ML148463
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Media notes
Subject 1: (Interview). Subtitle: Mohammed Tahur Ould Sidi. Timecode In: 00:00:04. Timecode out: 00:30:06. Notes: Trans-Saharan salt trade; Camels versus trucks. Subject 2: (Sound Effects). Subtitle: Strong wind. Timecode In: 00:32:00. Timecode out: 00:35:53. Subject 3: (Interview). Subtitle: Alou Kone. Timecode In: 00:36:24. Timecode out: 01:00:12. Notes: Taoudenni prison. Subject 4: (Interview). Subtitle: Wade Davis. Timecode In: 01:28:35. Timecode out: 02:07:14. Notes: Ethnosphere; Cultural anthropology. Equipment Notes: Decoded MS Stereo. Show: Mali Log of DAT #:8a Engineer: Leo Date: January 18, 19, 2003 G = Godfried Peter Agbezudor MT = Mohammed Tahur Ould Sidi AK = Alou Kone WD = Wade Davis CR = Chris Rainier AC = Alex Chadwick CJ = Carolyn Jensen Leo = Leo del Aguila 0:00 AC-What does he say? G-You asked me to come here around 2:30, but I was here before 2:30 and you came at 3:30. All that I had to do today I forgot. Now that you asked me the question, I also have a question to ask you. AC-I apologize for coming late. I'm new here and I'm trying to learn new things and I apologize. G-Translating 0:59 AC-So my question, uh¿(interruption by Leo) Tahur speaks AC-Uh, the question, we know that one man here sold his camels and bought a truck to continue this business and we hear other young men say this life is too difficult we don't want to do it. Does he think this is going to, that the salt trade will go on or will it go out because it's too difficult, or will it change so much because of the trucks that the camel caravan will disappear? 2:13-translating 4:52 G-It is rather unfortunate for this man to have sold all his camels to buy a truck. And if you ask me why, I will go ahead and explain to you he has lost something great in life. Translating again. 7:34 G-Well, hmm, it is very unfortunate for this man because someone who is used to his camels has sold all of his camels to buy a truck, of course which he has no idea of. He can drive it today, of course, when he breaks down in the middle of the sand, that is when he is going to regret more. And even working on the truck, it's not a job for one person. It takes more than 10 persons to upload a truck and offload it. He must also think of buying the spare parts to fix the truck, but then he must also learn to fix up the truck when he breaks down, when he's all alone. But when he's riding his camels a camel gets sick, he knows what to do. either he offload his camels, and load the stuff on the other camels and let him walk free until they walk home to get healed, or he lets the camel go because the camel can always find its way back home. But a truck will always give him a problem, which he doesn't know today, but left to him and his fate. 9:00 AC-I have only one more question for him, and I will be happy to answer his question. Is there something if the caravan were to disappear, is there something symbolic or powerful about the salt trade and the caravan that is above just business. Does it mean something to the people here? Does the caravan have a kind of power, and the idea of the salt caravan have a kind of power beyond the, beyond what we do for business? Is it something that people do for reasons beyond just taking a, making money. Is it important for people here that it persists because it means something? 9:55 -Translating AC-Does it represent something in the heart? Translating 14:08 G-Today it has no significance, but previously it did have. Why? Because people now choose to make this trade in six days instead of the longer period that our fathers used to make it. They buy trucks, quickly buy the salt from here, instead of exchanging the salt for goods, they buy the salt and then go down to Timbuktu and in six days they are in and out, and in and out. The value of the trade is... (Notes truncated)
Technical information
- Recorder
- SONY TCD-D7
- Microphone
- Sennheiser MKH 30; Sennheiser MKH 50
- Accessories
Archival information
- Cataloged
- 28 Feb 2010 - Ben Brotman
- Digitized
- 28 Feb 2010 - Ben Brotman
- Edited
- 28 Feb 2010 - Ben Brotman