Armchair Mali: Where music, literature and film endure despite jihadis and colonialism

Pained by the genius of the novel Segu

Thanks to bizarre, post-colonial borders, landlocked Mali takes the shape of a misaligned bowtie, with arid deserts in the North and lush green forests in the south. But even before the French took control, it had had an overwhelming history — over its 10,000 years of human habitation, it was the heart of a vast number of kingdoms and empires, with a story-telling musical history of at least 800 years, more than 10 ethnic groups, and one of the world’s oldest universities. But recent years have not been easy… in 2012, Tuareg fighters from Libya turned the top-half of the bowtie into the short-lived, independent state of Azawad. This was nothing to do with the band Aswad, or indeed any band, as the Tuareg jihadis made music illegal. This is particularly galling given the variety and skill of Malian musicians which I have attempted to showcase in this four-hour playlist which scratches the surface of what is out there, and surprisingly includes Iggy Pop, Damn Albarn and Mark Lanagan!

Reading about Malian music while listening to Malian music. Ironically something some people aren’t allowed to do in Mali…

It was this playlist which accompanied me as I cooked this week’s dish — a simple and delicious Malian Peanut Stew — from the must-have recipe book Vegan Africa. I paired it with watermelon and mint and highly caffeinated green and mint tea. Dessert desert was easy too, sesame honey sticks and dates.

Sometimes each course takes me hours… in Mali I could make the starter in less than a minte!

Having such straightforward recipes makes a lot of sense in a country where many still live in tents… and it is one of these nomad families who are at the centre of this week’s film Timbuktu. Their lives are turned upside-down when jihadists arrive and set about imposing harsh rules on the previously tolerant city… women must cover their hands and football and music are banned. It is a harsh and tragic film, based on the true story of a young, unmarried couple who were stoned to death. To me, it feels like essential viewing, and I guess I am not alone as it was voted 36th best film of the 21st Century, which isn’t bad!

Turnips?! In Mali? I trusted the recipe but I still find it hard to fathom…

Amazing movie then, but not as good as this week’s book, Segu, a masterpiece novel by Guadeloupian author Maryse Condé. I sometimes have trouble getting into stories set over generations of multiple, complex characters’ lives, but Condé writes so clearly and carefully that I started setting my alarm early each day, just to find out what happened next. She spotlights West African history, gender dynamics and nationhood whilst deconstructing the slave trade, Islam, Christianity and white colonisation with a Marxist lens… The action takes place in the turbulent years of 1797 until 1860 but the history is easy to follow as Condé’s main focus is on universalising the human condition and creating characters who feel more real than your neighbours… There is apparently a sequel, but I am scared to read it in case I am disappointed…

Green mint tea, honey sesame snaps and dates… simple, yet perfect… add enough sugar to send you crazy — it is, after all, known as “desert whisky”

Another reason to pass on book two is that I have just picked up my Malta novel and it is another 500-pager! As Segu makes clear, even in a best-case scenario, I have a shockingly-short amount of human existence left, so I must prioritise the next country… I’ll let you know how that goes in a couple of weeks!