Kids Songs Around the World with English Translations or French Translations or Spanish Translations

Mama Lisa's World Blog English Nursery Rhymes Mother Goose in French

Wizard of Oz Audiobook Poetry for Kids ML Reviews Mama Lisa's Hub

Archive for the 'The Sailor Went to Sea' Category

Contents

Timbuktu and “The Sailor Went to Sea”

“Going to Timbuktu”… Where is Timbuktu Anyway?

Posts

Timbuktu and “The Sailor Went to Sea”

Wednesday, July 26th, 2006

The other day I posted a question about a children’s song that mentioned Timbuktu. We found it! It’s the Australian version of The Sailor Went to Sea.

Monique of Mama Lisa’s World en français saw the post. She sent me this interesting photo. The sign says “Timbuktu 52 Days” in French. Here’s what she had to say about it…

About Timbuktu, we French spell it Tombouctou. In the South of Morocco, there’s the village of Zagora, which is also known as “The Desert Gate” or “The Sahara Gate”. In Zagora there’s a signpost saying “Tombouctou 52 Jours”, meaning 52 days of camel travel from Zagora to Timbuktu. Everybody going there takes a photo of it. Here’s a photo…

Zagora is called “The Desert Gate” because it’s one of the last towns in Morocco before the start of the Sahara Desert. Camel caravans used to stop at Zagora before going to Timbuktu. It would take 52 days to get there!

It seems that many people in France are familiar with that sign and French tourists who visit that part of Morocco are sure to take pictures beside it. But, as far as I know, most people in the US have never even heard of the sign. I find it interesting that a landmark can be famous in one country and yet almost totally unknown in another!

Share on Facebook and other services:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Posted in Australia, Australian Kids Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, France, Mali, Mama Lisa, Morocco, The Sailor Went to Sea, Timbuktu, Zagora | No Comments »

“Going to Timbuktu”… Where is Timbuktu Anyway?

Saturday, July 22nd, 2006

Nurcan wrote in looking for a song about going to Timbuktu. Here’s what Nurcan wrote…

Hi,

I found your website and it’s very interesting, learning a lot I didn’t know, in terms of where certain songs come from. However can you assist me? I am trying to work out a song about Timbuktu. It’s not the American version either. I believe it’s possibly old English or Australian. From memory it’s about a voyage and they’re going to Timbuktu, but it never really says where Timbuktu is, as they are always looking for it. I am Australian, heard this song in around grade 1, am 28 now but can’t remember and it’s driving me batty, lol.

Hope you can help. Thank you.

Cheers, Nurcan

This sounds very familiar to me, yet I can’t find it anywhere.

I do know that To go to Timbuktu, means to travel to the ends of the earth, or the most distant place you can imagine.

Timbuktu is a town in Mali in west Africa, on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. It was the one meeting place of the people of north Africa and the south.

It was established around 1100 AD by the Tuareg, a nomadic people of the Sahara. The name Timbuktu comes from the dialect they spoke, also called Timbuktu. It’s a dialect of a Berber language called Tamasheq.

Timbuktu was a major trading center for gold, salt and slaves, from the year 1200 AD, until at least the second half of the 16th century.

If anyone is familiar with the song Nurcan is looking for, please comment below.

Thanks!

Lisa

UPDATE: Nurcan wrote me again and posted the song in the comments below. It’s the Australian version of “The Sailor Went to Sea”.

Share on Facebook and other services:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Posted in Australian Kids Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, Going to Timbuktu, Languages, Mali, Questions, Tamasheq, The Sailor Went to Sea, Timbuktu, Timbuktu, Tuareg, Words & Phrases | 11 Comments »

________

Help Support
Mama Lisa's World!

$5, $10, $25
or any amount welcome!