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Published: March 27th 2011
IMAGES OF MALI...ROCK & ROLLING IN DOGON COUNTRY
...DJIGUIBOMBO, KANI KOMBOLE & TELI
Rated 4th Best Trek in the World by Lonely Planet on TV before we left...expectations were high...and wow...it delivered.
We had four days & nights of clear weather in early January...four days treking...four days stopping at a village for a dance or a cup of tea...another for lunch with siesta...then another for dinner...for sleeping on mud rooves...or inside if you dare...
...and four nights of partying with locals & other travellers.
Starting at Bandiagara, the local capital, we hit the red dirt and rock along a dusty road to Djiguibombo, a rock upon rock ancient village on that massive rock ledge on the top of the escarpment or falaise...
Then down the cliffs on a well worn but precipitous path... as laden women were coming up returning from market...to the flat dusty floor below...to Kani Kombole nestled in a grove of baobab trees...where fires would flash against the cliff face or its' mud mosque...donkeys braying and constant drumming...and dancing with the locals by torch light.
Up early to trek in the cooler part of the day...loading our packs on a cart for Edward and his cow...a well worn track heading north, dusty like walking on a beach of talcum sand...through dry fields along the cliff face...and yonder is Teli...wow...I can see the tombs, circumcision sites and graneries in the cliff face...climbing up for a closer look...way up overlooking the sprawling mud village...dancing to the accompaniment of two two stringed guitars or ngonis...the locals watch on...and join in...one after another...and cheer us on as we boogie out of there to the next village.
"Bon bon" or "cuddle" as kids' hands reach out throughout Mali..."Ca va" suffices for greetings...and its no different in Dogon Country...so Tanya with the whistle lollies had to pick times when there were scant children around...but when the kids blew the whistles...others would come...from behind rocks, a field or falling out of trees so as to not miss out...so with Tanya as Pied Piper we snaked our way forward.
Welcome to Dogon Country...
Enjoy & Relax...
Dancing Dave (who danced up & down the Falaise of Dogon Country on his way to Timbuktu!)
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denise
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great commentary & the photos...wow! I'd be back there in a flash...