Mali

Bamako to Abidjan by bus: a chance to get intimate with the hot season

by phil May 14, 2012 Cote D'Ivoire
bamako to abidjan

In Bambara, Sama = Elephant I have spent approximately 110 hours of my life on the road between Bamako and Abidjan. I first took the trip in October of 2010. At that time, the northern half of Cote d’Ivoire was controlled by the Forces Nouvelles and it was the middle of the mini late-year rainy [...]

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You can come back now (unless you are a refugee from north #Mali)

by phil April 9, 2012 Mali

Karate class at Palais de la Culture in Bamako For a bit of background on the political crisis in Mali, please see my last post. UPDATE: Yesterday, the details of the ECOWAS accord were released and they are not promising. Most notably, Sanogo is not going anywhere. What’s more, he held a press conference in [...]

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One Tubabu’s Thoughts on the Coup in Mali

by phil March 25, 2012 Mali

Niger River sunset By now you know that a group of relatively young, low-ranking soldiers has taken control of Mali’s Presidential Palace and the state TV station ORTM. They also have control of the airport, which they have closed along with the land borders. They say that they are also in control of the military, [...]

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Want to Experience the Energy at Festival sur le Niger? Watch this

by phil February 20, 2012 Mali

I just returned to Bamako from the Festival sur le Niger in Segou. Most festivals are removed from reality in the best way possible, but this weekend was particularly incredible. I plan on returning every year. This is a clip from Salif Keita’s Saturday night performance. The stage is in the Niger River; the crowd [...]

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Bamako Balani Shows: Streetside Music, Theater and Dance

by phil February 16, 2012 Mali
balani show bamako

Please read this post if you haven’t already. I’m about to talk about block parties in Bamako, but there is still a refugee crisis in the Sahel. A few weeks ago I spent an evening on the most crowded street corner of the quinzambougou neighborhood in Bamako. Chris from Sahel Sounds had invited me to [...]

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2 Easy Ways you Can Help over 20,000 Malian Refugees Right Now

by phil February 7, 2012 Mali

UPDATE 2/10/11: My host family from Timbuktu has made it to Mauritania. They are staying in the border town of Fassala. They are safe. The UNHCR has a camp there and the family reports that they have shelter and (limited) food. People continue to arrive in a steady stream. If anyone knows how to send [...]

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