African Rhythms:

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African Rhythms

• Music Culture of Mali

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LAfrique Francophone

• francophone French speaking country

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France and Former French Colonies
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Mali
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Mali
Most of Mali, in West Africa, is in the Sahara.
It is a landlocked country about 4/5 the size of
Alaska. The countries that border it are Guinea,
Senegal, Mauritania, Algeria, Niger, Burkina
Faso, and the Côte d'Ivoire.
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lhistoire de Mali

• The country now known as La République de Mali
  became a French colony in 1904. (It was named
  French Sudan in 1920).
  
• In 1946 it became part of the French Union.
• On June 20, 1960, Mali gained its independence.
• Under the name Sudanese Republic, it was joined
  with the Republic of Senegal in the Mali
  federation.
  
• However, Senegal broke away from the federation
  on Aug. 20, 1960.
  
• The Sudanese Republic changed its name to the
  Republic of Mali on Sept. 22
  

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Some Facts about Mali

• Langue officièlle le français et le bambara
  French and Bambara
  
• Les réligions lislam (90), des croyances
  indigènes (9), le christianisme (1) Islam,
  indigenous African religions, Christianity
  
• La population 11,716,829 (in 2006)
• La capitale Bamako

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Le Grand Mosque Djenne, Mali
The Grand Mosque
www3.nationalgeographic.com/places/photos/pho...
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Timbuktu, Mali
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Bamako
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un griot
A symbol of an oral culture, the griot is a
learned storyteller, poet, entertainer, historian
and troubadour. Stories and history are handed
down by word-of-mouth through the griot caste and
many griots have memorized family genealogy for
several centuries. Griots accompany their stories
with music and they are often musicians of
exceptional skill. It takes them years to learn
the vast repertoire of traditional songs,
melodies and rhythms, and in the past, the role
of professional musician was reserved for griots,
who spent many years fulfilling their training.
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les djembes
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les dununs
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les balans
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les tamas
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la kora
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le ngoni
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le boubou
The boubou is the name for a flowing wide sleeved
robe worn in most of West Africa and to a lesser
extent in North Africa.
It's origin lies with the clothing worn by the
Islamized peoples of the historic 8th Century
Ghana Empire and 13th Century Mali Empire
The Boubou is usually decorated with intricate
embroidery, and is worn on special religious or
ceremonial occasions, for example the two Islamic
Eid festivals, weddings, funerals or for
attending the Mosque for Friday prayer.
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un bazin
Couture à Bamako
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les bogolans
The Evolution of Bogolan Bogolan is profoundly
embedded in traditional Malian practices, bogolan
is woven by men and decorated by women using
symbolic patterns that refer to Bamana history
and mythology. Today, bogolan dyes made of
carefully prepared mixtures of earth, leaves and
bark are used to paint elaborately detailed
landscapes, images from Malian history, and
abstractions.
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To hear samples the music of Mali free-of-charge,
visit http//worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/wo
rldmusic/view/page.basic/country/content.country/m
ali_7