Start date of the project “African voices in Islamic manuscripts from Mali: a study of African languages written in Arabic-based script (Ajami)”

1 September 2015, by Webmaster

With the support of Gerda Henkel Foundation, CSMC started a two-year project dedicated to the study of the African languages preserved in the manuscripts of SAVAMA-DCI, IHERI-AB, and other Malian libraries. Dr Dmitry Bondarev, the head of the project, and his five-strong team based in Mali will identify, catalogue and analyse the Ajami manuscripts – a largely ignored but very important source for the history of Islamic education and literacy in African languages. The team comprises Dr Hamadou Boly, Dr Banzoumana Traoré, Dr Ismaila Zangou Barazi, Mr Mouhamadou Almarzouk Cissé, and Dr Samby Khalil Magassouba. External advisors to the project are Dr Tal Tamari and Dr Lameen Souag.