Masks of Mali

by Nic McDougal
Can you spot the 14 differences
between the two panels?
Answers on page 48

March 2020 Volume 36 Number 06 cricketmedia.com $6.95

 People, Places, and Cultures

Journey to

Mali
 EDITOR Elizabeth Crooker
ART DIRECTOR Nicole Welch
DESIGNER Erin Hookana
VP OF EDITORIAL & CONTENT James M. O’Connor
COPY EDITOR Suzanne Fox
People, Places, and Cultures
PERMISSIONS SPECIALIST Christine Voboril
ASSISTANT EDITOR Emily Cambias
ASSISTANT EDITOR Stacey Lane Smith
MARCH 2020 WISECRACKS AND WITTICISMS Colin Draun

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AND INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES OFFICE,
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ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
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FEATURES

8 Mali: An Ancient Empire

by Christine Graf

12 White Gold:
The Sahara Salt Trade
by Jane Scherer

The Great Mosque

14 of Djenne
by Gail Skroback Hennessey

18 Saving Mali’s Migrating

Desert Elephants Pg 8
by Colette Weil Parrinello

22 Life Behind the Mask:

The Dogon
by Jacqueline Warner

The Brave Librarians

26 of Timbuktu
by Barbara J. Tuttle Pg 14
Mali’s Music:
30 A Universal Language
by Marcia Amidon Lusted

34 The Richest Man

Who Ever Lived Pg 12
by Marcia Amidon Lusted

Mee-an and
42 the Magic Serpent
retold by Pat Betteley

DEPARTMENTS
2 High 5
4 At a Glance
6 Critter Corner
33 Mali Crossword
37 Where in the World? Pg 22
38 A Closer Look
46 Art Connection
48 Say What?
Pg 42
49 One Last Face

ACTIVITIES Check out our

online teacher’s guides at
40 Your Turn WWW.CRICKETMEDIA.COM/
Pg 34 TEACHER-RESOURCES/
HIGH FIVE

Located in West Africa, Mali was once part

of a vast empire. Malians are proud of their
culture and place in history. Here are five
fun facts to get you started on your journey.

A Mali fisherman works on his boat on the Niger River.

2
 1
The Mali Empire reached its height in
the 13th century. Its emperors were
called mansas, and they controlled the
ld
Saturn, wou Trans-Saharan trade routes that transported
you like to
come greet
the salt and gold.
?
sun with me

2
Salt was once so valuable that an ounce
of it was worth an ounce of gold. During
the time of the Mali Empire, salt was used
to preserve meat and season food. It was highly
valued in parts of Africa where it did not occur
Namaste here, naturally.
thanks
ks.

3
The Great Mosque of Djenne is the world’s
largest adobe building. Located in the
city’s large market square, the mosque is
actually the third to have been built on that site.

4
The Niger River is Africa’s third-longest
river. It begins in Guinea and runs
through Mali, Niger, and Nigeria.

5
Mansa Musa, who ruled the Mali Empire
from 1312 to 1337 C.E., was the richest
man who ever lived. Economists estimate
that he was worth more than $400 billion in
today’s money.

3
AT A GLANCE
illustrated by Sophie Kittredge

4
 OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Mali

LOCATION: Mali is a land-locked country in

Western Africa. It is southwest of Algeria,
north of Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, and Burkina
Faso, west of Niger, and east of Mauritania and
Senegal.

AREA: 478,800 square miles (1,240,192

square kilometers)

CAPITAL: Bamako

TERRAIN: PRVWO\ĠDWWRUROOLQJQRUWKHUQ
plains covered by sand; savanna in the
south, rugged hills in the northeast

POPULATION: 18,429,893 (July 2018

estimate)

PEOPLE: Bambara 33.3%, Fulani 13.3%,

Sarakole/Sonike/Marka 9.8%, Senufo/
Manianka 9.6%, Malinke 8.8%, Dogon 8.7%,
Sonrai 5.9%, Bobo 2.1%, Tuareg/Bella 1.7%,
other Malian 6%

RELIGION: Muslim 93.9%, Christian 2.8%,

Animist .7%, none 2.5%

LANGUAGES: )UHQFK RIğFLDO %DPEDUD

46.3%, Peuhl/Foulfoulbe 9.4%, Dogon
7.2%, Maraka/Soninke 6.4%, Malinke 5.6%,
I ’ ve
B Sonrhai/Djerma 5.6%, Minianka 4.3%,
Tim enin
bukt Tamacheq 3.5%, Senoufo 2.6%, Bobo 2.1%,
u.
XQVSHFLğHGRWKHU

CURRENCY: West Africa CFA Franc

e sure
I’m Ghana b
.
Togo to Mali

5
CRITTER CORNER

I h o p e yo
u r e ye s
are bigge
r than
your stom
ach.

A boomslang’s large
eyes set it apart from
other snakes. It gives the
species superior vision.

Dangerous Venom
BOOMSLANG Researchers estimate that between one and five
million people are bitten by snakes each year.
DEADLY AFRICAN TREE SNAKE About one-fifth of those bites will result in death.
by Pat Betteley
That number is a lot lower than it was 60 years

T
ago. Since then, antivenoms have become more
widely available. Consider the case of Karl P.
he boomslang is an
Schmidt. He was an expert herpetologist who
extremely dangerous, worked for the American Museum of Natural
venomous snake History in New York and the Field Museum in
found south of the Chicago. He was used to handling deadly snakes.
In 1957, a zoo director gave him a snake to
Sahara Desert. Its name means
identify. It was a young boomslang. Schmidt was
“tree snake” in Afrikaans and not afraid to take the snake from the bag because
Dutch. This quick-moving snakes with fangs in the rear of their jaws were
not considered dangerous at that time. Although
snake is diurnal (active
he was bitten on the thumb with one fang during
during the day). It lives and the examination, Schmidt was not worried. He
hunts mostly in trees.
A herpetologist is a scientist who studies reptiles
and amphibians.
6
went about his daily routine.
It strikes without warning. It usually
The next day, when Schmidt
returned to work, he felt fine in captures its prey without ever being
the morning. By afternoon, he seen. After it injects its prey with venom,
was dead from respiratory arrest
and internal bleeding. Because
the snake swallows the animal whole.
of Schmidt’s experience, we now
know that a young boomslang
is not like other members of its
snake family, Colubridae. It can
open its mouth to almost 180°
and has very long fangs. Its
venom is slow acting, but causes
bleeding inside and outside of
the body. Zoos and research %RRPVODQJVRIWHQ appened
Hey! What h
PDNHWKHLUKRPHVLQ trolled?”
centers that keep venomous
QHVWVEXLOWE\VRFLDEOH to “rent-con
snakes have antivenom ready, ZHDYHUV

