Ethnographic trip to Mali: Adobe mosques, Mandinka tribes and the Niger River

Discover the highlights of this ethnographic trip to Mali

Bamako, the gateway and farewell to our ethnographic trip to Mali

As we begin our ethnographic trip to Mali, we'll arrive in Bamako, arrange visas, and rest. We'll then tour the Tolkuchka bazaar, the National Museum, and the colonial houses of New Sudan. We'll see the statue of Joseph Jenkins Roberts and the True Whig Party buildings. Later, we'll conclude our trip in the capital, visiting its central market again, the craft market filled with masks and leather, and visiting the banks of the Niger, where workers extract sand. Thus, Bamako appears at the beginning and end, framing the entire experience of our ethnographic trip to Mali.

Segoukoro, legacy of the Bambara kingdom

We'll bid farewell to the great city and reach Segoukoro, the ancient Bambara capital. There, we'll greet the king in his reddish adobe palace, explore centuries-old mosques, and wander through historic streets. Finally, we'll cross into Segou, admiring the sunset over the Niger River. This urban-riverside contrast will define the second leg of our ethnographic trip to Mali.

Djenné, magnificent Sudano-Sahelian architecture

We'll continue to Djenné, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There, we'll admire its famous mud mosque and stroll among Koranic schools and lively markets. Also, we'll visit Fulani villages' en route, observing facial tattoos and pastoral customs.

Mopti, the African Venice

We'll arrive in Mopti and sail through canals filled with canoes. Also, we'll walk through the old city, ask permission to visit the central mosque, and talk with local families.

Peul, Songhai and Bozo cultures around Niger

We'll visit various Peul camps. There, we'll analyse their current status in their transition to sedentarization. We'll then listen to Songhai music, and in the afternoon, we'll sail in canoes to Bozo villages, where fishermen maintain ancestral techniques. During this varied, river-based day ethnographic trip to Mali, we'll enjoy the country's ethnic diversity.

Mosque of San

We'll continue south to San, with its lesser-known but fascinating Sudano-Sahelian mosque. Also, we'll see roadside markets and changing landscapes.

Mandinga country and ceremonies in Sibi

We'll head to Sibi, where we'll admire Mandinka houses, featuring geometric decorations painted by women. Also, we'll tour markets, cross the natural arch of Kamajan, and participate in an animist ritual in a sacred cave, accompanied by Dozo hunters and traditional masqueraders.

© Photos by Aníbal Bueno, Yolanda Obanos, Markus Mauthe and Xavi de las Heras.

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