Photo from research by Liliam Brezinzki
The name Azawad, (sometimes it was spelled Azaouad) was mentioned many times in old historic books and maps. One such example is a book called “The History and Description of Africa” published in the year 1600. It was written by Leo Africanus who wrote the word Azawad several times in his book. The book was translated into English by John Pory in the same year 1600. Robert Brown, reissued the same book in English in the 19th century.
On 2 old maps of Africa the location of Azawad is written. One of the maps dates back to the year 1602. English being the most widely used language in academia, the book and maps can be easily found on Google. This is knowledge accessible to all.
Maps showing the habitats of the Tuaregs and on the right, a document from 1955 where the name Azaouad is mentioned and referred to the year 1875.
There is no doubt about the ancient historical knowledge about the Saharan region identified for centuries as “Azawad” by historians and cartographers.
But It is not only this book and others that proves that the land Azawad existed long before France created Mali, it is also the Tifinagh that testify to the fact that the ancestors of the people of Azawad lived there and wrote the tifinagh on the rocks thousands of years ago. Azawad is the real name of this land and it belongs to the Azawadians.
Comments from the social media:
In the year 1600 even French Sudan, grandfather of the Mandingo empire which is the grandfather of present-day Mali, did not exist. As we know already, Mali was born on September 22, 1960 to father Sudan, and mother France, thus age 64.
The #AES Juntas blame #France for all the ills of the region, except for the way the former metropolis had fixed the borders in pencil 🖍️ before its withdrawal. However, it was laws voted in the French parliament at the time that validated the names of the plots (new states) resulting from the fragmentation of the former Sudan.
It was all calculated by France, knowing very well that a forced cohabitation of two peoples where all aspects of lifestyle and history differentiates so much would never work, one will oppress the other and since Mali was controlled by France, it was in reality France who dictated, hoping to gain control of the natural recources.
Thus, Mali is an extension of French colonialism.
The Azawadis fought colonial France from the beginning to end and that is also why France divided Azawad into five parts between neighboring countries to weaken them, something that happened at a given moment in history.
This map dates back to 1944, when #Mali was not yet born, while #Azawad was already well established. It was made 16 years before the break-up of French ex-Sudan named one of its parcels #MALI.
Azawadians have their own culture and their own language and the Tifinagh, a writing still in use today by Amazigh people. And on all the rocks of North Africa you will see the Tifinagh written on it.
This is also why they are trying to erase the Tifinagh in some places because its proof is as solid as the rocks its written on!
Photo: Lahcen Ag Touhami
Azawad Support Group 22-02-25
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