just in case.
shade of brown on their bellies. range. Then, SNAP! It strikes
Description Males can be found in many without warning. It usually
The boomslang is a long, colors, depending on their age. captures its prey without ever
slender snake. It has a small, From deep olive or bright green being seen. After it injects
egg-shaped head and very with black outlining their scales its prey with venom, the
large eyes. Females are usually to dark brown or black with snake swallows the animal
greenish-brown with a light bright yellow bellies, their color whole. It can unhinge its
helps to camouflage them. jaws, if necessary, and then
The characteristic that sets the use muscles throughout its
STATS boomslang apart is its large body to move food through its
» 6FLHQWLğFName: eyes, which are shimmering digestive system.
Dispholidus typus
green in young snakes. They Boomslangs have a positive
» Range: Sub-Saharan
Africa in central and give the snake superior vision to impact on the ecosystem.
southern regions of the
continent, such as Mali,
spot its prey. They are important prey for
Botswana, Swaziland, large predator birds such as
Namibia, Mozambique,
and Zimbabwe Behavior falcons, kestrels, eagles, and
» Ecosystem: Areas with Watching a boomslang stalk its vultures. On the negative side,
trees, such as wooded prey is fascinating. When the their venom injures humans,
grasslands, dry savannas,
and lowland forests. snake spots its dinner, it glides although they typically
» Size: 3-6 feet long slowly toward it. Sometimes it only strike if handled. The
» Diet: Chameleons, stops to sway gently as though good news for snakes and
tree-dwelling lizards,
birds, small rodents it were a branch in the breeze. conservationists alike is that
» Lifespan: About 8 years The snake continues to move boomslangs are at no risk of
in the wild
slowly until it is within striking becoming endangered.

7
 Graf
in e
hrist
C
by

pire
t Em
cien
An
An highly valued in other parts of
Africa where the mineral did
not occur naturally.
Because of its location near
and waged war against the Sosso the Niger River, the Malian city
people who controlled the region of Timbuktu became a major
at the time. center for African trade. When
The Mali Empire expanded camel caravans arrived in
rapidly and reached its height in Timbuktu from the north, the

T
he Republic of the 13th century. Mali’s emperors goods they carried were loaded
Mali was once (called mansas) grew rich and onto boats and transported
part of the Mali powerful because they controlled south on the river. All goods
Empire, an the Trans-Saharan trade routes. that passed through the Mali
ancient empire These routes were used to Empire were heavily taxed, and
that controlled transport salt from the Sahara the empire prospered.
a large portion of West Africa. Desert and gold from the gold Because of trade, Timbuktu
A West African prince named mines of West Africa. At the time, became the empire’s most
Sundiata Keita established the salt was considered as valuable important city. It was a center
empire in 1235. He united a as gold. It was used to preserve of culture, education, and the
group of indigenous groups meat and season food. Salt was Islamic religion. Islam was

8
Most Malians live along the
Niger River.

9
 A pair of
women shop
in a market in
Segou, Mali.

introduced to the Malian people

by the mansas, and it remains
the predominant religion in Mali.
Before the introduction of Islam,
animism was widely practiced. After the coup, France sent in
People who practice animism troops to restore order to the
believe that every person and country.
thing have spirits or souls. Presently, Mali is plagued
As the Mali Empire grew After repeated attacks by by ethnic violence. Islamic
stronger, it took over surrounding neighboring armies, the Mali extremists control parts of the
kingdoms and became the largest Empire began to crumble. By country, and thousands of
empire in West Africa. After the 1500, it had lost all but a small United Nations peacekeeping
death of Mansa Musa around portion of its land. The Mali troops have been sent there to
1337, it began to decline. Musa Empire came to an official end help restore order. The Mali
was a powerful ruler, and his after the death of its last mansa peacekeeping mission is
successors were not able to retain in 1610. By that time, the extremely dangerous, and
control over the vast empire. Moroccan army had conquered more than 200 peacekeepers
many of its cities, including have been killed. The United
Timbuktu. States government has warned
The region came under Americans not to travel to Mali.
French control in 1898, and Mali is one of the world’s
A vegetable seller it wasn’t until 1960 that the poorest nations. More than
carries her baby
on her back at a Republic of Mali gained 40 percent of Malians live in
market in Bamako.
its independence. Since that time, extreme poverty. The majority of
the country has experienced a the country’s people depend on
great deal of political instability. fishing and agriculture for their
There have been numerous livelihoods. Mali’s best farmland
rebellions, and Mali’s president is situated near the Niger River,
was overthrown in a 2012 coup. where the country’s population is

10
 Many men work
DVğVKHUPHQRQ
the Niger River.

FAST FACTS For many, the Niger

River is the most
»Rock paintings found accessible source
est way
What’s the b in Mali date back to of water.
noe?
to steer a ca Either oar. around 50,000 B.C.
Students
»The majority of land concentrate
in Mali is arid or on their work
semi-arid and is not in a classroom
Bamako is Mali’s suitable for farming. in Bamako.
capital city and also
its largest city. »At its peak, the Mali
Empire included parts
of Niger, Senegal,
Mauritania, Guinea,
and The Gambia.
»The prime meridian
marker runs through
Gao, Mali. A person who
stands at the marker can
place one foot in the
eastern hemisphere and
one in the western
hemisphere.
centered. The river floods during language of the Bambara people.
»Malians have an average
the wet season (June through life expectancy of 59. The Bambara are the country’s
It is one of the world’s
October) and deposits fertile soil lowest life expectancies. largest ethnic group and make up
that is essential for farming about one-third of the population.
along its banks. The Niger is Mali is also home to numerous
described as Mali’s “lifeblood” other ethnic groups, and more
and is a vital source of food, mines, but some is mined in than 40 African languages are
drinking water, irrigation, small mining operations (called spoken. Each group has its own
and transportation. artisanal mines) that use low- unique customs and traditions.
Gold mining is also very tech methods. They operate in Life is not easy for many
important to the country’s poor, rural areas of Mali and Malians, but they are proud
economy. Mali is the third- rely heavily on child labor. of their culture and their place
largest gold producer in Although the national in history. Through their rich
Africa, and much of its gold- language of Mali is French, heritage of storytelling, they
rich land has yet to be explored. it is spoken by only a small pass down stories of their
Most of the country’s gold is percentage of Malians. About ancestors who built one of
mined at large commercial 80 percent speak Bambara, the Africa’s great empires.

11
 WHITE GOLD:

The Sahara
Salt Trade by Jane Scherer

D uring the cool

months from
October to March,
camel caravans arrive in
the desert city of Timbuktu
Nowadays, each salt caravan has from
60 to 300 camels. Each camel carries four
to six slabs of salt, with each slab weighing
more than a man. The journey from the salt
mines to Timbuktu takes about 15 days. To
avoid the hot sun, the caravans travel only
at night.

every few days.

Led
Le d by T
Tuareg
uareg
ua g an
andd Ar
Arab
ab traders
traders, the
caravans have traveled from the salt
mines of Taoudenni—an oasis in Mali.
It’s a trade that has not changed in
hundreds of years.
You may take salt for granted, but
long ago, people in the deserts and
forests of Africa could not obtain it
easily. Salt was so valuable that one
ounce of salt was worth one ounce Mining for and
preparing salt
of gold. is a tough job.

A caravan is a group that is

12 traveling together.
 pots
p l e n ty o f s
There’s way.
is
ove r th

Camels are still used

to transport salt slabs,
but trucks are starting
to replace them.

