Adventures in Bamako

2008-06-02T03:23:00.000-07:00

The other day I arrived in the Marra Bagga Market to find that one of my friends and a participant in my research had purchased 4 new leopard hides. He was excited to show them to me and promptly unfolded the largest for me to photograph. The hide was quite large, roughly 2 meters by 1 meter; most likely an adult female. The other three hides measured approximately 1.5 meters by 1 meter (probably young males).

He purchased the four hides from a professional middleman who specializes in transporting and selling wildlife parts. My friend purchased the four leopard hides for 210,000cfa (roughly $500.00). The three smaller hides went for 50,000cfa each, while the larger single hide sold for 60,000cfa.

Later in the afternoon I returned to my friend and learned that he had sold the three smaller hides to another of my research participants who works at the Artisana. He sold the three hides to the Artisana vendor for a total of 200,000cfa. Talk about a quick return on your investment. The larger hide will remain in the Marra Bagga Market and be sold by piece, whereas the hides sold in the Artisana will most likely be sold whole to a tourist or other affluent individual.

This last picture is taken in the Marra Bagga Market. I was walking by one of my participant's stall and saw something out of place. For some reason I found this very funny, but the joke was lost in translation. I tried to ask in Bamana: How much does Big Bird sell for? What medicine is he used to make? I got some very strange looks as I was told that it was not for sale, the vendor had purchased it for his daughter. Some jokes are best left unsaid.

2008-05-05T04:11:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures I took over the past couple of months. Note the snake theme. These are taken of two different "Simbo". Simbo tend to be hunters and present themselves as supernatural practitioners. The two full color wall paintings are from the home and office of a Simbo who is a "Jo tigi" - he uses power objects to protect and to cause harm. These services are available for a fee. The single drawing on the inside of a door from another Simbo. He specializes in "La Tru" (the sacred sands). He makes his living performing divination for local clientele. I particularly like the "Turbo Eminem" - not sure what it is in reference to though.

"They Killed the Lion"

2008-03-28T03:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was chatting with my teacher and mentor when his cell phone rang. "They killed the lion" he told me after he hung up. The lion he was referring to had been plaguing the village of Jon Fa Kuru (my teachers natal village). Apparently the lion had killed and eaten many cows and local hunters had been after it for a while. My teacher explained to me that the lion had been killed the night before last and that it was on its way to the Mara Bagga Yoro (animal parts market) in downtown Bamako.

About four hours after the initial call a man came to greet my teacher. He was the middleman that had transported the hide and head of the lion to Bamako to sell. Think of it as commission work, my teacher told me. "He (the middleman) will sell it and give half of the money to the hunter that killed the lion." I asked who the hunter was, maybe I knew him? Turns out I had met him during my stay in Jon Fa Kuru. I'm told that the hunter used the brake cable from a motorcycle to make a leg snare trap. Several hours after baiting the trap the hunter returned to find the lion snared and already dead. The lion killed itself trying to get free. Within 24 hours of being hunted the head and hide of the lion had been transported to Bamako to be sold. The estimated price for the lion parts is 300,000cfa (approximately $600.00). It was all sold to one specific vendor that is known to have significant capital at his disposal. The following photos were taken in the compound of my teacher, out of public sight.

The Big Haul!

2008-03-19T05:41:00.000-07:00

The other day I arrived at the Mara Bagga Yorro (animal parts market) to find one of my friends and research participant with a large grin on his face. It turned out that he had just purchased an incredible amount of new stock for his stall. All the stock was bought from a single hunter that had traveled from Western Mali to sell his wares. The purchase included the following:

1 Roan Antelope Hide

6 Roan Antelope horns

8 Hartebeest horns

2 Warthog heads

1 Civet head

5 Porcupine heads

7 bundles of porcupine quills

7 porcupine stomachs

10 Baboon heads

1 Mongoose head

5 Patas monkey heads

2 Fish Eagle talons

7 juvenile crocodile heads

1 juvenile hyena head

1 juvenile hyena hide

1 juvenile hyena tail

10 barn owls

1 starling

2 Black cobras

3 Puff Adders

1 juvenile Savannah Monitor

40 dried chameleons

1 Jackal head

20 Bushbuck horns

15 Baboon paws

2 Duiker forelegs

4 Caracal forelegs

1 Civet hide

3 Falcons

The total paid for this haul of animal parts was 50,000cfa (roughly $105.00); a deal if there ever was one. No wonder my friend had a big grin on his face.

