Dear Friends interested in North African artifacts:
                                   8/20/96

I received a copy of an e-mail from a contact here in my hometown of
Corvallis, OR, after I had done a presentation on Tuareg weaving, to the
Weavers Guild.  The mail was from Katherine Jones-Garmil at Harvard
University, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology.  I am interested in
making contact with Katherine and others who are interested in North African
artifacts.

I worked in W.Africa - specifically Mali and Niger, for 8 years from 1986-94
with a PVO doing rural development with the Tuareg people.  In that time, and
through my income development projects, I collected a number of high quality
Tuareg artifacts.   I used these in Tuareg displays when we would have sales
in the capital cities of Bamako, Mali and Niamey, Niger.  I brought them home
to Oregon (when our contracts finished 6/96), when I couldn't find a good
"home" for them there and as I had invested quite a lot of personal money in
the pieces.  Since, I have used them in a variety of educational
presentations, but am ready to move on (contemplating another stint overseas)
and place them where they will be of good use and housed.

The majority of my collection is woven grass and leather mats:
   - a prize "shitik", about 8 meters long (mat to surround the leather
tent), beautifully woven designs and in excellent condition.  I did a bit of
research on mat weaving and wrote a paper and descriptions of designs.

  - a number of small sitting/sleeping mats (3-5 foot) in a great selection
of woven designs.

  - a few wooden household items - food bowls, tent support poles, spoons

  - leather items:
      -cushion covers - intricate Tuareg designs, large and small sizes
      -camel sacks, camel decorations
      -neck purses & bags (men & womens')

Once I hear from you, I would love to give you more details and would be able
to send photos if you would be interested in talking!  Once I begin to go
through my collections, I have other miscellaneous items too - e.g.
handcrafted tea pot, tea glass holder, fire fans, etc.

As a last minute note, I believe that Tuareg craft, like it used to be made,
is a fast-dying art.  Due to the droughts of '75-76 and '84-85 many of the
abundant resources and lifestyle that the Tuaregs had around their animal
husbandry have been decimated.  The skilled older women in our area were not
teaching the young women how to weave because everyone was in such desperate
states of just trying to survive.  They would often tell me, "Why should we
teach our daughters to weave, there is no one to trade for our things and no
more more animals" (used in the bargain purchase and materials).  Many of
these women have since died.   I saw a valuable and beautiful art that may
never be seen again and should be saved for the historical value!

I look forward to your response!

Sincerely,

Janine K. Rands
My email address is via my husband:  [log in to unmask]
My mailing address is:  605 NW Linden Ave., Corvallis, OR  97330
My ph.# is (541)752-2384