The Mines Timbuktu

At Taoudenni, salt is mined from ancient lakebeds
eds Timbuktu lies near the Niger River at the
that dried up millions of years ago. The mines llie
ie
e crossroads of three trade routes. Here the salt
deep below Earth’s surface and are reached by is sold and carried downriver to other parts of
trenches and tunnels. Large blocks of salt are dug
ug West Africa. Timbuktu is an important meeting
out and then cut into slabs above ground. place for desert travelers. It also was once a
center of Muslim education, with schools and
The Miners a university that drew scholars from all over
Mining salt is a hard and dangerous job. At the world.
Taoudenni, people of the Bella and Haratin groups
ps
do the work. Their wages are so The Future
low that they are treated little Trucks are taking the place of
better than slaves to the camels for carrying salt. One truck
FAST FACTS
Tuaregs and Arabs who control can carry hundreds of bars of salt;
the mines. Although the miners » Human beings cannot a camel can carry only four to six.
survive without salt. If
are allowed to keep one out of we lose too much salt And a truck can make the 900-mile
every four salt bars that they through perspiration, round trip in about a week. The
we can become sick.
mine, they must use salt to pay Long-term loss of salt days of the camel caravans are
for the water that they need. can lead to dehydration coming to an end.
(loss of water), coma,
and death.
13
14 by Gail Skroback Hennessey
 L
ooking like
a giant sand
sculpture,
the Great
Mosque of Djenne (JEH-nay)
is the world’s largest adobe
building. It is also one of the
most famous landmarks in
Africa. Located in the city’s
large market square, the
mosque is actually the
third to have been built
at the site. The most recent
mosque was constructed
in 1907.

Built using mud bricks (called

ferey), the mosque has unique
architecture. It is reinforced with
large logs of wood (torons) that
stick out from the building. The
wood pieces extend about two feet.
The walls are between 15-23 inches
thick. Part of the mosque, which
stands on an almost 10-feet-high
large platform, is an open prayer
courtyard. Several openings in the
roof allow for light and fresh air.
During the rainy season, terracotta
(clay) lids are used to close the
openings. There are three tall
minarets (prayer towers). If you
look at the very top of the different
minarets, you can see the shapes
of ostrich eggs, symbols of purity
and fertility.
The Great Mosque of
Djenne is the largest adobe
building in the world.
15
 The Great Mosque
needs to be replastered
each year before the
rainy season.

The Great Mosque of Djenne Several openings in

dates to the 1300s. King Koi the roof allow light
and fresh air to
Kunboro (also spelled Kunburu) enter the building.
became a follower of the Islamic
faith. He tore down his palace and
built the mosque. It was in disrepair
when French explorer Rene Caillie
came upon it in 1828. He wrote that
he saw thousands of swallows
nesting in the ruins of the mosque.
Because it is made from mud and
straw, the annual rainy season
causes much damage to the Great FAST FACTS
Mosque. Before the rainy season
» The Great Mosque of
begins, the structure is replastered to Djenne was declared a
repair cracks and holes. Called the UNESCO World Heritage
Site in 1988.
Crepissage de la Grand Mosquée
» Only those practicing the
(plastering of the Great Mosque), and sing. Around 4 a.m., a Islamic faith can enter
the mosque.
the April festival brings the local whistle announces the beginning
» For a time, the ruins of
community together. The night of the main activity. Men, women, WKHğUVWPRVTXHZHUH
before, La Nuit de Veille (The Waking and children all participate. The used as a graveyard.

Night), thousands of people dance men mix the plaster, called banco

16
 Markets and other
gatherings are held
in the shadow of the
Great Mosque.

A woman heads baskets and begin the repairs. The

to market with
a joyful smile women and girls carry water from
on her face.
the nearby Niger and Bani rivers to
add to the mixture, which keeps the
plaster from hardening in the hot
sun. Older community members sit
in a place of honor, watch the
repairs, and are asked for advice.
Competitions are also part of
the festival. There is a race to see
which group can make the plaster
the quickest or which group can
plaster their area the fastest.
Prizes are awarded. Musicians
perform to entertain those
(bang-ko), which is made from usually tasked with stirring the attending the festival, and lots
mud, water, rice husks, baobab mixture before it is used. The men of food is prepared. It’s lots of
powder, and shea butter. The banco climb the wood poles that stick out work, but it creates a sense of
needs to sit for a couple of days of the structure like ladders. They accomplishment that keeps this
before it can be used. Boys are carry the mud mixture in wicker famous mosque standing.

17
18
 Saving
Mali’s
Migrating
Desert
Elephants

E
by Colette Weil Parrinello

co-guardians spread the word to the

Tuareg villagers, “The elephants are
coming.” Many villagers already know.
They will stay out of the thick bushes and
trees so they don’t surprise the elephants.
Villagers believe that when the elephants come, the land and
life are healthy. The elephants are baraka—a blessing to the
people and environment of Mali’s Gourma region.
Once there were many thousands of Gourma Desert
elephants, but now, there are fewer than 400. The elephants
live under constant threat from droughts, militant violence,
poachers who want their tusks, loss of water from expanding
herds and farms, and encroaching human settlement.
Through the dedicated efforts of the Mali people and many
worldwide organizations, the elephants have a fighting
chance to survive.

The Elephants’ Extraordinary Journey

Every year for hundreds of years, the elephants walk a
There are fewer 350-mile circular migration route in northern Mali, moving
than 400 Gourma
Desert elephants around back and forth within the route. This is the longest,
in existence.

19
most treacherous trek of any elephant in the world.
These tough animals brave sandstorms, water
shortages, and extreme heat of more than 120
degrees Fahrenheit.
They inhabit a 12,400-square-mile range across
the harsh land south of the Sahara Desert in the
Gourma region. Following a counterclockwise route,
the elephants spend their time in the dry season in
the north of the range, moving between lakes and
rivers as each dries out. In June when the rains start,
they move southwards to the border Mali shares with
the country of Burkina Faso because the food supply
is better. But there are no lakes or surface water, so
when the rains stop and the water dries out, they
continue back north.

