FACES OF MALI...DJENNE TO DOGON COUNTRY

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FACES OF MALI...DJENNE TO DOGON COUNTRY BANDIAGARA FALAISE

From the magic of the crossing of the Bani Rver to enter the mud town of Djenne...famous for its Mud Mosque...rising before dawn to catch the sunrise over this ancient town...into its bustling Monday market...it's what dreams are made of ...

then to enter the Bandiagara escarpment and trek between Dogon villages...sleeping on mud roof tops...waking with a cliff on one side and braying donkeys and baobab trees on the other...rock, rock and more rock...dancing with the locals...that's what further dreams are made of...and becomes reality...

Enjoy and Regards,

Dancing Dave (who danced his way through Mali on his way to his Tuareg wedding at Timbuktu!!!)

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Photos

FATIMA...THE BANGLE LADY
From what Denise, Ros, Sam & Tanya bought from her we expected her to go on holidays...!!!

CA VA...WE MEET AGAIN...
First on the ferry crossing to Djenne, then in Djenne...then there he was on the back of a motorbike at Ende, a Dogon village...then again in Timbuktu..."Are you following us?"...maybe yes!

FELANI MAN
The eyes have it...

DOGON GIRL & CHILD
...probably siblings...babies are carried everywhere...that's what sisters are for!

HAMMA AND DJORA
Hamma (Felani/Songhai) our Guide to Timbuktu with his Felani brother Djora, our Guide in Djenne...but who is Number One?

DJIGUIBOMBA
Hundreds of years of drystone and mud walls, storage huts & dwellings...welcome to Dogon Country

TRADER...
Out of the Sahel to trade in Djenne...

THE DOGON...WITH HAT
Down the Falaise cliffs into the escarpment floor...trekking for four days...like Alice in Wonderland territory...surreal...

DREAMING...OF DJENNE
From picture books as a child I dreamed of Djenne...I am now there...I must be dreaming...

THE GANG AT TELI
Tanya, Hamma, Mike, Sam, Ros, Denise & Dancing Dave...and when we boogie danced out of Teli...the locals shrieked with joy...

DOGON MASK FESTIVAL
We trekked seven kms from the cliff tombs at Teli to Ennde...paid 400 CFA each... and were led to the front row...masks, feathers, stilts, drummers, movement galore, full on...a privilege to be here...

THE GANG AT BEGNIMATO
...overlooking Burkina Faso...

BEGNIMATO
Mud cloth clothes...Hamma thinks he's handsome...but check out his Dogon brother...

EDWARD
With his cow...he carried our backpacks in a cart from Kani Kombole, Teli, Ende...then to the base of the cliff before we climbed the Falaise with young boys carrying our packs on their heads...easy...