Timbuktu: The Malpractice of Losing History
Faculty Sponsor
LaToya Brackett, Whitworth University
Research Project Abstract
Timbuktu is a principle case of “lost history”. Timbuktu was one of the wealthiest cities in all of history adding significant advancement in knowledge and wisdom and is unparalleled over against any city at its time in grandeur and greatness. This history became “lost” essentially because it was not taught due to being deemed as unimportant by eurocentic historians as centuries passed by. History is completely integral to the cultural of an ethnic group. Therefore, this rich history was not attributed to peoples of North African descent and their cultural to some extent was robbed. Why is history lost? How can we recover, reclaim and ensure that it is shared? These will be some prescriptive questions to be answered. When searching for lost history what are the signals and warning signs to indicate history is missing, and how to establish preventive measures to discontinue the malpractice of “losing” history.
Session Number
RS13
Location
Graves Gym
Abstract Number
RS13-f
Timbuktu: The Malpractice of Losing History
Graves Gym
Timbuktu is a principle case of “lost history”. Timbuktu was one of the wealthiest cities in all of history adding significant advancement in knowledge and wisdom and is unparalleled over against any city at its time in grandeur and greatness. This history became “lost” essentially because it was not taught due to being deemed as unimportant by eurocentic historians as centuries passed by. History is completely integral to the cultural of an ethnic group. Therefore, this rich history was not attributed to peoples of North African descent and their cultural to some extent was robbed. Why is history lost? How can we recover, reclaim and ensure that it is shared? These will be some prescriptive questions to be answered. When searching for lost history what are the signals and warning signs to indicate history is missing, and how to establish preventive measures to discontinue the malpractice of “losing” history.