Sociolingo’s Mali

Each of these videos tells a different story behind Hallmark(RED), including an interview with (RED) co-founder Bobby Shriver on the AIDS epidemic in Africa and what (RED) hopes to accomplish; the story of how the Hallmark(RED) collection grew out of one card, as told by Sarah Mueller of Hallmark, who worked on the very card that started it all; and, interviews and video with two Malian craftswomen who hand-make the Mali Mud Cloth bags.

The inspiration of the Hallmark ‘red’ campaign video

(RED) a new partnership

Handcrafted bags from Mali video

The fashion blog The Perfect Touch has a great article (in French) on how Mali’s ‘Bogolan’ fabric became a fashion statement last year. Here are some pix from the Givenchy Collection 2007. Don’t worry if you don’t read French, it’s worth a look for the pictures!

We hear quite a lot about major corporations and their negative impact on the African continent. However, just recently I was contacted by a representative for Hallmark Cards who had read this blog and wanted to tell me about a textile project they are running in Mali. As many of you know Mali is famous for bogolan mudcloth textiles.

Hallmark is now a partner with the (RED) campaign. Like other PRODUCT (RED) partners, Hallmark’s gifts and cards raise money for the Global Fund’s fight against AIDS and other diseases in Africa, but this campaign also supports Malian artisans and their local economies. Artisans in Bamako, Mopti, San, and Sevaré are working with Hallmark to produce the Mud Cloth Bag that is part of Hallmark’s collection of PRODUCT (RED) items, generating jobs and income for these artisans. I’ve attached a picture of one of the Mud Cloth Bags for you to see (there are several designs). This is the first export to use Mali’s African Growth and Opportunities Act textile visa.

For more information, please visit www.hallmark.com/red1 - there, you can learn more about the Mud Cloth Bag, and Hallmark’s involvement with the (RED) campaign.

 

 

I’ve written about Geekcorps Mali a number of times in this blog. They are doing excellent work in Mali helping people to help themselves. They also give help to other organisaions and individuals who are trying to help Mali people. There is an article on their site , Taking a turn toward technology about how students from Carleton College in the US have received technical aid from Geekcorps Mali  to set up equipment for a women’s organisation, Nyeleni,  in Segou.  The women weave rugs and the students who visited them felt a computer would help the women to record their data,do simple accounting and manage the income generating aspects of the project. They raised $700 to support future partnership projects with the women’s organisation, and sought help from Geekcorps about the computer and programmes needed.

Sara received these recommendations and bought the necessary equipment including Norhtec’s mini ITX computer which has qualities like a VIA. It only uses 8-12 watts of power, can withstand hot climates due to it’s casing, and is sealed to protect from dust. She bought a HP laser printer and a UPS (battery backup) in Bamako and was able to find a flatscreen LCD monitor, mouse, and keyboard in addition.

Based on Geekcorps’ recommendation, Sara put Ubuntu Linux on the machine, however she needed some help installing the printer. Sara brought her computer to Geekcorps where technicians, Ludo and Tamian, helped her get the printer working. They also installed additional accessories like XMMS (a program for playing music), VLC ( a disc reader), Tux Type (practical typing tutor), and moulin (Geekcorp’s offline version of the french Wikipedia). Aside from these additions, Sara had previously installed Abiword, Open Offices’ version of Excel, and Power Point.

The students are now planning to spend some time with the women, teaching them to use the computer and programmes, and in 2008 another group of students will visit the group and hopefully help them with marketing skills, again with the aid of Geekcorps Mali.

I was going through my old diaries the other day and I found entries from a trip to the south of Mali, where we stayed in a village called Zebala which is about 50kms from the nearest big town, Koutiala.

Zebala is a centre for cotton production. You’ll see the cotton trees all over the village. In fact, it’s hard to ignore cotton in Zebala. The fluffy balls blow around in the wind and get in your hair. Enormous lorries rumble into the village in the early dawn hour, shaking you in your bed. You’ll think it is thunder and wait for the lightening! They come to collect the cotton which is stored in huge collection pits all over the village. Women walk in with huge bales on their heads and these are loaded into the pits, and later onto the lorries. In the evening, the whole procession is reversed with the huge lorries rumbling out of the village into the darkening bush.

