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May, 1908, "My First Adventure" Cont.

My First Adventure - Tangiers


[This segment of "My First Adventure" never originally aired within The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, as it was filmed and produced five years after the preceding segment in Egypt, and pre-packaged for The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones as two-hour television specials, released on July 10, 2000]

  • Following their departure from Egypt, the Jones family arrives in Tangiers, Morocco in May, 1908. They are met by Walter Harris, an old friend of Henry Jones Sr. and the London Times journalist who would later accumulate great fame for all his expositions on Morocco. He was already a world traveler himself who had settled in Tangiers by the age of 19, where by now he had access to the foreign country that no European man had before him.

  • Harris then arranges for the Jones family to be introduced to Emily Keene, an English woman who was originally in Morocco as a governess, yet was then estranged by her employers only to be swept off her feet by the Shareef of Wazzan, whom she would soon marry amidst much disapproval from each respective family. Nonetheless she was revered throughout Morocco and lived with great prestige, thus while conversing with Henry and Anna Jones she decides to accommodate Indiana with one her slaves to use as a friend.

  • It is during these moments where Indiana first understands the evil concepts of slavery, and he refuses to let the young boy (named Omar) feel inferior in any way. On a trip to Ouazzane where Henry Sr. is scheduled to give a lecture to the Moroccan Sultan, he continues to question the nature of slavery and why Ms. Keene would own anybody, ultimately condemning slavery altogether.

  • While staying in Ouazzane a naive and ambitious Indiana decided to emulate Harris, who along with his dark complexion was able to camouflage himself to look like a native Moroccan. After persuading Omar to accompany him to the marketplace, both of the boys are stolen to be sold (or in Omar’s case resold) into slavery, in which case they endure horrible trauma such as being whipped and chained by their necks.

  • Thanks to Harris’s familiarity with the area, he tracks down the boys in Marrakesh and outbids a local for Indiana, yet he has no intention on bidding for Omar. Thankful for his rescue but determined by loyalty to his new friend, Indiana demands that Harris purchase Omar as well, and devises a shrewd plan that facilitates the transaction.

  • The three narrowly escape Marrakesh and upon arrival to Ouezzane a humbled Indiana is returned to his family while Omar is returned to Ms Keene - resigned to being a slave for the rest of his life. Indiana is hopeful however Omar will one day be able to explore the world as he had, and he gives him a map for inspiration leaving Omar incredibly grateful. As they say goodbye Omar begins to bow in a subservient fashion, and Indiana stops him to shake his hand.


  • Therefore in completion of his time in Morocco, Indiana Jones had met both Walter Harris and Emily Keene, both of whom were influential in opening Western/European eyes to the country and culture of Morocco in the early 20th century.

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