2008-02-22T02:44:00.000-08:00

My family and I just spent a week in the small village of Jon Fa Kuru (in Western Mali). It was a really good experience for us all - it had been some time since we had been in the rural environment. Here are a couple of pictures of our trip. First up is a scene of the village at dusk.

Here I spent the morning with my teacher collecting medicine. We wandered from tree to tree out in the bush cutting bark and a few limbs.

This would be the "bush" in western Mali. Hot season is coming on, so much of the vegetation has been burned back.

Here I am greeted by the mothers of my friend - they came into the compound shortly after I arrived, singing and clapping.

In this picture we are making our way to Kita (a large town) via a fish truck. I am riding in the back with the freight - a few Malians are also hitching a ride.

Faunal Fashion

2008-02-08T02:06:00.000-08:00

The Artisana specializes in filling custom orders for clients and merchants. In the first photo you can see a leather worker finishing several belts (10 of which are made with Rock Python). These belts are part of an order placed by a Lybian merchant. The merchant will pick up the order in a few days once it is complete and take it to Lybia to sell.

In this photo you can see a pair of custom made crocodile shoes. They are being made for a Malian man (an atternoy of civil law). He paid for the shoes up-front and will pick them up in a couple of days, once they are finished.

In this photo you can see a leather worker preparing crocodile skin wallets. Similar to the first example, these wallets were commissioned by a transnational merchant. There are 17 croc skin wallets, in two different sizes. In addition to the croc skin wallets, the merchant ordered a dozen Nile monitor skin wallets and a dozen Savannah Monitor skin wallets.

Here you can see several Rock Python skins that have been soaked and are drying in the sun. These skins are destined to become belts, purses, wallets, and briefcases.

Hunters go to Market

2008-01-21T10:04:00.000-08:00

It has been a busy past couple of weeks with all sorts of people coming and going in the Marra Bagga Yoro (animal parts place). A few of the vendors have been purchasing new stock for their stall. Here are a few examples. First up are a couple of hunters that have harvested several gazelle, antelope, and Civet hides. They are trying to turn a quick buck, however the vendor who ended up buying the civet hides (5 @ 1000cfa = $12.00), got them at a steal.

Next up is the bucket-o-vipers, believed to be juvenile saw-scale vipers. The man brought them to the Marra Bagga Yoro looking to sell them for 20,000cfa each. Vendors told me that they are only worth about 5000cfa each ($12.00). And yes, they are alive.

Last up is a live Ball python. A man collected it outside of Bamako and brought it in to sell. One of my friends bought it, along with the head of another, for 5000cfa ($12.00)

Bamako Wildlife

2008-01-05T07:24:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of the wildlife that are for sale in Bamako. The first couple of shots are of tourist goods for sale in the Artisana; a state sanctioned market that caters to the wants of travelers. In one image you can see a variety of handbags that are fashioned using crocodile, ball python, and savannah monitor skins. Three leopard pelts hang from the wall in another shop. One medium-sized savannah monitor skin pocket book will cost you about $23.00. A large leopard pelt costs about $460.00.

The later two shots are from the "Marra Bagga Yorro" (animal parts place). This wildlife stands in stark contrast to the Artisana. As one might imagine, the Marra Bagga Yorro is not recognized by the state, it is illicit market. Yet, the Marra Bagga Yorro is a key facet of Malian life. When one is in need of medical or supernatural aid they visit the Marra Bagga Yorro to purchase culturally recognized ingredients. For example, if you have an ear ache / infection, try a little "Ma Tulu" (oil rendered from the fat of a manatee). The going rate for a small vial of Ma Tulu is about $8.00. Or possibly you might be interested in the head of a Gabon viper to facilitate a curse on another. That will cost you about $17.00.

