Tunisian Blasters Set to Stun Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ajim

Whilst Ajim is not very big, (its population is approximately 24/25,000), it is the main fishing port for the island of Djerba. It is also a ferry port, providing transport to and from the Tunisian mainland, a trip of twenty minutes duration. When you step off the ferry at Ajim you will take in a scene complete with a wide array of fishing equipment. You will also note a great collection of clay pots.

These pots are used to lure octopi who see them as safe hiding spots. Travel a short distance north from your ferry drop and you'll come to a small square building not far from a fountain.

This building used to be the site of a traditional Berber bakery but these days it is so run down that the building is in danger of being torn down. If it is it will be another small piece of the "Star Wars" legacy that will disappear from the area.

In 1976, this nondescript building was converted into Chalmun's Cantina, where Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker went searching for a fighter pilot during "Star Wars IV: A New Hope" (1977).

Not far from here you should also be able to find a half domed wall that was used as a Stormtrooper checkpoint during the same film.

Answer: Tomb

Shubiel Gorge is east of Tozeur, near the village of Kriz and to stand at the edge of this gorge is akin to standing at the mouth of desolation. This land here is barren and appears to be bereft of any plant life. And, if it wasn't for "Star Wars", the rest of the world would hardly know that this place existed. Affectionately known as "Star Wars Canyon" this geographical feature became a favoured location for the franchise creator, George Lucas.

It is here that the Jawas kidnapped (or should that be "botnapped") the robot R2D2 and the Tuscan raiders attacked young Luke Skywalker in "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" (1977). For good measure Lucas would return here four years later to film the scene where Indiana Jones threatens to use a rocket launcher to destroy the Ark of the Covenant in "Raiders of the Lost Ark". In the question I did mention "in this capacity".

This is because, in today's Berber language, the word marabout can be interpreted two ways. The most common meaning is "saint" and this describes a teacher of the Sufi Muslim learnings.

The alternate meaning is to describe the tomb of a venerated saint. It is not unusual for these sites to be seen as "holy" places and for followers to travel to them for personal reflection.

Answer: Grain storage facility

A ghorfa is a vaulted room used by the Berbers as a means of storing grain. Essentially, it is a fortified granary and, as an added measure, it is usually placed or built on a hill to give it that little bit of extra protection against raiders. Built in the fifteenth century the Ksar found new life when it was used as one of the sites that was the home of a young Anakin Skywalker in "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace" (1999).

Answer: True

Lying in the southern regions of Tunisia it is noted for its collection of underground houses. These were built out of necessity to provide insulation against the harsh weather conditions in the area. The city, which, until 1951, had been a garrison town for the "Battalion of Light Infantry of Africa", a French penal military unit, came to prominence with the release of the original "Star Wars" series (1977) and its use of the similarly titled "Tatooine" as Luke Skywalker's home planet. George Lucas, the creator of the franchise, had stumbled upon the city in the early part of the 1970s when he was seeking out possible locations for the film and was taken in by the visual potential that its adobe styled buildings and cave dwellings offered. Aside from this the city is also noted for its annual Ksour Festival.

A kser (singular form of ksour) is a North African Meghrebi Arabic word that generally means "fortified village", a number of which can be found in this area.

Answer: Tozeur

The best example of this stunning brickwork in the city of Tozeur can be found in the "old town" of Ouled El Hwadef. This was enhanced as part of a restoration project that was undertaken by the local government and took nearly ten years to complete. The effort has paid off as it is now a major tourist attraction delivering valuable dollars to the community. Tozeur is both a city and an oasis.

It sits on the northern edge of the Sahara Desert and is surrounded by hundreds of thousands of palm trees. Consequently, it comes as little surprise, that alongside tourism their dates are one of the major sources of income for the city. Thirty eight kilometres away is Onk Jemal, whose desert surrounds provided the setting for a light sabre duel between Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Maul in "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace" (1999). Two kilometres from there is the location of Mos Espa, a city created by George Lucas where we first meet Anakin Skywalker and his mother Shmi.

