The Sahara: A Long Way Away from a Cultural Desert

by

Eamonn Gearon

In keeping with anyone blessed with an active imagination, as extensive as my wanderings through the Sahara have been, they are nothing compared to my mental journeys through the Great Desert. The greatest journeys are not always physical, and one can be transported just as easily in an armchair as on a camel.

I was a child the first time I entered the Sahara, sitting on my father’s knee. We were at home in Wiltshire, that fat, green English county best known as the home of Stonehenge. Beethoven’s 6^th Symphony, the Pastoral, was on the record player. My father always played Beethoven when he remembered Egypt in the 1950s.

Although he was there in an official, military capacity – something to do with a canal by the name of Suez – his memories of that country and its people were fond ones, and invariably revolved around the desert.

If this reminiscing seems a long way from the Sahara, it both is and is not. Even unremembered, unremarkable incidents in one’s childhood can have a profound impact on the rest of his or her life.

There is no doubt that I have spent the past two decades in the Greater Middle East because of my father’s tales of a far away country he loved, even if, unsurprisingly, this love was not always equal on the part of the Egyptians.

When I started reading about the Sahara for myself, the first thing that struck me was its scale and its seeming emptiness. A part of the earth roughly the size as the entire United States of America, but with a population of approximately 3 million.

Once these figures had been absorbed, it was not the limited numbers of people that impressed me so much as the fact that the desert was not empty. It was, and always has been, home to a diverse number of peoples, both locals and foreigners.

I next understood that the Sahara had not always been a desert, but was once an ocean, and later variously forests and pastures; that “Sahara” simply means “desert” in Arabic; and that the human records of life in the Great Desert, its cultural history, are as many and varied as the flora and fauna one finds there.

Indeed, the landscapes of the imagination are far more numerous than the various physical landscapes one finds there.

The earliest extent records are those rock paintings and carvings found across today’s desert. These global treasures hold out the promise of great insight into our Saharan-dwelling forefathers, and yet they are frustratingly among the least understood human records, and most open to fantastical interpretations.

Hunting scenes are fairly easy to interpret. Recognisably male figures carrying spears and chasing four-legged animals with horns do not require the observer to have a degree in archaeology or art history. Other images are less straightforward. People swimming? Big cats dancing?

Did the “round-headed” figures come down from outer space? What do you think?

And while men apparently copulating with elephants and rhinoceros might just be examples of prehistoric lavatorial, schoolboy humour, they could easily have another, deeper meaning: we simply do not know.

Rushing forward thousands of years, the artistic records created by European artists who have been ‘discovering’ the Sahara since the late Eighteenth century were created in the same environment. In response to an encounter with their surroundings, the artists were impelled to create, to leave behind some record of a moment in time or a day in the life. They are all saying, “We were here, this is who we were, what we did and what we found.”

Fromentin declared that he only fully came alive in the Sahara, and that the intensity of these feelings grew the further south he travelled into it, while Paul Klee announced that it was the influence of being under North African skies, and the intensity of the light there, that he became an artist.

The paintings of David Roberts, who travelled through Egypt and the Levant in the 1830s, became the virtually canonical interpretation of the East for close to one hundred years.

Roberts’ time in the region was inspired in turn by a far less pacific visitor to Egypt. On Napoleon’s 1798 invasion of Egypt, he was accompanied by two armies: one of soldiers, the other of scholars. These savants were responsible for exposing Europeans to a world they had more or less ignored for centuries. Perhaps this was no bad thing.

Napoleon’s short, inconclusive invasion marked the start of the last great scramble for the Sahara. By 1900, of the 11 modern nations that now make up the Sahara, only Libya remained independent. This too fell after the Italians invaded, snapping up the last slice of independent North Africa in 1911.

But these European invaders were just the last in a millennia-long line of like-motivated imperialists, which included the Greeks, Romans, and Vandals. Non-European invaders included the Phoenicians, Persians and, of course, the Arabs.

It was the invasions by this last group that most permanently changed the cultural face of the Sahara and its people. The eventual imposition, or adoption, of Arabic as the language of commerce, government and worship is the most obvious changes in local circumstances. The spread of Islam, which utterly replaced older, indigenous faith systems, was the most important reason for this.

