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Region: Africa

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Montagnes de or

Lower Nubia wrote:The republics planned pavilion will be in the centre on the left side (of the garden) close to the central fountain, symbolising the halfway point between Church & government; morality, and justice. The Pavillion building will be 80 metres long, 15 metres tall & 15 metres wide, with a tower on the far end towards the central garden boulevard. The tower, the most imposing structure of the building, & hewn from sandstone, is 40 metres tall, 15 metres wide & long, topped with a brass Nubian ram rearing (to 15 metres) on its hind legs. Down the side (facing the boulevard) of this pavilion hangs long draped Nubian flag flanking either side of the tall (4 metres) & wide (3 metres) entrance to the structure.

The Pavillion will be filled with the ancient artefacts from the Nuba people; the golden artefacts of vast pyramids, the pottery & armour of long-gone empires. The intent is that as you move down the structure, you cross each age of Nubian history & you encounter the struggle & depth of the Nuba people in time. Finally, culminating in the Modern-day with art, philosophy & engineering splendour from the University of Napata, & the artistic efforts of monasteries scattered across the republic.

The d'Orian pavilion centres on an area designed to evoke a street market. Musicians, acrobats and other performers mingle with the crowd, while at various "stalls" chefs serve up bowls full of traditional d'Orian food - fried and salted fish, seafood stews, beef soups, balls of cassava dough to be dipped in fiery chili pastes, candied fruits and fermented milk beer. The market gives access to 3 further areas representing the countryside, the sea and the mountains. In the countryside area are demonstrations of traditional weaving, basket craft and leather working while screens loop film of the country's varied wildlife. The sea area features several replica boats that visitors can board and explore, including a fishing vessel and a French galleon from past centuries. The mountain area is themed around mining, with visitors invited to pass through narrow tunnels that depict the experiences of gold miners in colonial times in order to reach a display of working models of contemporary mining machinery by which a choir belts out an interpretation of traditional miners' working songs. When everything has been seen the visitor exits via a corridor lined with displays on the life and works of prominent d'Orians from various spheres of public life both at home and overseas (predominantly in France).

Back at home there is a degree of controversy that the pavilion is not the work of a d'Orian designer. Instead the job and an undisclosed but reputedly considerable fee has gone to a former assistant director of the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie in Paris.

Zambique, Lower Nubia, and Free boers

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