cities in the world. The occupation also made the craft industry vulnerable and craftsmen found themselves in exile.
During the occupation of Timbuktu, most of the blacksmiths went to neighboring countries in refugee camps. Some of them developed workshops in the camps hoping one day to come back to their homeland. In late January 2013, French-led forces liberated Timbuktu and restored a fragile peace. The craftsmen started to come back and reopened their shops, but unfortunately today their biggest challenge remains the lack of customers for selling their products.
Mohamed Oussmane Ag Abellow said that “since the occupation of Timbuktu our craft art business became dead, because of the insecurity of Timbuktu and the lack of western visitors.”
Despite the innovation and the creativity to create new models by descendants of the craftsmen, today their biggest challenge is how to sell their products in a city convulsed by religious, ethnic conflict and civil war.
According, to Baba Djitteye President of the Chamber of craftsmanship of Timbuktu “the best customers of art products are international tourists, people of Timbuktu consume less of the art products”. The artisan sector remains one of the most important components of Timbuktu’s economy and a key priority for the Malian craft and culture ministry. But without customers, not only the industry, but also age old traditions of craft will disappear.
The Timbuktu Renaissance initiative in partnership with ISHKAR, focuses on building international demand for artisan’s work, by developing E- market opportunities where lovers of the Timbuktu rich craft industry buy online products of artisans of Timbuktu. In the digital age, we must learn how to survive and thrive; the virtual market will give opportunities to artisans of Timbuktu to not only sell their products online but to be known across the globe.
Cynthia Schneider and John .H. Sime contributed for the editing of this article