Returning to the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries, this was not just the era of European expansion and domination of the Sahara, it was also the period that saw the proliferation of portrayals of the Great Desert. The artists we mentioned above; these were soon followed by poets and writers of prose.

In the same way that Roberts dominated Nineteenth century painterly portrayals of the desert, so Beau Geste and the French Foreign Legion loom large on the early Twentieth century literary landscape. A kepi-clad bugler and a deserted fort was, for decades, all that most people knew about the Sahara, or cared to.

With the dawn of cinema, the literary visions were added to and exploited mercilessly by filmmakers who understood the instinctive attraction of a shot of sand dunes stretching as far as the eye could see.

One of the best-known writers on the Sahara, Paul Bowles of “The Sheltering Sky” fame, very publicly announced that he wished the film of his novel had never been made. Others were less chary.

And in spite of the critics, famous and anonymous, the Sahara continues to attract visitors; to awe strangers and residents; to prove most alluring when revealing itself to those who have the desire to know it, over time.

For my own part, the journey that began on my father’s knee reached fruition 20 years later, when I first entered the Sahara. And now, after nearly another two decades, I am delighted to have sanctified my love for the world’s greatest desert in my book.

The Sahara in which I roamed, first with the Bedu and later alone, but in the company of my camels – Osama, Ibn Kelb, and Baby – was physically demanding. The journeys were tough. They built character and left scars. Today, I look back on those sacred days and nights with love without compare.

Whilst resident of the oasis of Siwa, Egypt, recovering from amoebic dysentery after one of my more adventurous travails, I met my now wife. Such a priceless find, in the midst of the seeming wasteland, daily reminds me of the importance of the Sahara in my life. In this world, it pays to be alive to both one’s physical and imaginary landscapes.

Eamonn Gearon is an Arabist, analyst and author who has lived and worked in the Greater Middle East – from Kabul to Casablanca – for the past twenty years.

Eamonn’s life in the region started in the Sahara, where he lived and travelled with the Bedu, learning a vast amount of desert lore from them before engaging on a number of lengthy solo, camel-powered expeditions in the Great Desert.

His book “The Sahara: A Cultural History” came out in the UK in June 2011 (Signal Books), and is being published by Oxford University Press in the USA in October.

Eamonn is now writing a cultural history of Kabul, to which city he took his wife for their honeymoon, in 2008, during the Taliban’s resurgence in Afghanistan.

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The Kyrgyz of the Afghan Pamir

by

Louis Meunier

(Images Copyright of Paley Matthieu)

About the Kyrgyz of the Afghan Pamir

I first met the Kyrgyz of the Afghan Pamir in the summer of 2007, while I was guiding a

group of tourists for a trek across the Wakhan corridor. The encounter with these

nomads in a remote corner of northern Afghanistan marked the climax of the

journey.

The Wakhan is a narrow strip of land wedged between Pakistan and Tajikistan. It

stretches along 350 km until China. The place is called “Bam e dunya” – “roof of the

world” – and is located at the convergence of three of the most gigantic mountain

ranges of the planet: The Hindu Kush, the Karakoram and the Pamir.

The Kyrgyz are nomads. There are roughly 1.200 in Afghanistan. They live in yurts, and

can move up to four times each year, depending on the pastures, the sun and the

wind. Their camps are set up between 4,000 and 4,500 meters, at the very end of the

corridor. They don’t cultivate the land, and survive entirely on their livestock. They

resort to barter with travelling merchants, and their neighbours, the Wakhis, as the

most basic staples have to be brought in from the outside world: sugar, salt,

medication… and opium.

Secluded in their mountain camps, they probably form the most isolated high

altitude community of the planet. They live out of time, untouched by civilization, like

their forefathers used to do centuries ago. Travelling in Wakhan is like travelling in

time. Next to it, Afghanistan, even without electricity, seems incredibly modern.

