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Arriving in Mali can be quite a shock. As you step out of the air-conditioned cocoon of a modern jet at Bamako's airport, you may feel as though you've left modern Western civilization behind. If you look beyond the dusty infrastructure, you'll see the real Mali: distinctive mud dwellings inhabited by flamboyantly dressed Malians going about their business. In many ways, little has changed since Mali's days as the site of great empires. Travelers willing to brave the heat and dust will find that they have entered an impressive civilization, where life today is much as it always has been.

Mali has more archaeological sites than any other African country except Egypt—it is a poor country with an extremely rich heritage. Mali, however, is more than ancient artifacts. It contains within its borders the transition between the tropics of West Africa and the arid northern region. The cultural mix makes for a colorful population, and the geographical variety accounts for the country's beauty. Given the diversity, Mali would be the destination we'd choose if we could make only one stop in West Africa.

Geography

Landlocked Mali is the largest country in West Africa. It is geographically dominated by the Niger River (from ghir nigheren, river of rivers), which provides irrigation for much of the country.

Desert and rugged hills characterize the Saharan north, and the Sahara itself is moving south at quite a clip due to the effects of climate change. Whole villages and towns have been swallowed up by sand.

Desert gives way to the Sahel (arid, flat plains with scrub brush) in the center and marginal cropland in the south—only in the extreme south is there sufficient rain for crops. About 80% of the land is desert or semidesert and only 2% is arable.

History

For centuries it was a crossroads: Caravans crisscrossed the region during the days of the ancient kingdoms of Ghana, Mali and Songhai. Slaves, gold and ivory were brought from the south and traded in the Middle East and Europe for weapons, jewelry and salt. Mali drew people from all corners of the globe, and the city of Timbuktu was a center of learning, with a university that boasted 25,000 students.

When merchant ships replaced the caravans in the 17th century, the trade routes collapsed and the region was forgotten (except, perhaps, for Timbuktu, which became synonymous with remoteness). Only recently have archaeologists begun to explore Mali's rich history.

Intensive European involvement in Mali's affairs began about 100 years ago, when it became a French colony. The colonists encouraged the raising of cash crops, such as cotton, at the expense of food crops, a situation not wholly rectified today.

After gaining independence in 1960, Mali adopted socialist, anti-Western policies. Increasing economic turmoil, however, led to a 1968 military coup. The military unionists helped topple the government over four days of riots in which an estimated 300 people were killed. Mali then switched to a half-military, half-civilian government, which lasted until elections could be held in 1992.

To the pleasant surprise of many, the military stepped down and allowed former editor and government critic Alpha Konare to take his place as Mali's first democratically elected president. Konare and his supporters won again in 1997, but an opposition alliance boycotted the polls and refused to recognize the results.

Konare, however, won international praise for his efforts to revive Mali's failing economy. His adherence to International Monetary Fund guidelines increased foreign investment and helped make Mali the second-largest cotton producer in Africa. After serving two five-year terms as president, Konare retired and was subsequently appointed head of the African Union.

In June 2002, Amadou Toumani Toure, a former army officer who engineered the 1991 coup that freed the country from military rule, was elected president. In 2004, he then appointed Ousmane Issoufi Maiga as the new prime minister. His rule lasted two terms and during this period, Mali was regarded as one of the most politically and socially stable democracies in West Africa.

In January 2012, the northern Malian Tuareg tribes—or Kel Tamesheq, as they call themselves—staged a rebellion that succeeded in part because some of its members were Libyan army deserters who brought in heavy arms and weaponry from the crumbling Ghadafi regime.
The country was thrown into disarray such that by the end of March, the Malian army had ceded control of the regional capitals of Kidal, Gao, and Timbuktu and the state of Azawad declared its independence. Mali was effectively split in two.

Various jihadist groups took control of the north, imposing strict Shari'a law that struck at the heart of Mali’s rich traditions and culture. All music except for Quranic chanting was forbidden, and many musicians fled to Bamako in the south. Other refugees fled to nearby neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso. Since then, Mali has been in a state of unease and crisis.

Snapshot

Mali's foremost attraction is its rich musical heritage and storytelling tradition. Also of interest are fascinating tribal life, markets, the Dogon Escarpment, a unique form of Islam, beautiful mosques, Timbuktu, camel rides and the beauty of the Sahara.

The country will appeal to adventurous travelers who appreciate African cultures, enjoy desert landscapes, are interested in non-Western architecture and are comfortable traveling to places where little or no English is spoken. Expect a certain amount of inconvenience, heat and somewhat dirty conditions.

Potpourri

A common greeting in Bambara is "good day" (inichay), to which men will respond, "my mother"(nbah) and women will answer "my power" (nsay).

Many buildings in the country are made of mud. When it rains, which isn't often in some areas, the structures are hand-repaired with fresh mud.

The nomadic Tuaregs are sometimes referred to as "the Blue People of the Desert." Their traditionally indigo-colored robes color their skin over time, and the men don't feel completely dressed without their turbans, a 33-ft/10-m strip of cloth that covers the head, leaving only the eyes exposed.

The Malian tradition of cousinage (joking cousins) is a tradition of different families and tribes making fun of each other in a friendly way. It is one of the reasons Malian society is so tolerant.

More than 40 languages are spoken in Mali, although there are only 12 "official" national languages in addition to French and Bambara, which is spoken by roughly 80% of the population.

Animal names are popular in Mali. The country's name means hippo in the Bambara language, and the capital's name (Bamako) is derived from the word for crocodile.

You can find traditional water coolers made from complete goat skins for sale at markets. They're filled with water and hung from trees to cool by evaporation (though it does leave a bit of a goaty taste).

Baobob trees, some of which are 2000 years old, have long been valued in Malian culture. The fruit is delicious and known as "monkey bread."

Malians are among those who chew cola nuts. It's a very sloppy habit—you'll see what we mean when you get there—but give it a try if you need a caffeine hit. It doesn't taste at all like cola drinks (Be sure to wash the nut first with clean water.)

Mali is home to one of the oldest surviving puppetry traditions in West Africa. Its acting steward, master puppeteer Yaya Coulibaly, comes from a long line of puppeteers stretching back to the 11th century.

Artists known as griots function as oral historians, musicians, storytellers, praise singers and family arbitrators. The role is ancestral, with some of the best-known performers tracing their lineage back more than 70 generations.