Grant application

Bert wrote the following Project Proposal for the Grant application. The translation from the Dutch is mine... The Tears of Iligh: written by Bert Hogervorst, art by Peti Buchel While on a trip to the South of Morocco I stumbled by chance upon a remarkable stronghold in the style of sub-saharan architecture.When was this extraordinary collection of castles built? Who lived there? What is its history? That was how the idea for a book of Graphic Journalism was born. Three times in as many years did I knock on the door. On the fourth time it finally opened. What happened next? The first meeting with the family that has lived there for 350 years was so remarkable that it led to a train of unforeseen adventures. The family is heir to a very unusual history. Among other things two historical facts stood out immediately: its special connection to the Netherlands and the ties to the the large Jewish community that found shelter within its walls. There are supposed to be many written documents that prove the pivotal role the family played in the history of the region and the trans-Saharan trade, but the family is sworn to secrecy. According to trustworthy sources the whole family archive is in a deplorable state as damp and insects have made havoc with the papers and leathers on which the archive is written. Most of what is known about the history of Iligh comes from outsiders: for example the 17th century diaries of Dutch admiral of the fleet Michiel de Ruyter who traded with Iligh for 10 years. The key question of this book of Graphic Journalism is: can the authors penetrate the secret archives? Can they make the family trust them enough to let experts evaluate what's there and possibly safeguard them for future generations? Bert Hogervorst and Peti Buchel have collaborated before on 'The Turning Tide (1998) a study about alternative ways to regenerate 19th century harbour building in NW Europe. They share a love of and interest in the Arab speaking part of the Islamic world and its history and culture.