Exposed to the implacable law of nature, imprisoned between three impassable

borders, ravaged by opium, subject to abominably high infant and maternal

mortality rates, the Kyrgyz of the Afghan Pamir are having a hard time. In these

conditions, living is surviving. One out of two babies die at birth, and life expectancy

doesn’t reach 40 years.

Nearby, just a few kilometres away, are three developed worlds: China, Tajikistan

and Pakistan. But the Kyrgyz are not allowed to cross. The borders have closed with

history, imprisoning the nomads on the roof of the world.

I was stunned.

Later during the trek, I bumped into a British doctor, who had moved to the area with

his family to help the people. He explained that he had offered the Kyrgyz to

vaccinate their kids, and thus greatly increase their chances to survive. The Kyrgyz

took some time to ponder over the proposition and finally asked for a hundred dollar

for each child before they could get their vaccines. In the end, only a couple of

children were inoculated. What an irrational behaviour for a people at the brink of

extinction.

Already in 1999, Kyrgyzstan had offered asylum and land to relocate the whole

community, but they refused and preferred to stay on the inhospitable patch of

mountain they called home.

What do the Kyrgyz have to defend or protect? Why do they cling to Wakhan? Why

do they refuse the benefits of civilization? I promised myself I would come back to try

and understand – maybe learn something, and possibly help them.

About the movie project “Prisoners of the Himalayas”

Filming has become my excuse for travelling and get insights to regions normally

hidden. It prompts adventure. Moreover, I like to have an activity and be doing

something – documenting, interviewing, filming – rather than just travelling. It gives

me a reason to meet with the people and provides a meaning to exploration. It is

also a way to share my wanderings and encounters with others when I return.

Most of the time, people are happy to talk in front of the camera. They are proud to

know their image is being captured, and understand it is an opportunity to have their

voices heard. By passing on messages and leaving testimonies, film is a mean to

build bridges between cultures. It can also be used as a communication tool to alert

the opinion, rally support to a cause, or raise concern and interest as a prelude to

action when need be.

“Prisoners of the Himalayas” is intended to tell the life and fate of the Kyrgyz of the

Afghan Pamir. Thanks to the Royal Embassy of Denmark in Kabul, I was able to start

the movie project last winter and leave to Wakhan with a great cinema team

composed of Laurent Fleutot, an experienced cameraman and film maker, Matthieu

Paley, a talented photographer with good knowledge of the area, Taj Mohamad

Bakhtali, a trainee in sound engineering, and Malang Daria, a famous Afghan

climber and mountain guide.

Meeting up the Kyrgyz in winter was a demanding expedition because of the

remoteness of the place, the altitude and the climate. It would have been easier to

travel on the road in neighbouring Tajikistan or China and simply cross the border into

the Afghan Kyrgyz territory. But coming the long way, all trough the Wakhan corridor,

was an occasion to feel the place, sink into the local reality and experience what

the people are enduring on a daily basis. We were lucky enough to have a small

Kodiak plane to fly us to Kret, in the middle of the Wakhan corridor. We then had to

set a caravan of yaks and walk for a week.

Most of the way follows a frozen river, slowly winding through mountains of

spectacular beauty and gradually ascending to the roof of the world. We had to

progress with extra care on an unstable icy ground, watching our steps and pushing

the animals refusing to go. The way up was good, but we were caught in a

snowstorm for six days on the way down.

Working in these conditions is extremely tough – holding the cameras in a blowing

and freezing wind, standing still in and hoping the batteries will not vanish… But

strangely enough I liked it. I felt privileged to be there, despite the frostbites, the

tiredness and the long hours walking in the snow. It was just an extraordinary

experience to meet up with the Kyrgyz in this season.

In winter, Kyrgyz tend to stay in their homes and go out only by necessity to fetch

water, take care of the cattle, or go on a caravan to get some vital goods from the

outside world. We went from camp to camp and spent time with families who told us

their stories around a cup of tea. They explained their problems and told their hopes

and fears for the future. In all places, we were welcomed as guests and offered

great hospitality.