Though it may be hard to accept, both the Artisana and Marra Bagga Yorro are places of business. They exist to serve a need and make a buck while doing it. However different the markets may seem on the surface, through an economic perspective it is readily evident that both markets function in much the same manner. In fact, both markets are supplied through some of the same hunters. Understanding the values associated with wildlife, the connections that they reveal between people and places, is the crux of my research.

2007-12-26T06:15:00.000-08:00

Buying goats in the market.

Transporting goats in trunk of taxi.

"Offering" one of the two goats purchased.

Butchering out one of the goats

Symbols drawn in goat blood - to make power objects

Power objects and wildlife hide.

Paris to Bamako

2007-12-26T04:05:00.000-08:00

My cell phone rang at about 7am. It was my teacher (Dembele) calling to tell me he was already at his office and was waiting for me. "There is a lot of work to do," he said and hung up the phone. I got a cup of coffee, cleaned up, and headed downtown. Dembele was waiting for me when I arrived. After we greeted we took a stroll out of the compound thatdodged busses, mopeds, and people as we wandered down into the central market. We arrived at a wire transfer station, where Dembele received money that had been sent to him from a client in Paris. She had sent 60,000cfa to aid my teacher in consulting the sands and preparing power objects to effect change in her life. Apparently, she was estranged from her husband of 20 years. There was another woman in his life. She, my teacher explained to me, needed to be "taken care of." We walked back to my teacher's office as he filled me in on the almost soap opera like tale of Madeline, his client in Paris. He had worked with her for years; sending him money just about every other month. When we got back to his office we took a short break for tea and then made our way via taxi to the livestock market. Dembele was greeted by a young man when we arrived. His name was Diallo and he was expecting Dembele. He guided us into the market to his brothers who sold goats and sheep. Dembele was on a mission, he described to the brothers what he sought; one red and white female goat and one black and white male goat. The brothers then went to work pulling out and presenting Dembele with his options. Dembele looked over the goats commenting, "these are too young and those are too skinny." It took some time but Dembele eventually selected a pair, a price was then determined: 30,000cfa. The goats were trussed up with rope and taken to the waiting taxi and unceremoniously dumped in the trunk for us to take back to Dembele's office.

Once we had returned to his office, Dembele explained to me that the red and white female goat was to be sacrificed for Madeline, while the black and white male goat was to be sacrificed for another one of his clients, a man that I had met several times, Keita. Both required a goat, "male for male, female for female." The female goat was to be first. Dembele prepared the sands and then brought the female goat to stand over them.

He took off his silver bracelet and hung it on the rope around the goats neck. Dembele then began reciting the incantations to call forth the spirits to see the offering that was to be made. Afterwards, the goat was then taken outside around the corner of the building. Another man, Troure (a devote muslim), performed the coup de grace. Shortly there after the second goat (the male) was offered in the same manner, with Keita assisting. His ring was placed on right horn of the goat and he placed his hands on it when Dembele called to the spirits. The meat of both goats was divided into about 15 piles, which were then given away. Many of Dembele's friends and clients took a share of the meat. I was even given a leg. The only part of the goats that was saved was the right front foreleg of each. They were brought into the office and placed over the sands. Dembele then began to prepare "bad magic." This involved drawing out a set of designs in the blood of the goats that were sacrificed. Using a bamboo pen, Dembele traced out the symbols and then sprinkled a little sand from his work area onto the scraps of paper. He then wrapped each foreleg with one of the blood scripts. "these," he told me as he held each up, "will take care of the other woman and the husband." He then set the power objects in the corner as we enjoyed another round of tea. Work was not done. Dembele prepared more power objects using a different set of symbols drawn in goat blood. These were for Keita. Each power object required a specific species of wildlife as the key ingredient. In this instance, leopard and hyena were needed. These items were acquired from the animal parts market across the street. Once in hand the power objects were wrapped, one with leopard hide, the other in spotted hyena. Dembele gave the objects to Keita and then gave instructions on how they were to be worn. Keita thanked Dembele and gave him 2,000cfa in payment for his services.

