An
Archaeological Study Tour
Mali
Ancient
Kingdoms of the Niger
December
27, 2010 - January 10, 2011
Led
by Dr. Trevor
Marchand
Mali, a place of extraordinary transition between
the Arab-Muslim cultures of the Maghreb and the heart
of the African continent, constitutes one of the most
important historical territories of the Bilad al-Soudan,
the “Country of the Blacks.” The Niger
River is the lifeline of this landlocked region, and
along its banks rose three great empires, endowing
West African civilization with riches, scholarship
and international fame. The successive kingdoms of
Ghana, Mali and the Songhai spanned a period from
the 8th to the 16th centuries and at their zenith
ruled over a vast territory stretching from the shores
of the Atlantic to Kano in the east. Their key to
power was control over the trade of southern gold
and slaves for North African commodities, most importantly
salt, which reputedly traded pound for pound with
the precious metal. Timbuktu and Djenné rose
as commercial and learning centers, drawing a diverse
community of merchant-traders and scholars from the
leading Islamic academies of the Middle East. Tales
of riches and vast libraries were whispered along
the shores of the Mediterranean, luring courageous
explorers and missions of conquest throughout the
ages. Our tour will introduce us to the history, architecture
and cultures of this mythical region, visiting the
great medieval trade cities, the legendary griots
of Kangaba, the cliff-perched villages of the Dogon
and the ancient Mossi Kingdom in the land of the Volta
rivers.
Monday,
Tuesday, December 27 & 28: BAMAKO: We
depart New York on Air France, arriving into Bamako
Sunday afternoon. We transfer to the centrally located
Grand Hotel.
Wednesday,
December 29: BAMAKO: After
breakfast, we will meet for an introductory lecture
followed by a tour of the city’s French colonial
architecture and tree-lined streets thronged with
boisterous vendors and shoppers. We will visit the
National Museum, which has a small but fine prehistoric
collection as well as an interesting collection of
modern ritual objects. After lunch, our touring continues
at the covered market, where Mali’s wonderful
fabrics and handicrafts are temptingly displayed,
together with spices and typical foods.
Meals:
Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Thursday,
December 30: BAMAKO: Driving
north, we enter the Mandingues Hills, once the center
of the Mali Empire. Our destination is a village with
a strong tradition of training traditional musicians.
These musicians, known as griots, have been a distinct
caste since the days of the Mali Empire. As custom
dictates, we must meet with the village elders before
joining the villagers for an afternoon of music and
dance.
Meals:
Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Friday,
December 31: SEGOU: Depart
early for Ségou. After visiting Ségou’s
unique weavers, we will have a relaxing lunch at our
hotel. This afternoon we will visit the colonial town.
This evening we will experience a tradition unique
to this area. Just before the June rains, the Bamana
and Bozo people of Ségou hold their annual
masquerade performed on the village plaza. Large puppets
in the shapes of mythical animals (sogo)
are made to dance by the puppeteers hidden inside.
The guide who accompanies a sogo, as well as the local
youth association (ton) and members of the
public, dance with the puppets. Music, song and dance
convey and reinforce the emotions and create a vibrant
atmosphere. Independance Auberge.
Meals:
Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Saturday,
January 1: MOPTI: We
will break our drive to Mopti with stops in villages
and to photograph the scenery of the Sahel. After
lunch in San, we continue to Mopti, the Niger’s
most vibrant and picturesque port and our base for
touring the surrounding region. Kanaga Hotel.
Meals:
Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Sunday,
January 2: MOPTI: We will spend
the day leisurely exploring Mopti. As we stroll its
winding streets and alleys, we will be mesmerized
by Mopti’s ceaseless harbor activity and wonderful
skyline dominated by a fantastic mud mosque. Bobo
fishermen hawk their dried fish and Niger boatmen
unload the huge slabs of salt, continuing a journey
that began with camel caravans crossing the desert
to Timbuktu. The market is full of interesting crafts
and foods of the region. After lunch at the harbor,
we will have the afternoon free for our own exploration.
