From Khartoum to Jerusalem - The Dragoman Solomon Negima and his Clients (1885-1933)

In 2014, a collection of papers was found on eBay: a scrapbook, inside which was written ''Testimonial Book of Dragoman Solomon N. Negima''. The letters pasted into the testimonial book bear recommendations of Negima''s services as dragoman - a combination of tourist guide and interpreter - in the Holy Land, from travellers of different nationalities, social classes, religions, genders and races.Using these reference letters, and the first-hand published and unpublished accounts of the travellers themselves, this book tells the stories of several such tourists, including the intrepid Victorian female traveller, Ellen E. Miller, and an African-American minister, Rev. Charles T. Walker, who had been born into slavery. Between the lines of others'' letters, Solomon Negima''s remarkable life story also emerges: from a German mission school in Jerusalem, to the British army in the Sudan, to a successful career as a dragoman in Palestine and Syria, and finally to comfortable retirement with his son, Aziz, and daughter, Olinda, at a Mormon mission in Jerusalem.The discovery of this unique scrapbook allows us an insight into the lives of individuals whose histories would otherwise be lost to us, and a new perspective on the history of travel in the Middle East.>

Product details

• Authors: Dr Rachel Mairs, Rachel Mairs, Rachel (Lecturer in Classics Mairs
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 30.11.2017
• EAN: 9781350054127
• ISBN: 978-1-350-05412-7
• No. of pages: 280
• Series: Criminal Practice Series
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Geosciences > Geography; Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; Travel > Travelogues, traveller's tales; Egypt, LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Translating & Interpreting, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Archaeology, TRAVEL / Middle East / Egypt, Middle East, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, Travel writing, 20th century, c 1900 to c 1999, c 1500 onwards to present day, Social and cultural history, Middle Eastern history, Archaeology by period / region, Geographical discovery and exploration, HISTORY / Middle East / Egypt, Middle & Near Eastern archaeology