But not all the cotton is sent out of the village to be bought by middle-men and sold on - some of the cotton is reserved by families. I spent one afternoon filming a lady spinning cotton into thread. It was a process as fascinating as it was deft. An age-old skill is still being maintained and the skill is passed on from mother to daughter. She took a hank of rough cotton, tweaked out a corner of it, attached her weighted spindle to that and then, almost by magic, the cotton thread began to appear. This was wound on deftly.

Another day, I was visiting the local tailor. His friend was there - the bogolan cloth maker. You can see him in this photo on the left. He proudly showed me hand woven cloth that he had dyed himself and which had been made into a suit by the tailor. This was the next step in the process. He was a Bogolan specialist. Bogolan is a special Malian process of printing on cotton using mud-based dyes. The mud is “mined” from the river. The cloth is first dyed a reddish brown, and then black designs are printed on. It is a very specialized trade and again is passed on from one generation to another. The inspiration is from nature and often incorporates animal prints, or tracks, and objects from nature. I admired the suit that he had on and asked him if he would make a suit just the same for my husband. These Bogolan suits are very much admired and are often worn by hunters. The suit he was wearing had an all over print that was a bit like a leopards paw print. I was delighted when he agreed. Then we sat down for a cup of sweet Malian tea before agreeing a price.

Some weeks later, when I was back in the capital, Bamako, a parcel arrived for me. It was the Bogolan suit for my husband. Specially printed, with the year on the front! He is very proud to wear it. We found out later that it is quite rare to own one of these suits, and he has had several envied comments. We feel really privileged that this bogolan cloth maker and the tailor were happy to make one for us.

See also http://sociolingomali.wordpress.com/2006/10/20/zebala-a-village-in-the-sikasso-region-mali/

http://sociolingomali.wordpress.com/2007/02/26/zebala-3-houses/

http://sociolingomali.wordpress.com/2007/02/26/zebala-4-henna-for-feet/

http://sociolingomali.wordpress.com/2007/02/26/zebala-5-christmas-in-the-village/

http://sociolingomali.wordpress.com/2007/02/26/zebala-6-the-hill/

I’ve just got back from market. So what you might say. I enjoy going but I find it exhausting. I think it is just the press of people mostly. We went to Medina Coura market right across town. To get there we have to cross the new bridge across the Niger into the city of Bamako. We then fight our way through the intense traffic right to the other side of town and drive down the main market street avoiding donkey carts, pus pus (wheelbarrows) and people. The next question is ‘where to park?’. We have to drive a long way down a side street, do a three-point turn and then try and squeeze onto the side of the road. For once there were no 10 or 11 year old boys waiting to ‘guard’ the car. So we leave it there and hope for the best. The next problem is crossing the road. We weave in and out of stationary and not so stationary cars and motorbikes and arrive on the outskirts of one of the biggest markets in town. Medina Coura market is a bit like an iceberg. The bit you see from the street is just the tip - it goes for what seems like kilometres back from the road with windy passageways between the myriad stores. It is built on the natural rock so walking through is quite hazardous. The stalls we want to go to are right in the middle of the market in the area where little natural light penetrates. A group of women run a cooperative - dying and selling ‘bazan’ cloth. This is white damask which is dyed often using batik or a lost wax process. I always try and buy my cloth from these ladies. First we get waylaid because I spot a rather nice looking jewellery stall. This is costume jewellery not fine jewellery but it ‘looks’ like gold and seems to be well made. I want some finery for a celebration party this week when my government department finally moves into their new building. While we were at the jewellery stall a young lad sidled up to us with a large carrier bag. It used to be cardboard boxes but now it’s plastic bags. He was offering to carry my goods for me as I bought things in the market. We employed him. I found my ladies and we got some nice material for not bad prices. Then we started the long trek back to the car. On the way I bought a very large brown plasic wash bowl. I have this idea of creating an oasis on my back veranda and I want it to make a fountain with. Perhaps I’ll write more on that another time!

Finally in major contrast to the market we went to a large supermarket in town. This one has caused a certain level of culture shock recently. They have just finished renovations and it is now a two floor supermarket with an underground parking lot. WOW! It has also expanded the things you can buy there - at a price.