Meals:
Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Monday,
January 3: MOPTI: Djenné
is said to be one of the most picturesque towns in
West Africa, especially on Monday, market day. Our
market day visit gives us an opportunity to view the
fabulous mosque of Djenné, built in 1905 in
classic Sahelian form, designed after the 11th-century
mosque it replaced. Entrance into the mosque for non-Muslims
is not permitted. We will also visit Jenné-Jeno
(Old Djenné), an ancient settlement dating
to approximately 250 BCE, and see some of Djenné’s
famous mud cloth, traditional designs painted onto
cloth using various types of soil for color. Dinner
will be in the garden of a small restaurant, accompanied
by the Kanaga Band.
Meals:
Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Tuesday,
January 4: DOGON:
We will spend two days examining the art, architecture
and culture of the Dogon people. Every aspect of the
Dogon house, as well as the village itself, expresses
a symbolic, religious or cultural meaning. At the
tiny village of Songho, we climb an easy path through
the village to reach a cliff completely covered with
petroglyphs, some of which may be quite old or possibly
repainted over the years. Many of the myths and traditions
associated with this ritual site are still in practice
today. The afternoon will be spent visiting some of
the Dogon villages and ancient burial sites along
the escarpment. The conical granaries, houses and
intricately carved doors and window shutters in the
villages below us provide a stunning view. We will
overnight at the new Hotel Cheval Blanc at the entrance
to the great Bandiagara Escarpment.
Meals:
Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Wednesday,
January 5: MOPTI:
This morning we will continue our visits to the Dogon
villages, returning to the Sangha Campment for lunch.
Masks are an important part of Dogon culture and religious
ceremonies, and before returning to Mopti, we will
attend a performance of some of the Mask Dances. Kanaga
Hotel.
Meals:
Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Thursday,
January 6: MOPTI: This full day
will be spent sailing the Niger River in our brightly
painted wooden pirogue. Along the way we might spot
ibises, pelicans and herons or cattle herds of the
seminomadic Peul people. We will stop to visit Bozo
villages and to eat our picnic lunch. Our bus awaits
us at Kona, home to the Fulani people, and we return
to Mopti.
Meals:
Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Friday,
January 7: TIMBUKTU: Clinging
to our seats, we cross the shifting sands of the Sahara
to legendary Timbuktu, its name a byword for an inaccessible
place. We will pass camps of nomadic Tuaregs and camel
herds grazing on the sparse vegetation and travel
along the Niger following the trans-Saharan trade
routes used to move huge salt slabs between the Taoudenni
salt mines to Mopti. When we finally reach Timbuktu,
we will understand some of the tribulations experienced
by European adventurers. Colombe Hotel.
Meals:
Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Saturday,
January 8: TIMBUKTU: Today
we will explore this sandy town, once one of the great
Islamic learning centers. Touring will include its
three mosques, Djinguereber, the oldest and most famous,
15th-century Sankore Mosque, which doubled as a world-renowned
university during Timbuktu’s golden era, and
the Sidi Yahya mosque, first built in 1400. We will
visit the new museum, which displays old etchings,
photographs, ethnographic pieces and illuminated manuscripts,
IHERI-AB Library, and tour the narrow streets, stopping
to admire the old homes built in the unique local
architectural style. There will be time to explore
the local markets and wander on our own in the crafts
markets. This evening we will drive into the desert
for our farewell dinner under the stars accompanied
by Takamba Songhai music and traditional Tuareg dances.
Meals:
Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Sunday,
Monday,
January 9 & 10: BAMAKO: This
morning we will fly back to Bamako. The remander of
the day will be at leisure. This evening we will transfer
to the airport for our Air France flight, arriving
into New York via Paris midday Monday Salam Hotel.
Meals:
Breakfast
