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