Eid in Bamako, Mali
“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” Bob Marley
Bamako — an unmistakably African city! The city is infectiously charming and it woos you with artful drumming and sweet Bambara singing everywhere you go. The fashion is unforgettable! The people are proud, humble, giving and loving. Not far from my native Guinea, Bamako is a city that I heard so much about growing up. It is home of some of the best music and hip fashion. It was always a sign of great quality and taste when the fabric for your “bazin” came from Bamako!
Looking at the map and my calendar, I deliberately planned to be in Bamako for Eid! I knew it would be an epic experience and I was not disappointed. Through a Malian friend in New York, I was set up for a family experience! After being on the move for 2 months, it was such a wonderful experience to be in a home-like environment.
Eid is a three-day affair here. On day one, we went to the morning eid prayer at the neighborhood mosque with everyone in their best outfit. The children are eager to talk to their friends, show their new clothes and make a plan for the day — where to meet up and what time. After prayer, families head home for a feast! Around noon, the festivities began. I sat outside the compound of my host with a group of adults brewing a tea called “attaya”. It is a social gathering, common in many west African countries.
The kids — in groups ranging from 2 to 5 of the same gender and age group in matching outfits — pass by to get “salimafo” which is money that adults give kids during eid. They pass through the neighborhood going house by house offering a well rehearsed prayer that is almost sang by the group — the pervasive influence of griot culture -
Y Sambe Sambe
I invoke you in this prayer
May God allow us to celebrate again together next year
May God allow us to celebrate many more years together
May God grant you all of your wishes
I ask you to forgive me for all my bad deeds towards you
Nsante Jurula. Bolote Jurula
My feet have no debt; My hands have no debt
The last phrase is essentially asking for you to give them money. Each group that pass by offer this prayer and we respond by saying “ameen; ameen” after each line. When they are done, we offer them small change, which the designated money girl or boy take and tucks away. I watched the routine go on all day, reminding me of my own childhood in neighboring Guinea where we did the same (except for the prayer — we just asked for salimafo). Growing up, it was the best day of the year!
Day two of eid is mostly reserved for families to visit their in laws, parents and other relatives. Here, too, everything starts with a prayer — wishing each other a long and healthy life, a prayer for the deceased and asking for forgiveness. The prayer is reciprocated and then a conversation begins. It was a beautiful as it was exciting to be part of such a strong culture.
Day three! Now that’s when all of the money that the kids made in the last two days are spent. At the national museum, which houses a big park, it was all about dancing! The day long event starts around 11am. Kids as young as 5 years old and up to late teens, filter into the park. A DJ gets the party going.
Initially, there is a younger crowd section, the in between section, and a section for the “cool kids” puffing on cigarette convinced every puff is a sign of them being grown. Slowly, however, the music infects everyone and the circles all get mixed in. Hundreds and hundreds are moving their bodies to the sound of local pop and traditional songs.
Everyone is sweating but no one stops — the music is too good, each song is everyone’s jam! I left the part around 4PM and on my way out, there seemed to be more people outside waiting to get in than inside! Bamako was pumping!
Sadly, in Mali, I will only be here in Bamako due to security concerns up north. It is really a difficult thing to witness the devastating impact of terrorism in developing countries — a terrorism that was unleashed worldwide in large part due to invasion of Iraq. Decisions by warmonger’s in the West, which enriches those in the military industrial complex, have devastating effects in developing countries. “Benghazi” might have been a short lived popular refrain in narrow American partisan political discourse, but the destabilization of Libya, championed by Clinton and executed by Obama and European powers, continues to wreak havoc in North and West Africa.
In Mali, very limited resources are being diverted to fight insurgencies in the north — resources that could have gone to education and economic development for a population very much in need of such investments. Not to mention the precious lives lost, destruction of historic site and lost economic activities. Once a popular destination for music lovers, historians and tourists, today, Mali is largely off limit to many. What I would have given to spend a week up north in historic places like Timbuktu, Segou and Macina. Instead, I was limited to Bamako.
Ok.. thank you for tolerating my rant! Although I was limited to Mali, Bamako alone was magical and I am leaving Mali very satisfied with my stay here. Now, off to Sembene land — Senegal!
