Mali

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Mali

The republic of Mali is the biggest country of west-Africa. When you look at the map you will find that the border with Mauritania is a straight line. In the north of the country you find the Sahara dessert, but the most part of the people live in the south with the river de Niger and the Senegal river. The people of Mali exist out of different ethnic groups. Every community has it’s own unique traditions and professions. The official language is French, but that doesn’t mean that everyone is able to speak it. The most part of the population has the Islam for religion.

The Mali of today is one of the poorest country’s of the world, but it also has one of the richest cultures and historical backgrounds.. the three great kingdoms en all the little ones make part of the history of Mali. The first kingdom was the empire of Ghana, who had control over the trans-Sahara route in the 4 th till the 11 th century. The Ghana empire was overtaken by Muslim nomads, but it didn’t take long before it was taken by the Mandika empire of Mali.

In the 14 th century Mali reach the climax of their wealth, in that time it had full control over the gold trading in the trans-Sahara. It was in that time that city’s like Tombouchtou and Djenné got famous for their wealth , education and culture. But sadly enough this didn’t last for long, in the 15 th century the importance of the region slimmed down with the coming of the Songhai empire. At the end of the 19 the century Mali became a colony of France and was declared independence in 1960

Bamako a world city, the capital of Mali. Along the river Niger the different population groups live together in harmony, the different handicraft activities and professions go together with modern techniques. The great roads with the trees on the side, the administrative buildings with their colonial style ( neo-classic and neo Sudanese) are the witnesses of the colonial past.

 From a city of six hundred inhabitants at the end of the nineteenth century  Bamako has grown in the last 100 years to a city of more than 1.000.000 inhabitants. This rapid growth is most important reason for the pollution. But still Bamako stays a city fill of life: people buying, selling and trading all kinds of things in a warm atmosphere . The sounds of the vehicles , all the different colours and musical surrounding make it complete.

 To see:

The crafts centre

The museum of Musa Kunda ( museum of the women)

The grand Mosk

House of handicrafts

The market of N’Golonina

The great market

The border of the Niger

The gate of Kakaban Koro

Ségou

Ségou the capital of the bambara empire, situated 8 km further along the Niger. With the big lanes, his cubical shaped buildings invite you to stroll around in the city. When entering Ségou you will notice the great balanzan trees in front of the administrative buildings. You have the possibility to take a tour on the Niger with a pirogue. Also a trip to the nearby villages of Samafala and Ségougkoro belong to the possibilities. On most of the courtyards you find a Karité a typical three.. The village of Sikoro got his name of this three in bambara Sikoro means on the foot of the karate. Even do Ségou has lots of tourists passing by, it is the ideal stop on your journey.

To see:

The villages of Samafala and Ségoukoro ( remains of the old Bambara period, the grave of Biton Coulibaly founder of the empire)

The borders of the river Niger

The great Market

The villages of Kalabougou and Farako, known for their pottery

Djenné

One of the most beautiful city’s of Mali, know for it’s special architecture. Founded in de IX century it is the twin of Tombouctou. It was a city of the Bozo, later the Bambara came and after them The Sonrhai and Peul, But it didn’t loose any glace and character. In the delta of the river Niger ,Djenné  becomes transformed during the rain season into mud. The houses made of clay with their wooden shutters for the windows and their doors in wood with the typical carvings make it a charming town.

the Mosque of  Djenné stays in the memories of all visitors. Fully build in clay it stands like a ferry castle in the middle of the dessert. It is the biggest building in clay of the world, a nice example of sudanees building style. The only thing is that the clay has to be aplicated every time after the rainy season. Non Muslim’s are not allowed to see the interior of the Mosque, but the exterior is worth the visit with the Market in front of it. Djenné is situated 400 km from Bamako, you can reach it by bus and boat or pinasse.

To see:

The village

The great mosque

Market on Monday

The old Moroccan house

Mopti

Mopti, The Venice of Mali situated on the conjunction of the Bani and the Niger. Bamako is situated on 646 km in the southwest. This city with its position above the water level of the two streams is build on the border of tree islands. The waters that comes together here goes on to the north towards the great lakes, the tradition calls this stream  « Bosse du chameau » This route that the stream takes has made Mopti to the commercial centre it is now with it’s personal nature it got in the time of the colonisation that they call '« esprit de Mopti » That way they developed a good taste, elegancy and hospitality an a sense of  trade. Seen that Mopti is one of the most disputable in the sense of tourism information we advice you to take a reliable guide.

Te see

The mosque

The making of the pirogues

Trip with the pirogue

The artisan market
 

Tombouctou

During the Mali empire was an important stop in the trans-Sahara route. It was a glooming commercial centre. This became to an end when the monopoly of the trans-Sahara route was no longer. The city has a reputation of being a lost city in the dessert and indestructible.

It is true that the city is not easy to access, but not so hard as the legends wants us to believe. Timbuktu is a pearl in the middle of the dessert, a city surrounded by dessert sand. In the city you find the three oldest mosques of the world. The market place situated in the old part of the city is not that big. Timbuktu has an unique atmosphere and something mysterious . It is one of the most unique city’s along the Niger.

Te see:

The gardens of sand

The mysterious city

The mosque of  Djingareiber

The house of Gordon Laing

The house of René Caillié

The mosque et school of Sidi Yayja

The mosque of sankoré

The house of  Heinrich Barth,

The cultural center of Ahmed Bada

Le pays Dogon

(Songho, Bandiagara, Sangha, Bongo, Banani, Amani, Bankass, Djiguibambo, Dourou…)

Pays Dogon is certainly on of the most impressive parts of Mali, it has al the ingredients of a true pilgrimage. A journey threw on of the oldest inhabitants of Africa, one of the richest and most mysterious  cultures  Well-known for their artworks the Dogon have their own fascinating rich and mysterious civilisation. The origin of the Dogon is a mystery on itself. Before the Mandé lived in the area, they left this part of the country in the  XI and the XII century, their departure has everything to do with the resistance to become Muslim. You can explore the falaise on foot what allows you to get close to the people and the grey and pink buildings. In the month of April they hold their masque dances for a period of five days, on this Dogon feast there is plenty of dancing and their own made millet beer is much appreciated. Market days in Pays Dogon are an other thing to see, they take place every five days and go together with a lot of noise and millet beer.

The Falaise of Bandiagara is 135 km long and reaches from Douentza in the North to Bankas in the south. Bandiangara , Bankass en Sangha are the main startingpoints. Even when you decide to take only a short trip of Pays Dogon you will have a memory for life of the  proud somethimes timide people with their own traditions  how are always working on their piece of land, be sure they will leave a big impression the Dogon people.