We will be going back to Wakhan in June to wrap up the shooting phase. So far, I

am not sure what I have learnt from the Kyrgyz – it is maybe too early to say. I don’t

even know yet with accuracy what the film will be revealing. But I can say they have

a fascinating story, full of teachings, and it is enriching for the modern man to listen

to the ancestral wisdom of the nomadic Kyrgyz.

The Kyrgyz of the Afghan Pamir are reluctant to change, and fear their culture and

traditions will dissolve in a world that eludes them. They are facing a challenge we all

know: How to keep one’s identity in an increasingly uniform planet, where

differences have no place? This global issue is that of a shared humanity: sooner or

later, the roots of our cultures are exposed to the wheels of globalization.

To keep their identity and freedom, they have fled the Soviet crush, tried to get into

China, escaped to Pakistan. Some definitely left to Turkey, but some decided to stay

in Wakhan and managed to survive against all odds. But now this group is seriously

contemplating a relocation plan as a last resort solution for a better future. So

maybe, soon, will we see the final exodus of the last Kyrgyz of the Afghan Pamir.

For more details about the Kyrgyz and the film project, check

www.theroofoftheworld.com

French Long Rider Louis Meunier is a living legend among equestrian explorers. Though his recent journey across Afghanistan
nearly resulted in his death, nevertheless he remained in the country.

Exploration/travel photographer Matthieu Paley is the artistic heir to the great travel photography master, Roland Michaud – he has been working in Pakistan and Afghanistan since 1999. To view more of his work, you can visit his blogwww.paleyphoto.blogspot.com and his website www.paleyphoto.com.

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In these years Dan has become very successful. He writes for the National Geographic and his latest book The Blue Zones has been a huge success, sold in 250 000 copies and he has been part of all the big talk shows like Oprah Winfrey and more and after reading his book, which I enjoyed a lot, I have realized, once again, that all seems to be meant, maybe, like the Arabs say, it is written in the stars. It was meant to be, him and me meeting. He gave me a nice perspective on certain things regarding the meaning of life. Dan seemed to enjoy every aspect of life, especially having time to be with his extended family. One of the ten commandments of how to get over 100 years old according to Dan and his Blue Zone project!

Visiting the great area where Dan had his mansion, also offered some nice winter days with son and less cold....

It was great meeting Dan during the Minneapolis visit. Otherwise a lot of my energy has been trying to figure out how the latest developments in Yemen will affect the Expedition. As it is now, the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen is closed and I communicate excessively with my friends in this great country. Latest news comes from Brid Beeler, who is more updated than most people regarding the situation in Yemen, that not even the UN are getting through. So far, one of the better articles I have read about the situation comes from The Guardians Brian Whittaker here! This is of course, bad news, very bad news, so the question is, when will the border open up again? And do we need to re-route completely? That means we need more money and more time, which is not easy to acquire in these days of recession. Right now, the situation looks worse than ever and my big worry, is that it will develop even worse, that outside troops will move in and we will have a very serious situation. It smells Afghanistan and Somalia. And all borders will, of course, then be closed to Saudi-Arabia, the country the Expedition really needs and wants to pass through. Not possible, no Expedition. That is reality. We are returning to Oman at the end of the month to continue our work to put the Expedition on its feet. Until than, there are other worries….

And if I haven´t felt the global recession anything earlier, it is moving in everywhere. I get emails from colleagues all over the world who describes the situation more dire than ever. And it easy to see here in the US of A. The recession. It has, so far, been a very important and interesting visit, and the positive aspects of this great country is the multi-cultural society and the positive attitude of most people. I am in Philadelphia right now, and I really like its Afro-American population. On the negative side, this is not a place to be, the US, if things turn bad. No matter how often I have seen homeless people all over the world, it pains to see. I have taken one decision, if I ever, in shallah, become a father, Sweden is the place to be. I have re-evaluated my own country a lot during these last 6 months. I am beginning to feel full proud Swedish again. Especially after meeting all Americans with Swedish back ground in Minneapolis talking about the Old country.

William Penn´s beautiful City Hall in Philadelphia, a very interesting and livly East coast city.