The Mali Elephant Project

In 2003, The WILD Foundation (Boulder, Colorado, The migration route of the
U.S.A.), Save the Elephants (Nairobi, Kenya) and The Gourma Desert elephant is
the most dangerous of any
Environmental Development Group (Oxford, UK) elephant in the world.

came together to study the elephants and understand

their migration. They fitted the pachyderms with GPS Changes Threaten the Elephants
so they could track their migration. Based on their The elephants have co-existed with the region’s
findings, the Mali Elephant Project (MEP) was many cultures, the Tuareg, Peul, Songhai, Bellah,
launched in 2007. Rimaibe, Tellem, Maure, and Dogon, but growth
In 2009, the elephants’ main lake dried up as huge in human settlements and increased overgrazing
herds of cattle belonging to wealthy people descended continued to pressure the elephants’ survival.
on the elephants’ only source of water at the end of From 2012 to 2015, militant violence and
the dry season. People, livestock, and elephants lawlessness broke out along the northern Mali
competed for the water. The land was overused by border. Poaching by international trafficking
crops and livestock. networks skyrocketed. Eighty-three elephants
MEP met with local people and helped them make were lost in 2015 alone.
land and water use rules to protect elephant habitats Elephants and local communities were suffering.
and help restore degraded areas. The result was more Families watched their young men being paid to
food, forest, and pasture to share with everyone. join armed groups. The crises to protect young
Patrols by young men called eco-guardians made men and save the elephants brought local
sure everyone obeyed the rules. They reported land communities, international organizations, and
use abuse and protected the elephants by detecting the Mali government together to find solutions.
and reporting poaching. Land management MEP helped distribute food aid by donkey cart to
improved, livestock numbers were controlled, crop prevent it from being stolen via vehicle hijackings.
performance improved, and the elephant habitat They also trained 520 young men to act as
and migration routes were protected. information networks to report and protect the

20
elephants. Fifty-one elephants were killed in 2016. poaching in 2015. This means that the elephants
By 2017, MEP struggled as funding was running are living closer to humans and we continue our
out. “At this rate, the Gourma elephants will be work with these villages to show them how to live
wiped out by 2020,” predicted Dr. Susan Canney, safely with elephants—for example, when a person
Gourma Desert elephant expert and director of goes into the dense bush where an elephant might
the Mali Elephant Project. be, they are to be careful and not surprise the
elephant as she might think you are a poacher
A Global Plea for Help wanting to kill her.”
The plea was heard, and more organizations The devoted work by many organizations,
got involved, most notably the United Nations the Mali people, and the Mali government helps
peacekeepers in Mali, called MINUSMA. The communities peacefully coexist with the elephants
Chengeta Wildlife nonprofit professionally trained and prosper on the land. These united efforts
Mali’s first anti-poaching unit. The unit learned stop the annihilation of one of the world’s most
anti-poaching strategies and received radios, important animals, the migrating Gourma Desert
cellphones, surveillance equipment, weapons, elephant—a global treasure we can all watch
and more. Once the unit became fully operational, and enjoy.
elephant poaching dropped to extremely low levels.
Colette Weil Parrinello is a frequent contributor to
Gourma Desert Elephants Today children’s magazines. She’s a nature and animal lover,
“Poaching is under control,” says Dr. Canney, traveler, and former regional advisor for the Society of
“and the elephants avoid areas where there was Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

21
Life Behind the Mask
22
 I n the central region of Mali
and spread out as far as
the land of Burkina Faso,
there lives a mysterious
people known as the Dogon
(do-gän). Many centuries ago,
they moved into seclusion where
they have continued to live in
ancient villages in the plateau,
plains, and cliffs of a land known
as the Bandiagara Escarpment.
They moved hoping to avoid
invading forces and to maintain
their ancient traditions. That is
difficult when invaders enter the
region, but the Dogon persist.
Their seclusion and strong
determination have helped them
not only preserve their culture
and traditional farming lifestyle,
but also ensures a certain
amount of physical safety from
dangers that threaten them daily.
With a population of several
hundred thousands, the Dogon
are not the biggest group, but
they are one of the better known.
Their distinctive woodcarvings
have attracted collectors for
nearly a century. Many tourists
made the journey to watch the
Large, colorful
masks are part Dogon perform their ancient
of many Dogon
rituals. ceremonies. As part of the rituals,
the Dogon dance on stilts while

k: THE DOGON by Jacqueline Warner 23

 For the Dogon, life
centers around the
community.

natural sanctuary by the United

Nations Educational, Scientific,
and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO), making it a World
wearing large, colorful masks. of Bandiagara, or Land of the Heritage Site and attracting
Violence in the area makes it Dogon. The Dogon arrived there international attention.
near impossible for people to around the 14th century and The Dogon see the world
visit the area now. pushed out the Tellem. The in a unique way. Their world
The Dogon have escaped Tellem lived high in the caves doesn’t include shopping malls,
invaders by settling in an area and crevices of the cliffs, and the Internet, or electricity. They
that is difficult to reach. This area remnants of their dwellings are live a life based around their
is known by several names—the still visible. In 1989, the site was community, not based on the
Bandiagara Escarpment, the cliffs recognized as a cultural and individual. Villages are

24
constantly buzzing with laughter these elements in their elaborate the modern world when French
and song when work is being ceremonies. Every Dogon boy anthropologists visited the Dogon
done or an event is celebrated. dreams of the day he will get in the 1930s. They realized that
The harvesting of fields, to dance wearing the ancient the Dogon knew about Sirius B, a
smashing of onions, or grinding regalia, thereby becoming a dying star that most didn’t know
of millet is carried out happily man in his community. Their existed until 1862. But the Dogon
with song, thankful hearts, and traditional belief system shocked knew about this star, which is not
maybe a sacrificed chicken here visible to the naked eye.
and there. For thousands of years, the
The Dogon face a variety of Dogon have celebrated the
environmental issues such as a FAST arrival of the Nummo on Earth
limited and shared water supply, FACTS from Sirius B. They believe the
herds of domestic and wild Nummo are perfect beings, half
animals eating their crops, and » Dogon boys go to man and half fish, and bringers
live in community
even dangerous wildlife lurking bachelor quarters of knowledge and order to man.
between the ages of 8
nearby. The Dogon believe some and 10. They continue The Nummo live in the water on
come bearing a spiritual message to live there even Earth, but visit the land to teach
after they marry, until
or prediction of the future. A visit their first child is born. and guide mankind, much like
from the sacred pale fox is » Dogon girls live with the legendary tales of mermaids.
their parents until
anxiously awaited each night, their first baby is The Dogon are living examples
and only the village hogon born. The daughter of ancient history in the modern
leaves the baby with
(spiritual leader) can read its her parents to world. Despite forces that want to
messages in the sand. The Dogon compensate them for convert them, force them into
their loss of her, and
believe that their creator God then she moves with slavery, or kill them, they persist
her husband to a
Amma created the pale vacant house in his in their traditions. Protected by
fox by committing something family’s village. their geographical location and
disgraceful against Mother Earth. » Millet is an important World Heritage status, the Dogan
staple in the Dogon
Since the pale fox was the first diet. It is a fast are an ancient people with an
growing, small-seeded
being created with shame, it is cereal grass that is ancient knowledge and a chance
doomed to live a life alone but easily grown in the to continue living in an ancient
Dogon’s semiarid
with great spiritual insight and conditions. world.
prophecy to share with » The acridocarpus
monodii is an
the Dogon. endangered plant Jacqueline Warner is a historian,
The Dogon religion is very that can only be found genealogist, and freelance writer. She
on the Bandiagara
complex and connected to Escarpment. Its enjoys a daily life in the country while
nature, the stars, and their presence indicates to embracing her German Appalachian
the Dogon under-
ancestors. Their masks represent ground water sources culture with her family.
within the cliffs.

