mali
Mali - losing the race to preserve
its culture?
c u l t u r a l
h e r i t a g e
by Jos van Beurden
M
ali has three places which have an
damage has been most effective in Djenné, but
important cultural heritage. The best
is it a lost cause?
known is the old city of Timbuktu with
Djenné
thousands of old Arab manuscripts circulating
This pottery is part of
Mali’s cultural heritage
and has been recovered
by the police
All photographs by
Jos van Beurden
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It begins on Sunday afternoon. Several heavily
there. The Dogon area is known for its wooden
loaded trucks and numerous horse- or donkey-
sculptures, masks, doors and door-poles. In high
drawn carts cross the small bridge to the city,
caves the oldest textiles in Sub-Saharan Africa
heading for the centre. On Monday morning
have been found. The city of Djenné is known for
many more arrive. The weekly market of Djenné
its mud mosque and houses and its many
is a magnet for the surrounding region. The city
archaeological sites. For the people of Mali these
is still the same as it was in the 14th century,
treasures are part of their identity. But treasure-
when trans-Saharan caravans passed through it.
hunters and dealers don't care about that. They
Yet there is more to Djenné than its market. It
grab what they can. The effort to limit the
is a city of merchants and marabouts (scholars of
mali
the Koran). A large Mosque
renewed. Mr Touré says that he
made of clay stands on a
needs the permission of his
plateau. Built in 1907, it deter-
brother in Bamako and another
mines the image of the market
one in Paris before he can
and the city. Palm poles in its
agree to the restoration. The
walls are permanent scaffolding
three of them own the house.
for masons who renew the
Pillage
mud. In six places mud-stairs
have been constructed, each
with a sign Entreé interdit à
non-musulmans. Beautiful
brown doors with tin decoration
give entry to the prayer hall.
The mosque is one of the most
outstanding examples of clay
architecture in West Africa, and
the city is on UNESCO's list of
World Heritage sites.
In 1990 45% of sites
had traces of pillage. In
1996 it had reached
more than 65%
The Cultural Mission of
Djenné keeps an eye on more
than 800 archeological sites
where treasure hunters cause a
lot of damage. According to
director and archaeologist
Bouboucar Diaby, pillage is no
new phenomenon.
"It has been like this since the
1850s. French colonial officials
and travellers considered our
culture archaic and our archaeological treasures their property.
As none of them was a real
archaeological craftsman a lot
was lost.
"Since then there have been
The guild of masons in
Djenné is renowned throughout
West Africa. Master mason
Bouboucar Kouroumansé is
involved in a large restoration
project. Over 100 houses will
be restored to their 1900 condi-
various upsurges in the pillage,
the last one around 1980 when
American archaeologists, the
facts about life at that time in
McIntoshes, broadcast their find
this city of Islamic learning and
of a 1,000 year old terracotta
culture. Families in the town
statuette.
have many more manuscripts
"A big run began, the prices
but according to a spokesper-
tion. In one of the small shad-
increased tremendously and
son at the Centre, "they often
owy streets live Mr Touré and
the damage was enormous."
sell these to dealers or tourists,
his family. Kouroumansé would
In 1990 45% of sites had
like to put their house on the list
traces of pillage. In 1996 it had
for restoration, that needs care-
reached more than 65%.
Main entrance door to
the big mosque in Djenné
although this is forbidden by
law."
And for the manuscripts
ful study and preparation. Some
Timbuktu and the Dogon
which are kept by the Centre
walls will have to be rebuilt. The
region have suffered similar
"there is no plan or personnel
turrets which decorate the
losses. The Centre de
for their preservation and
façade have been covered by
Recherche et Documentation
storage."
cement. That is forbidden, and
Ahmed Baba in Timbuktu has
will have to be replaced with
15,000 Arab manuscripts, the
graphic and archeological
clay. In some places the pan-
oldest ones dating from the
objects from the Dogon region.
nelled ceiling will have to be
11th century. Some contain
Much has disappeared.
The same goes for the ethno-
75
mali
The EU, Mali and culture
Samuel Sidibé in Bamako. But
has this really had an impact?