By the way, if you have time to kill, why not come to see the Siberian lecture at Williams College in Williamstown on Friday? See http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=260366986429&index=1

“Yesterday I saw this little ant on my floor and my first thought was to kill it, but than I realized how amazing it was, this little life walking on my floor, with all its legs and body moving forward and I thought, woow, another of his great creations!” Talib said with great joy in his face and continued passionately: “Our prophet said that life is precious and that humankind shouldn´t kill anything. All life has the same value! The prophet Mohammed was fantastic!”

“Oman is mainly Ibadi?” I asked him, my very good friend Tali Omar, during this, one of our many Thursday meetings, when we discuss everything from religion to football.

Talib goes up at 4.30 every morning to go to the mosque an pray....

“I don´t see myself belonging to any specific arm of Islam. I am sunni, shite, ibadi, all. I am a Muslim in all ways. It is simple really, it is just to follow the ten commandments of the Bible. I try to do as good as I can.”

Talib is one of the nicest human beings I have ever met. He has been the big difference in many ways, regarding the success or failure to put the Expedition on it feet and his wisdom is plentiful. And he never talks bad about anyone, doesn´t pass judgement without knowing, he is well read and educated in life, he speaks with a soft voice, always in a non-aggressive way and he is never pushy, but always helpful, very generous and no matter how busy, bogged down with work, he always takes time to listen and help. Lately he has spent hours in his phone trying to help me find my way through the sign-free parts of Muscat. He is a devout Muslim which prays 5 times a day, he listens often to prayers on the radio or TV and he reads a lot on the same subject.

The five pillars of Islam is: Faith or belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the prophethood of Muhammad; Establishment of the daily prayers; Concern for and almsgiving to the needy; Self-purification through fasting; and The pilgrimage to Mecca for those who are able.

“I prefer to read books by Western scholars when it comes to Islam” , he says, “They go deeper, question and are more neutral, which means you get a broader spectrum of Islam.”

“Why do you think Islam is so misunderstood in the West?”

“Well, it has become to politicized. Really from the beginning with the Ummiyads and up until today it is far to often based on political and not spiritual power. And when two Muslim sides are at war, like Iran or Iraq or like in Somalia, they blame each other for not being true believers. I guess, like Christianity, look at the catholics and protestants in Northern Ireland…..” I chip in with the former republic of Yugoslavia, “….they´re still not getting along even though they should be called educated people. Because one problem for Islam is that in many Muslim countries education is poor and if you get a bad Imam preaching in an uneducated area, we have a situation. Therefore, if it is a poor country with big divisions between rich and poor, than people will join the opposition whether they are fanatics or not! Education and a fair government is vital!”

“One thing I realized during my time in Yemen studying Arabic, was that in reality, like the Talibans in Afghanistan”  , I said, “These geezers don´t even speak or understand Arabic, how than can they than properly understand the Quran? They don´t even know what they are reading.”

“True. I haven´t thought about that.”

“What about the issue of women? I get a lot of questions from my readers about Islam and their views on women and then they, the readers, refer to some horrible article written about lashing or stoning woman. And add that some Muslims say that it is written in the Quran that the beating of women is a right.”

“The situation for women is not good. Indeed it is terrible. But that has to do with the old culture in this area, which was strong far before the arrival of Islam, and this ancient culture has unfortunately been applied to Islam. But that is not good, because it is a fact, that The Prophet loved women and he had some very strong women around himself and if people try to read his first sermon where he specifically said that society has to protect women and give them the same rights. I have a daughter myself, she plays football and I will give her every chance in life to choose what she wants to do in her life. And regarding beating woman, in Oman it is written in the law that it is forbidden, but it is still not easy to implement, because if a woman goes to court, she will pay a social prize of being evicted from the community. So we still have some time before it works perfectly.”

All throughout our conversation his mobile has rung, messages has poured in, it is Eid Al-adha, plus that Talib really never takes a day off work. Suddenly somebody very important calls and our time is up and we return in his Porsche to Al Ghubra where I live. He stops half way at a mosque for midday prayers. For me Talib is a role model of how a human being should be.

The shopping for Eid Al-Adha is hysterical right now!

Some of the most imposing mosques have elaborate design, like the Sultans Mosque in Muscat.....