25
 by Barbara J. Tuttle

“Salt comes from the north, gold

from the south, but the word of God
and the treasures of wisdom are
only to be found in Timbuktu.”
—15th centuryy West African proverb

This European drawing depicts

Timbuktu in the 1800s.
26
E ver hear the
expression
“from here to
Timbuktu”? People use
the word “Timbuktu”
to mean a faraway,
remote, and possibly
mythical place. But
not only is it a real
city in the north of
Mali, it was once the
crossroads of the world.
Hundreds of years ago,
caravans passed through
Timbuktu, trading
gold, salt, and other
goods between the
Middle East and Morocco.
Timbuktu became a city
of wealth, not just in
material riches, but also
in learning and ideas. Alhousseini Ould Alfadrou, 16, sings verses from crumbling ancient Islamic manuscripts
in a house in Timbuktu.

Until recently, many people, handwriting) that discuss every of jihadis (jee-hah-dees), warriors
even some scholars, believed possible subject: astronomy, poetry, from a branch of Al Qaeda, the
that Africa had no written mathematics, medicine, botany, group responsible for the 9/11
language until the arrival of religion, law, politics, and history. attacks on New York City’s World
the European colonizers. But These manuscripts, which date Trade Center in 2001. They set
Timbuktu proves that to be back to the 1100s, are fragile and fire to 4,200 manuscripts they
false. While Europe was still in written on dried animal skins. The found. But thanks to a brave
the Middle Ages, the scholars of residents of Timbuktu guarded group of librarians and their
Timbuktu created hundreds of them in their homes for centuries. helpers, all the other manuscripts,
thousands of manuscripts in In 2012, their existence was 377,000 in total, were evacuated
beautiful calligraphy (decorative threatened by an invading group to safety.

27
7
 Timbuktu lies in a region Eventually, Timbuktu be stored properly. Many of them
called the Sahel, which means was conquered by Morocco were falling apart from water
“shore.” It’s a band of land along and occupied by other and termite damage.
the south border of the Sahara civilizations. Trade across He raised lots of money and
Desert, which people thought of Africa declined with the traveled throughout north Mali,
as a sea, a sea of sand. The Sahel European discovery of asking families if he could buy
is a crossroads of ethnic groups. America. Timbuktu faded their manuscripts. He placed
Because Timbuktu sat on the in population, wealth, and them in the newly built Ahmed
great trading route, scientists, importance and was forgotten. Baba Institute, named for a great
poets, philosophers, and But the treasured manuscripts Timbuktu scholar of the 1600s.
engineers gathered there to remained in the care of various In the 2000s, the world began
exchange and debate ideas. families. noticing Timbuktu again. This
Teachers and students met in Abdel Kader Haidara was because of the document
the mosques to learn and debate, comes from one of those collection, which had gained
and together these mosques families. His grandfather, a some fame, and because of the
became one of the world’s first well-known scholar, chose new international popularity
universities. Of the 100,000 Abdel to take care of all the of the music of the Sahel. The
people who lived in Timbuktu family’s manuscripts. But annual Festival in the Desert
in the 1600s, one-quarter were Abdel came to see that all drew musicians and fans from
students. Everyone could read, the manuscripts of Timbuktu around the world.
including women, children, should be collected and placed But when Al Qaeda overtook
and slaves. in a library where they would all of north Mali in 2012, they
enforced a rigid version of
Islamic law. Women had
to be completely veiled,
Fatama Bocar Sambala holds crumbling
ancient Islamic manuscripts. and no music was allowed
on the radio, only recitations
of the Quran, the holy book
of Islam. It was only a
matter of time before they
came to destroy the
manuscripts, which didn’t
fit with Al Qaeda’s idea
of Islam.
Haidara assembled a
network of librarians and
others they could trust.
Secretly, at night, careful
not to attract the attention
of the Islamic police who
patrolled the city, he and his
team brought hundreds of
 Brave citizens were able to
save 377,000 manuscripts
from destruction.

footlockers to sneak the manuscripts A worker looks

after some of the
out of the Institute. Then dozens of 20,000 preserved
ancient Islamic
volunteer drivers, passing through manuscripts,
which rest in air-
checkpoints manned by police and conditioned rooms
at the Ahmed
jihadis with assault rifles, making Baba Institute in
many dangerous trips back and Timbuktu.

forth, sneaked them out of north

Mali and south to safety in Bamako,
the capital.
Every single one of the 377,000
manuscripts made it through safely.
Eventually, the French army came
to help drive the jihadis out of Mali.
Now the manuscripts are digitized “For some people, when you say
on computers and catalogued so that
people around the world will always
‘Timbuktu’ it is like the end of
be able to see them. This drama also
the world. But this is not true. I
brought world attention to the fact am from Timbuktu, and I can tell
that hundreds of years ago, Timbuktu you we are right at the heart of
had a tradition of writing and the world.”
scholarship as rich as anywhere. —Ali Farka Touré, Malian musician

29
29
by Marcia Amidon Lusted

Mali’s Music:
A Universal Language

30
T he country of Mali and the U.S. state of
Mississippi are more than 5,000 miles
apart and very different from each other
in almost every way. But many people say that
music is a universal language, and in this case,
it’s true. Mississippi and Mali share a flavor of
blues music that connects their modern-day
musicians with ancient African musical traditions.
Fatoumata
Malian singer
How did these two places end up sharing a rms at the
Diawara perfo l in 2018.
a
musical language? Helsinki Festiv
Mali is a country with a long, rich musical
history. Music is such a big part of the culture
that in 2012, when Islamic extremist groups such as the ngoni (a lute), the
h bbafalon
f l ((a
tried to ban all music in the northern region percussion instrument like a xylophone), and
of the country, there were widespread protests. the kora (a string instrument much like a harp).
In some parts of the country, music became a The blues-like melodies of the traditional songs
nonviolent way to stand up to oppression. Mali’s of the jeli were carried with the Africans who were
stories and histories have usually been told forcibly taken from Mali and sold into slavery in
through storytelling and songs instead of written the United States. Music historians believe that
books. Professional speakers and musicians, called those melodies, as well as other African music
jeli (or griot in French), recited or sang stories and traditions, became the basis for American blues
histories from memory. Griots used instruments music. Other musical genres like jazz, rock and
roll, salsa, funk, and hip-hop would not have
existed without the influence of African music,
which enslaved people kept alive as part of their
heritage and which gradually filtered into new
styles of American music.
Jeli are still an important part of Mali’s musical
culture. They are sometimes accompanied by
instrumental ensembles, known as sumu and
sandiya. Sumu groups usually play at weddings,
while sandiya groups play at child-naming
ceremonies and events where the music does not
need to be amplified. Many of the tunes that are
part of the traditional repertoire for jeli or griot
singers are hundreds of years old. Some of these
traditional and well-known songs include
“Lamban” (a song that praises the songs of
A jeli is a professional the jeli), “Sunjata” (which tells the heroic tale
speaker and musician.
of the ruler Sunjata Keita), and “Bambougoudji”

31
 Malian musicians Habib
worth y Koité and Bassekou
What a note
Kouyaté perform at ‘the
ensemble.
Festival in the Desert.

Ali Farka Touré has

collaborated with
many rock musicians.