Global Sex

2007-12-20T06:39:00.000-08:00

A couple of days ago I was walking through one of the markets located in downtown Bamako. While perusing through the goods the vendors offered I was shocked (and intrigued) to find this one. This is a Malian sex shop. Though it does not have an underage warning sign, its business is unmistakable. I spoke with the vendor, her name is Toure, and she prides herself on her knowledge of sex and business. From her you can purchase supplements to "give a man force," "to make sex better," "to make her want sex," as well as "to make him want sex." I looked over her wares and was able to discern prepackaged creams, powders and pills. Most of these were manufactured in China. Alongside these manufactured goods can be found local products, including a special (and very expensive) branch from a tree. Toure told me, "it will make a man strong for a very long time." The makers of Viagra could learn a thing or two from Madam Toure.

Transnational Divination

2007-12-20T04:41:00.001-08:00

The other day I was sitting with my teacher when he received a call on his cell phone. It was a Malian living in Spain. he had called for a consultation as he was unsure of his future economic security. Shortly after the call the sister of the man in Spain arrived and took a seat in the corner of the room. Upon her arrival my teacher began to consult the "sands" and found that the man in Spain had bad luck on his horizon. So much bad luck that he prepared a "prescription" to counter the negative energies that surrounded the man. He explained that the "prescription" was a special transliteration of the "sands" and was written in his own blood. To formalize the "prescription" and direct its power, my teacher scribed the name of the man in need as well as his address and a few familial relations. He then prepared the sacrifices that were required to ensure that the bad luck was dispelled. The offerings included a large chicken egg, a white dove, a white guinea fowl, a terrapin turtle, the "prescription," nine white kola nuts, and a packet of milk. Once these offering were ready, my teacher asked for my assistance in holding the live animals in place over the "sands". I knelt for about twenty minutes holding the dove and terrapin while my teacher held the guinea fowl and recited the incantations to call the benevolent spirits to hear his plea. He took each offering in turn and presented it to the spirits, holding it forth over the "sands". Once all had been presented, he took the guinea fowl and sacrificed it, cutting its throat and letting the blood drizzle over his "fetishes" in the corner. I use the term "fetish" as that is what my teacher calls his power objects. He then prepared the offerings to be given to the woman sitting in the corner (sister to the man in Spain). These preparations included marking the terrapin with symbols of prosperity and packaging up the items. My teacher then gave specific instructions on what she was to do with the offerings. The terrapin was to be eaten, while the guinea fowl was to be given away to a person in need. I never caught what was to happen to the dove or the other offerings. What is particularly interesting about this scene is the linkages between "tradition" and modernity. At the same time there is an intersection between local and global as well as the use of local fauna to meet a extra local need.

Photos: top to bottom; "prescriptions" and notebook of transliterated "sands"; scribing the egg with symbols, in background are the "sands", guinea fowl, kola nuts, and milk packet; sacrificing the guinea fowl and "feeding" the fetishes; scribing the terrapin with symbols.

Two days before Tabaski

2007-12-19T08:11:00.000-08:00

Relaxing in the heat of the day. Outside the calm of this room was the bustle of the city - it was two days before Tabaski - the biggest holiday of the year. Travel through the city was next to impossible, so we sat and quietly talked the afternoon away. In the process I was introduced to many Malians and came to learn of the burning need to earn enough money to buy a goat to celebrate the holiday. In the course of this afternoon I came to understand that a "good" goat will cost as much as 60,000cfa. In acts of desperation people will trade their motorcycle (mottos) for a goat, even a car. In other instances families will purchase a goat on credit and pay it off the rest of the year. In yet other instances, families will come together and pool their resources to acquire a goat. The message of the afternoon was clear, you are not worthy if you cannot provide a goat for your family.