The EU will fund several projects to help
"One cannot express it in fig-
Mali to preserve its cultural heritage. One is
ures. But it has become much
the restoration and expansion of the National
more troublesome to smuggle
Museum in Bamako and the setting up of
three regional museums, one of them in
Djenné. Institution building will be promoted
terracotta from here into the
USA. Moreover, the ban has
made an impression in Europe.
When it became public knowl-
at the Ministry of Culture. Money will be set
edge in 1997 that the French
aside for small cultural initiatives.
President Jacques Chirac had
received as a birthday present
Mobo Maïga is a dealer in
"To make a copy of an old
Djenné who admits to having
statuette takes two years but it
profited a lot from these disap-
is not too difficult. Copies are
pearances. His shop is an
treated with fire and cooling
ocean of terracotta and wood-
water and kept in the soil for
en sculptures.
two years. Dealers in Bamako
"My best years were those
know the difference but I can
between 1974 and 1982. I sold
assure you that quite a number
many authentic objects to the
of terracotta statuettes in
big antique dealers in Bamako
Europe and North America
who in turn sold them for a
have come from my
large profit to their customers,
workshops."
dealers and collectors in Paris,
New York, London, Munich,
Zürich or Brussels."
His profit has allowed him to
open a shop in the more
Northern town of Mopti, and
"In general the work of
treasure hunters and
traders is increasingly
considered to be
wicked"
several in Djenné.
In 1985 a law was approved
for the protection of Mali's cul-
stolen in Djenné, he felt forced
to return it."
Sidibé would be delighted if
European states imposed a
similar ban.
Another milestone was the
exhibition Vallée de Niger with
objects from several cultures in
Mali and other West African
countries. It was held in Paris,
Leyden and the capitals of six
West African countries.
"The best pieces attracted a
large number of people here.
That made Malians more
aware of the importance of
their cultural heritage."
Other exhibitions have fol-
Ban
While Mali is one of the most
lowed.
Some other measures have
tural property. No terracotta,
serious victims of this transact-
been taken. The National
manuscripts and sculptures
ing of its cultural heritage, it is
Museum has started to register
were allowed to leave the
also the country in Africa doing
its own collection according to
country.
the most to minimise the dam-
international standards.
"From one day to the next
age. In the early 1990s Mali
"So far we have photo-
my trade became illegal. When
requested the US Government
graphed and described some
the Cultural Mission was
to agree to a ban on the import
2,000 pieces, one fifth of our
established it became more
of all terracotta from Mali.
collection."
difficult." Yet Mobo Maïga has
76
a statuette which had been
"US Customs officers have
found a new way to make
been very strict since," says
money.
National Museum Director
Plans have been made for
three new regional museums.
"In general," concludes
mali
Sidibé, "the work of treasure hunters and traders
is increasingly considered to be wicked."
Mobile brigade
The Cultural Mission in Djenné has set up a
mobile force to make surprise visits to the 800
archeological sites. "Recently we noticed a dust
cloud in the distance," says its Director Diaby.
"We went there and arrested two men, aged
45 and 67, digging at a site. After interrogation
and some detective work it turned out that they
were part of a team of 10. They had set up their
own hut and kitchen and had been working there
for two months."
But how could they dig for such a long time
without being stopped? According to police officer Abdullahi Sidibé "treasure hunters often
threaten village people so they do not betray
them. They even use violence." Another reason,
he admits, "is the poor relationship between
police and public in Mali."
When Diaby set up the Cultural Mission local
police and judges refused to help.
"That has changed. Police and judges have
become more cooperative."
The two men were sentenced to three months'
imprisonment and a heavy fine.
"We have become strict. The other day a
tourist was intercepted with an old jar. He had to
hand it over."
Another activity of the Cultural Mission is to
make the public more aware of what’s going on.
Last year the National Theatre staged a play
about the subject, and this year research has
been done in six villages about its impact.
"In one village no progress was made,"
explains Diaby, "while in the five others there
has been a change. Most villagers wanted more
information."
He knows, however, that to stop the pillage
and illegal trade is impossible.
Street scene in Djenné
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