(about a 19th century prince from the Bamana for the annual musical gathering of musicians
kingdom in central Mali). Because these songs from Africa, called Festival in the Desert. Plant and
are so well known, they have become the basis a film crew documented his trip, which included
for improvising, just as jazz musicians often sitting around a campfire with Touré and singing
improvise on existing songs. These new versions American blues songs. Plant’s experience became
are being played by Mali musicians and have an eight-episode series on YouTube called Zirka.
become popular all over the world. He said of his time in Mali, “[It was] a journey that
Other types of modern Mali music also come from could only reinforce the power and the great gift of
the traditions of different groups within the country. music across and between cultures. . . sharing
In the north, the Tuareg and Songhai people have a outside of language.”
distinctive blues-rock style of music, while music from Many American blues artists are exploring
the Wassaulou in the south has a swinging feel to it. these common roots between Mali’s music and their
Some Malian vocal styles sound like rough blues, own. Jeli from Mali commonly perform with U.S.
while others almost sound like opera. Mali’s musicians singers such as Bonnie Raitt. American and Malian
have adopted some of the instruments of western musicians often jam together, creating great
rock, like guitars and keyboards, but still keep their improvisations on each other’s music. Since Malian
distinctive sound. There are also Malian rappers and music is usually accompanied by string instruments,
electronic music mixers. it fits well with American music that relies heavily
Many American musicians recognized early on on guitars. With the creation of the Afropop Worldwide
that there was a connection between the music roots radio show, which plays music from Africa and
of Mali and the blues and jazz of the United States. all over the world, many Mali musicians now have
Ry Cooder, an American musician who plays the an international following. There are now more
guitar and likes to collaborate with international musicians from Mali signed with U.S. record
musicians, teamed up with Ali Farka Touré, a companies than from any other country. Koite,
farmer and musician from Mali, to record an album a singer and guitarist from Mali, said, “African
called Talking Timbuktu in 1995. Several other singers musicians know a lot about American music. But
and bands collaborated to record an album called now it’s the other way around. They are beginning
Mali Music. In 2003, Robert Plant, a former singer to know a lot about us. Now we share. I think it can
for the rock group Led Zeppelin, traveled to Mali only be good.”
CROSSWORD

MALI
Answers to Mali Crossword on page 48

3 4

7 8

10

for ya?
Hot enough

ACROSS DOWN
2 scientist who studies reptiles and 1 active during the day
amphibians 3 a group traveling together
5 capital of Mali 4 group known for their elaborate
7 the richest man who ever lived (two words) masks
9 important river that runs through Mali 6 white gold
10 The Great Mosque in this city is the largest 8 desert that dominates northern Mali
adobe building in the world.
The Sahara is the
world’s largest
hot desert.

33
 c h e s t by Marcia Amidon Lusted

R i E v e r
h e h o
T an W Lived
M

This drawing
from 1375
shows Mansa
Musa sitting on
his throne.

34
J eff Bezos was the richest
man in the world
according to Forbes
acc
Magazinee in 2019. His fortune
was estimated
estim
mated to be $131 billion
it, that’s what all the accounts
are trying to communicate. This
is the richest guy anyone has
ever seen.” Mansa Musa I
(Mansa was the traditional
original empire and creating
one that was second in size only
to the Mongol Empire in Asia.
The territories under Musa’s
control included the Gold Coast
dollars. But
ut Bezos is not the
Bu Mali title meaning “king”) was of northwest Africa, which was
richest ma
man
an who ever lived. the ruler of the Mali Empire in on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea
That title belongs to someone West Africa from 1312 to 1337 and was an important source
who had more money than C.E. His territories were rich in of gold.
the top five
ve richest billionaires
fiv gold and copper, and he also Musa was Muslim, and he
on the For
Forbes’
rbes’ list combined! controlled the trade in salt and made the traditional Islamic
Most ec
economists
conomists can’t even ivory between the western and religious pilgrimage to Mecca in
describe in
n modern terms how northern territories of Africa, so 1324 CE. He stopped in the city
much mo
money
oney Mansa Musa had, it was easy for him to become of Cairo, Egypt, on his way. His
but it wass probably more than very wealthy. caravan was so impressive that
$400 billion
billiion in today’s money. Mansa Musa also had an even Egypt’s ruler, the Sultan
As history
y professor Rudolph army of 100,000 men, 10,000 al-Malik al-Nasir, was amazed.
Ware said,
d, “Imagine as much
W re said
Wa of them on horseback, so he Musa entered the city with tens of
gold as yo
you
ou think a human could easily acquire new territory, thousands of slaves, soldiers, and
being cou
could
uld possess and double doubling the size of Mali’s officials and a hundred camels.

M
Mansa Musa’s
pilgrimage
pi
to Mecca is
depicted in
de
this engraving
th
from 1670.
fr

35
 Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is
the holiest city in the
Islamic religion.

Written records state that each skin, a pleasant face and good that the value of gold bullion
camel carried 300 pounds of gold figure . . . His gifts amazed the actually crashed by 20 percent
dust, while 500 slaves each carried eye with their beauty and because there was too much of
a 6-pound golden staff. Soldiers splendor.” Musa was also it in circulation. It took 12 years
on horseback carried the red and remembered for how generous for the value of gold to recover.
gold banners of Mansa Musa. An he was during his trip to Cairo. Of course, Musa didn’t just
Arab historian of that time named He gave away so much gold, give money away during his trip.
Al-Makrizi described him: “He and his entourage spent even He also acquired the territory of
was a young man with a brown more gold in Cairo’s markets, Gao within the Songhai kingdom,
which extended his territory to
the southern edge of the Sahara
The Mali Empire spanned from the Atlantic Coast and Desert along the Niger River.
included parts of current-day Senegal, Mali, Gambia,
Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, and Mauritania. Ultimately, his empire spanned
several territories, including
current-day Senegal, Gambia,
Timbuktu
MALI EMPIRE
Djinguereber
Ni

Mosque in
ge

Timbuktu
rR
ive
r

36
Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, map of West Africa. It showed Mansa Musa died in 1337,
and Mauritania, in addition Mansa Musa sitting on a throne, when he was 57 years old. His
to Mali. And when Musa wearing an impressive gold sons inherited his empire, but
returned home, he built crown and holding a golden they could not hold it together. It
many mosques, including staff in one hand. His other hand crumbled as smaller states broke
the Djinguereber Mosque in held a huge nugget or orb of away. And despite Mansa Musa’s
Timbuktu. Although there was gold. This image inspired later indescribable wealth, as well as
no stone for construction and European explorers to travel to his support of scholarship, the
Mali’s buildings were usually Africa in search of gold, despite arts, and architecture, his
built using beaten earth (banco) the risk of disease, difficult reputation soon faded. Part of
reinforced with wood, they terrain, and the hostile groups this was due to the efforts of 19th
lasted for hundreds of years. that lived there. Until the 19th century slave traders, who did not
Musa made such an century, the city of Timbuktu want to present Africa as a place
impression in Egypt that news had the reputation of being a with a vivid literary and artistic
of him and his wealth spread mythical lost city of gold. Scottish culture. Even now, most people
quickly to Europe. Years after explorer Gordon Laing was the outside of West Africa have never
Musa’s death, a mapmaker in first European to find the city heard of Mansa Musa, the richest
Spain drew the first detailed in 1826. man who ever lived.