Answer: Ksar Hadada

Ksar Hadada sits in the south eastern part of Tunisia and, with a population of approximately 1,300 people, it was used as the location of the slave quarters on Mos Espa. The village sits on the rim of the Sahara Desert which means that temperatures will regularly be in the high forty degrees (Celsius) during the day, dropping to zero degrees during the night.

The village does boast a modern style hotel and eateries, a mosque, a primary school and even a football stadium. If there is a positive from having the area used during the filming of the "Star Wars" franchise is that it has brought tourists to the area and that, in turn, has seen money go towards the preservation of valuable buildings and facades that were starting to fall into disrepair. As for that terrible (somewhat) cryptic clue... Had-a-da. All the other answer options were made up and speak of dad in the present tense.

Answer: Troglodytes

If you can recall the movie "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" (1977) you would have seen Luke Skywalker and his Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen Lars living in what appeared to be an igloo styled structure. This only represented the surface of their home. The underground portion of this dwelling was based on a traditional Berber troglodyte.

The residents of Matmata would commence construction by digging out a large pit in the ground. Then, in the surrounding walls of the pit, they would dig out a series of artificial caves (hence, troglodyte being an appropriate name) for rooms.

These rooms would then be connected by a set of passages. Being in a remote part of Tunisia and with little more than 2500 residents in the area, very few people knew of the existence of Matmata. That all changed in 1967 when massive rain swells hit the area and many of these troglodytes were flooded and in danger of collapse.

The nearby town of Gabes was taken by surprise when a delegation from Matmata appeared on its doorstep seeking aid. Today these troglodytes have turned the town into a popular tourist site.

Answer: Djerba

Djerba is situated just off the coast of Tunisia in the Gulf of Gabes. It is noted for its special Jewish minority history, whose peoples have been continuous residents of the island for more than 2,500 years. That history is so important to the Tunisian government that they have petitioned for the protection of the area under a UNESCO World Heritage status.

The beaches on this island, and Sidi Jemour is a good example, are stunning and continue to draw growing crowds of tourists each year. The area is also an important wetland for migratory birds. Sidi Jemour had its own touch with "Star Wars" fame, albeit a brief one.

The location was a backdrop in "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" when Luke Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi are using the landspeeder as they head toward Mos Eisley.

Answer: Endorheic salt lake

Shaped like a wolf and having various widths across its surface the Chott el Djerid is the largest salt pan within the Sahara Desert, with a surface area that is estimated between 5,000 and 7,000 square kilometres - sources vary on this estimate. The reason for the variance is due to the variable levels of flooding in winter.

The summers, as can be expected in this locale, are so harsh that the lake will dry out rapidly and mirages (known as fata morganas) will appear in the air on the horizon of the lake. During this season it is possible to cross the lake on foot in relative safety.

There have been stories of people having driven across the dry lake though this is not advisable as there are no guarantees as to the firmness of the crust. Chott el Djerid was the site of the Lars homestead during parts of the filming of "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope".

Answer: Sufism

Nestled close to the Algerian border, Nefta is a pilgrimage centre for many Sufis. It should come as no surprise then that Nefta boasts some twenty four mosques and approximately 100 marabouts (religious teachers). This used to be a Christian diocese during the Roman and Byzantine eras and was converted to Islam when conquered by the Arabs during the mid-7th century. Apart from its religious significance there is little else in Nefta to draw the visitor. A little west of the town is what can best be described as "the Dune Sea".

A seemingly endless series of sand dunes that presents (probably) the best image of the Sahara Desert that most people, who have never been to the Sahara, have. Within these dunes is the "La Grande Dune" (not to be confused with a similarly titled one in Bordeaux, France) where scenes from "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" were filmed. Stranded here you would be almost forgiven if you were caught shouting out "A transport, I'm saved", for this is the area where C-3PO and R2D2 get separated and C-3PO is seen shuffling past the giant skeleton of a Krayt Dragon muttering "he tricked me into going this way".