It is clear that religion play a significant role in our lives. It is a power to be reckoned with, a source of inner strength, an inspiration for many. This has been true in the past, and it is quite possibly more so now. It comes as no surprise that most architectural landmarks of mankind stem from the need to be loved by God - or gods, as we think of buildings as a way to impress our deities into liking us more than the next civilization, and favoring us above the rest. This is probably why, even in the remotest corners of the world, most structures that have survived the wrath of nature and the cruelty of passing time are those devoted to worshipping. We tend to keep our houses of worship in better condition than our houses of residence.
When one thinks of Africa, the first thing that comes to mind is poverty; this has been the case for much of our recent history. An entire continent - the second largest and the second most populous in fact, with a fifth of its surface area and a seventh of its population - that has been mired with wars, internal and external conflict, disease, drought, famine and corruption and that has become synonymous with "Third World", it is home to more than a billion people. And yet, one has to think very hard to come up with a recent significant accomplishment from the continent, whether in terms of architecture or, anything else for that matter. Yet, even amidst all the poverty and desolation, African people manage to honor their deities. The Great Mosque of Djenne is a testament to that dedication.
Located in the historic town of Djenne in the Inland Niger Delta region of central Mali - which sits in the flood plain of the river Bani, the principal tributary of the Niger river in Mali - the Great Mosque of Djenne is a marvel in the middle of nothing. It is a building built entirely of adobe (the Spanish word for mud brick, which is a brick-like material made of sand, clay, water and any kind of fibrous organic material such as straw or sticks). The choice of material and the architectural style the building is constructed in is consistent with the Sudano-Sahelian style: An umbrella term used for indigenous architectural styles used commonly in Islamic West Africa.
The Sudano-Sahelian style characteristically features adobe, along with large wooden support beams that protrude from the building's facade - the beams used for both decoration and also as scaffolding during the maintenance of the structure. The style dates to as early as 250 B.C., and is still in use in the same region, which makes it one of the longest-lived architectural styles ever.
The first mosque to have occupied the spot is thought to date to the 13th century, although an exact date cannot be given. A wide band of over 120 years is estimated between 1200 A.D. and 1320 A.D. for the construction of this first structure - no actual document referencing the original mosque remains.
The first references to the mosque were made in 17th century, mentioning the building of a mosque by Sultan Kunburu, who converted to Islam and as a consequence, demolished his palace to make space for a new mosque. French explorer Rene Caillie - the first European ever to return alive from Timbuktu - in his trip to the area in 1828 wrote about the mosque, describing it as "a mosque built of earth, surmounted by two massive but not high towers; it is rudely constructed, though very large".
In fact, Caillie's visit coincides with the Fulani people's jihad and conquest of the town of Djenne. The Fulani people, one of the largest ethnic groups of Africa, had taken over the town, and their leader Seku Amadu had abandoned the original mosque in favor of a new and much more austere mosque that he commissioned between 1834 and 1836. This meant that the original mosque was left to fall into disrepair, a certain death verdict for an adobe building in the harsh African climate.
The disuse of the original mosque continued until the end of 19th century - with the French conquering Djenne in 1893, the fate of the building started to change. In 1906, French administrators of the town ordered the rebuilding of the original mosque, using forced labor, although there is strong doubt whether the final structure followed the plan of the original mosque in all aspects.
The current mosque, dating to the French-overseen construction in 1907, features sun-baked adobe walls joined by sand and earth mortar; the walls are coted with a special plaster that endows the structure with a smooth surface. The beams that jut from the walls, called toron, are of rodier palm tree trunks, and ceramic half-pipes are used on the roof to route water away from the building.
The mosque is built on a roughly square platform of 75 meter sides, raised 3 meters above the surrounding plain to protect from flooding of the Bani river. The corners of the outer walls are not precisely orthogonal, meaning that the building plan is not an exact square.
The prayer wall of the mosque faces east - towards Mecca as in all mosques - and is dominated by three boxy minarets, the talles being 16 meters high. The pinnacles on top of these three minarets are - interestingly - topped with an ostrich egg. The prayer hall has a roof that is supported by arches almost as high as the roof itself, which results in a web of pillars that clutter the interior of the mosque, significantly reducing visibility. The floor of the prayer hall is of sandy earth.
The maintenance of the mosque is an annual event that the entire community takes part in. It involves food and music, and significant amount of hard labor that is required to restore the building to its state before the damages caused by the annual rains and cracks caused by temperature changes. First, the plaster that will be used during the repair is prepared in pits, overseen by guild masters, and children are employed in the constant stirring of the plaster during its preparation - an effort that can last a few days. Then, several men climb the scaffolding of the mosque and apply the plaster onto the building, while other men carry plaster from the pits to the building. Women carry water to the pits and to the workers during the entire effort. The mosque, above all, is a source of pride for residents of Djenne.
The Great Mosque of Djenne has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list since 1988, and rightfully so. As an important Islamic learning center since its construction - thanks to its madrasa (Islamic school) complex, it has been a cultural center for the region since its inception. And above all, it is a symbol of a poor people's dedication to their God, year after year.
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