WHERE in the World?

is
Answer 8.
e 4
on pag

Do you know
where our friend
Globey is enjoying
his copy of FACES?
+HUHLVDKLQW7KLVVDQGGXQHQHDU*DRKDVDĠRZHU\QDPH
37
A CLOSER LOOK

set.
Sunrise, sun

The Niger River

The Niger River is the largest river in
West Africa. It begins in Guinea and
runs through three more countries:
Mali, Niger, and Nigeria.

The Niger is the third-longest river in

Africa. The Nile and the Congo are longer.

Because much of the surrounding land

is desert, the river is very important to
the countries it runs through. It provides
almost all the water used for farming in
the region. It is also an important source
RIğVKDQGK\GURHOHFWULFSRZHU

The name Niger may come from the

Tuareg phrase “gher n gheren,” which
means “river of all rivers.”

38
 The river has a very unusual
route. In the center, it makes
an almost 90-degree bend
south. Scientists have
discovered this turn is the
result of two ancient rivers
joining together.

Historically, the river was

the center of trade in West
Africa. The Mali Empire (circa
1235-1670 C.E.) used the
river as a main thoroughfare
for carrying its warriors and
merchants from city to city.

For people living in towns

along the Niger, it’s often the
only place they can wash their
clothes or pots and pans and
graze their animals.

The Niger River is also a source

of oil. Almost two million
barrels of oil are extracted a
day in the Niger Delta.

The river is home to many

animals. Hundreds of species of
birds, fish, and reptiles rely on
the river for food and shelter.
Hippopotamuses and crocodiles
are the largest animals that live
along its banks.

Both Nigeria and Niger take

their names from the river.

39
YOUR TURN

Marvelous Masks
The Dogon are known for their traditional masks. What
would a mask that represents you look like? Use the space
below to draw your mask.

Send your design to FACES Marvelous

Masks to Cricket Media, 70 E Lake Street
Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60601 or e-mail it to
[email protected] by April 16, 2020.
Your artwork could appear in an upcoming
issue of FACES.

40
Growing Up? We grow with you!

Save 25% off your subscription at Shop.CricketMedia.com/Try-Discount

41
retold by Pat Betteley | illustrated by Jesse Tise

MEE-AN AND THE

MAGIC SERPENT
A Play Based on a Folktale from Mali
 girl in the world, and she is looking for a husband

Characters: as perfect as she is.

Narrator 1
NARRATOR 2: A powerful serpent that lived in
Narrator 2
the termite hill heard their entire conversation.
Narrator 3
Mee-An: Beautiful but vain
SERPENT: A beautiful young girl looking for
young woman
the perfect husband? I will use my magic to
Assa: Mee-An’s younger sister
win her hand.
Mother: Mee-An and Assa’s mother
Oumar: Shepherd 1 NARRATOR 2: The serpent, disguised as a
Amadou: Shepherd 2 handsome young man, arrived in Mee-An’s
Serpent village during a celebration. Assa, as usual,
Balakononifin: Black Bird of was buzzing around as a fly. She inspected the
the River handsome stranger and made a beeline for home.

NARRATOR 1: Long ago, there lived a beautiful but

vain girl named Mee-An. She was looking for the
perfect husband without a single scratch or scar on
his body. She lived on the edge of the desert along
with her parents and younger sister, Assa. Suitors
came from far and wide to seek Mee-An’s hand in
marriage, but she rejected them all.

MOTHER: Be careful, daughter. Seeing a person is

not the same as knowing his character.

MEE-AN: Oh, Mother, stop worrying.

NARRATOR 1: Assa was magical and wiser than her

older sister. She turned herself into a fly and buzzed
around the marketplace, landing on people to find
a perfect man for her sister. Word of Mee-An’s
quest soon spread far and wide. In a village quite
far away, two shepherds sat and talked in the
shade of a giant termite hill.

OUMAR: Have you heard of the girl, Mee-An? She

thinks that no man is good enough for her.

AMADOU: Yes. They say she is the most beautiful

43
 ASSA: Mee-An, I have found the perfect man NARRATOR 1: The three walked for many
for you. Only, there is something odd about him. days before they reached their new home
He does not smell . . . human. —a hut on the other side of a great river
that could only be reached by boat. They
MEE-AN: No matter. Run back and invite him soon settled into a routine. Every day,
to our house for dinner while I get ready. Mee-An’s husband went to the river,
returning home with a great many fish
NARRATOR 3: That evening, the perfect young for dinner.
man came for dinner. As the sisters cooked, the
walls cracked and cooking pots fell and broke into MEE-AN: Let’s surprise my husband with
pieces. Birds sang wildly and the wind howled. some lunch on the river.

MOTHER: These are signs of evil. Beware, Mee-An. NARRATOR 1: The girls walked and walked,
until they heard a strange noise. They saw a
MEE-AN: Oh, Mother. Stop worrying. giant serpent in the middle of the river, singing.

NARRATOR 3: Mee-An and the magic serpent SERPENT: I fish all day for Assa and Mee-An.
were married the next month. They prepared To fatten them up is my master plan.
to move to their new home. Boiled with mangos and fresh river eel,
They will make a delicious meal!
MOTHER: Assa, according to tradition, you will go
with Mee-An and her new husband to act as the ASSA: (whispering) That serpent is your husband.
konyo-wuluni, the “little barking dog of the wedding.” And he is going to eat us!

44
NARRATOR 2: The terrified sisters crept away. They into the air. He swirled around the heron and the
knew they had to get home quickly. But how to girls in a funnel of ashes and dust, but he fell back
cross the great river? Just then, a shadow passed into the river, defeated. Ever since, serpents have
above their heads. It was Balakononifin, the lived in the water. Balakononifin kept flying,
black heron. straight back to the sisters’ family.

MEE-AN: (calling to the heron) Please help us cross ASSA: We are home! But look at your feathers.
this river. The snake will eat us if we do not escape. They are no longer black. The serpent’s dust
must have turned you white.
BALAKONONIFIN: I do not trust humans.
MEE-AN: Thank you for saving us. As we promised,
ASSA: If you take us home, we promise to give please accept our payment: a horse, a cow, a
you a horse, a cow, a donkey, and sheep for your donkey, and sheep.
troubles.
NARRATOR 2: The heron was very pleased
BALAKONONIFIN: Those are pretty words. That with his new friends. To this day, when you see
magic serpent has certainly caused me problems, animals grazing by an African river, you will
stealing all the fish from the river. Very well, get probably see a white bird sitting proudly on
on my back. their backs. As for Mee-An, she learned that
“seeing a person is not the same as knowing
NARRATOR 2: The girls scrambled up, and his character.” When she married again, she
Balakononifin took flight. Seeing his beautiful was able to love her husband in spite of his
dinner disappear, the snake launched himself scratches and scars.

