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A
land of old civilizations, unique cultures,
colorful life and unmatched hospitality
Courtesy
of Mariama Ludovic
Mali was the
core of the great empires of the western Sudan :
Ghana, Mali, and Songhai, with centers of trade,
learning, and culture in such cities as
Djenné, Timbuktu, and Gao. The state of
Ghana originated early in the Christian era and
reached its apogee betweem 950 and 1050. The empire
of Mali originated in the 11th century, and its
period of greatness began under Sundiata, who ruled
from 1235 to 1255 and reached its peak in the early
14th century under Mansa Musa, who extended the
empire until it reached from the Atlantic coast to
east of Gao.
The decline of
Mali was rapid, although the kings continued to
rule until 1645. Its place was taken by the Songhoi
Empire of Gao, whose great kings were Sunni Ali
from 1464 to 1492, and Askia Muhammad, from 1493 to
1528. At its greatest extent, Songhoi reached from
the Atlantic to Kano and included most modern Mali
and parts of Guinea. Most of the empire was
destroyed by Moroccan invasion in 1591.
In the 17th and
18th centuries, several small states developed
along the Niger basin, notably that of Segu. The
states fell during the mid-19th-century holy war
waged by the muslin leader al-Hadjj Umar, whose
theocratic empire extended from Timbuktu to the
headwaters of the Niger and the Senegal. His son
and successor, Ahmadu, was defeated by the French
in 1893.
In 1904 modern
Mali was made part of the French colony of
Haut-Senegal-Niger and in 1920 was constituted the
French Sudan, as a constituent territory of French
West Africa.
African political
activity was banned by the French in Mali until
after World War II (1939-1945). Various parties
that were then formed eventually merged to form the
Sudanese Union, which became the Malian section of
the interterritorial African Democratic Rally. By
the time of the 1957 reforms, the union was the
main party.
In 1958 the French
Sudan voted to join the new French Community, and
was proclaimed the Sudanese Republic on November
24, 1958. On January 17, 1959, it joined with
Senegal to form the Federation of Mali, which
proclaimed its independence June 20, 1960, with
Modibo Keita as president. The federation broke up
in September 22, 1960. The later that same month
the Republic became a member of the United
Nations.
SIGHTSEEING IN
MALI
* TIMBUKTU: THE
PEARL OF THE DESERT
Timbuktu was
formerly a great commercial trading city and an
international center of islamic learning. The city
was probably founded in the late 11th century AD by
Tuareg nomads. Timbuktu was a leading terminus of
trans-Saharan caravans and a distribution point for
trade along the upper Niger. Merchants from
northern African cities traded salt and cloth for
gold and for black African slaves in the markets of
Timbuktu. The visitors will discovered the ancient
mosques including the famous Sankore whose
reputation spanned all across north Africa and
Europe as a leading islamic academy for centuries.
Most of the ancient books (some dating from the
14th century AD) are still preserved at the Ahmed
Baba Center . Tuareg formed one of the most ancient
tribal people of the Sahara. They speak a Berber
language, Tamacheq, and have their own alphabet. In
ancient times, the Tuareg controlled the
trans-Sahara routes and substantially contributed
in the expansion of Islam in sub-Saharan Africa
even though they retained however some of their
older rites. Today, the Tuareg symbolize the
mysteries of the Sahara and continued to be seen as
the Masters of the Desert.
* MOPTI: THE
VENICE OF MALI:
The city of Mopti
is known as the ''Venice of Mali''. Mopti is
situated at the confluence of the Bani and Niger
rivers, and is built on several interconnected
islands. It is from the river that one can best
observe the commercial and social activities of the
town. . Mopti is literally teaming with traditional
traders offering a variety of locally-produced
commodities and beautiful artifacts.
* DJENNE: MALI
'S ARCHITECTURAL JEWEL
Founded in the 4th
century, Djenné has scarcely changed since
the Middle Ages. In the 13th-15th centuries, Djenne
was a rival of Timbuktu for the wealth of the
Trans-Saharan trade. The city is located on an
island in the inland Niger delta, and is surrounded
by mud brick walls.
As well as making
a visit to the archaeological site of Djenné
Djeno that looks backward in time over a 1.000
years. Generation after generation, a guild of
highly skilled master-builders, the Baris, have
ensured Djenné's architectural integrity.
The atmosphere in the streets brings the traveller
back to medieval times.
* DOGON
COUNTRY
The Dogon country
is one of the most extraordinary places on earth.
In the 11th century, the Dogons fled the advancing
Arabs coming from the north, and found shelter in
one of West Africa's most inhospitable areas.
Protection from their enemies was obtained by
building their villages high up on the vertical
faces of the 125 miles long escarpment.
Multi-storey houses, granaries and burial sites
were all built out of harm way. This is such a
unique place that the UNESCO declared it a World
Heritage site.
The Dogons are
animist, worshipping their ancestors and the
spirits of nature. They have preserved their
traditions down through the centuries and,
are
considered to
be one of the most original civilizations of West
Africa.
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