45
ART CONNECTION by Brenda Breuls

Mali-inspired Terracotta Sculptures

A
rt can tell us a STEP 1˥0DNLQJWKH%DVLF6KDSHV
lot about ancient 6RIWHQWKHFOD\E\ZRUNLQJLWZLWK\RXUKDQGV<RXFDQUROOSLQFK
civilizations. Recent DQGSXOOWKHFOD\WRPDNHLWPDOOHDEOH7KHZDUPWKIURP\RXU
excavations have KDQGVPDNHVWKHFOD\PXFKHDVLHUWRZRUNZLWK%HJLQWRUROORXW
uncovered the history of Mali. WKHEDVLFVKDSHVIRUWKHğJXUH\RXLQWHQGWRPDNH7KH'MHQQH
6PDOOğJXUHVPDGHIURP )LJXUHVZHUHRIWHQVKDSHGIURPORQJVDXVDJHW\SHUROOV5ROORXW
terracotta were discovered in PRUHORJVIRUWKHDUPVDQGOHJV
WKHGHOWDRIWKH1LJHU5LYHU7KH\
DUHFDOOHGWKH'MHQQH)LJXUHV STEP 2˥3XWWLQJWKH6KDSHV7RJHWKHU
after the city that is near where Pinch a small amount of clay and add water to it to make a paste.
WKH\ZHUHIRXQG7KH\KDYH 7KLVLVFDOOHGVOLS8VHLWWRŃJOXHńWKHSLHFHVWRJHWKHU8VHWKH
helped historians uncover clues VOLSWRVPRRWKDQ\URXJKDUHDVRUFUDFNVWKDWPD\IRUP<RXFDQ
about what life was like so many DOVRXVHWRRWKSLFNVWRFRQQHFWODUJHUSLHFHV3XWDWRRWKSLFNLQ
WKRXVDQGVRI\HDUVDJR<RXFDQ EHWZHHQWKHWZRSDUWVDQGWKHQSXVKWKHPWRJHWKHUKLGLQJWKH
PDNH\RXURZQWHUUDFRWWDğJXUH WRRWKSLFNLQEHWZHHQ8VHWKHVOLSWRKLGHWKHVHDP

Materials:
$LUGU\LQJWHUUDFRWWDFOD\ DYDLODEOHDW
local craft or art supply stores)
Surface to work on such as tile, cardstock,
or parchment paper
&OD\ZRUNLQJWRROVRUKRXVHKROGLWHPV
IRUPDUNPDNLQJVXFKDVNQLYHVVSRRQV
forks, and toothpicks
Jar of water

46
STEP 3˥$GGLQJ'HWDLOV
The Djenne Figures are known for the
pattern of “buttons” and circles along
their spines and backs. They also have
patterns and details etched into the
FORWKLQJRUDUPRXURQWKHğJXUHV8VH
a toothpick or other tool to create
SDWWHUQVDQGGHVLJQVRQ\RXUğJXUH

STEP 4˥'U\LQJWKH&OD\
Once you have completed your Terracotta does not
project, set it aside to dry. You may deteriorate over
time, which is why
need to turn it over so that every part the Djenne Figures
have survived.
of it dries thoroughly. It could take
up to three days for it dry completely.
Sometimes an oven can speed up the
drying process. Just be careful to keep
it at the lowest heat setting. Be sure
to put any leftover clay in an airtight This Djenne Figure
features “buttons”
container, such as a resealable plastic along its spine.
bag, so that it does not dry out. Clay
that is exposed to air will dry out and
become unusable.

Once your project is complete, you

can paint it or leave it the natural
terracotta color. Be sure to display your
'MHQQHLQVSLUHGğJXUH

YOUR TURN: 0DNHD0DOLLQVSLUHG7HUUDFRWWD6FXOSWXUH

Have your parent or legal guardian send us a high-resolution image of your creation to
[email protected] by April 16, 2020. Be sure the email includes your name, age, and
address, and states that “Cricket Media may publish the image provided in Cricket’s magazines
and online, and that I am authorized to provide the image.”
All submissions become property of Cricket Media and will not be returned.

47
 SAY WHAT?
“Don’t forget
“Where’s my to wash behind
your ears!”
seventh swan- —Susanna H.
a-swimming?”
—Florence D.

“Say cheese!”
“Swim before —Asher
all the food runs
out!”
—Ethan A.

k: Land of Fairy Tales

January 2020 Denmar

Answer Page

ANSWER TO MYSTERY PHOTO

ON INSIDE FRONT COVER:
Sodium chloride is the chemical name for salt.

ANSWERS TO MALI CROSSWORD

ON PAGE 33:
ACROSS: 2. herpetologist; 5. Bamako;
7. Mansa Musa; 9. Niger; 10. Djenne.
DOWN: 1. diurnal; 3. caravan; 4. Dogon;
6. salt; 8. Sahara.

ANSWER TO WHERE IN THE WORLD

ON PAGE 37:
La Dune Rose is found near Gao.

PICTURE CREDITS:
Antti Sompinmäki/Shutterstock.com: inside front cover; Quick Shot/Shutterstock.com: 2-3, 24 (left); Julia Sanders/Shutterstock.com: 5; Stu Porter/Shutterstock.com: 6; Morgan Trimble/Alamy Stock Photo: 7; Akshay Dharmeliya/
Shutterstock.com: 8-9; visiostyle/Shutterstock.com: 8; Watch the World/Shutterstock.com: 9, 10-11, 14-15; SEUX Paule/Age Fotostock: 10 (top left); 3D generator/Shutterstock.com: 10 (center); Thomas Dutour/Shutterstock.
com: 10 (bottom), 11 (left); Marianoblanco/Shutterstock.com: 11 (top right); Riccardo Mayer/Shutterstock.com: 11 (right); Photo Win1/Shutterstock.com: 12-13; Joerg Boethling/Alamy Stock Photo: 12; James Michael Dorsey/
Shutterstock.com: 13; Bert de Ruiter/Alamy Stock Photo: 16 (top); Hemis/Alamy Stock Photo: 16 (bottom), 31 (bottom); Torsten Pursche/Shutterstock.com: 17 (top), 22-23, 24 (top); dbimages/Alamy Stock Photo: 17 (bottom);
Associated Press: 18-19, 27, 28, 29 (top), 29 (bottom); Sunny Whale/Shutterstock.com: 18-19; Ecaterina Sciuchina/Shutterstock.com: 20-21; Claudiovidri/Shutterstock.com: 24 (right), 38 (top), 39 (top), 39 (center); Everett
Historical/Shutterstock.com: 26; Irina Levitskaya/Shutterstock.com: 30; Aija Lehtonen/Shutterstock.com: 31 (top); Alice Mutasa/Alamy Stock Photo: 32 (left); Jonathan Larsen/Diadem Images/Alamy Stock Photo: 32 (right);
Emanuele Nocerino/Shutterstock.com: 33; incamerastock/Alamy Stock Photo: 34; janniwet/Shutterstock.com: 35, 36, 37 (border); Heritage Image Partnership Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo: 35, 47 (top); Sony Herdiana/Shutterstock.
com: 36 (bottom); Peter Hermes Furian/Shutterstock.com: 36 (bottom), 38 (bottom); Iwanami Photos/Shutterstock.com: 36 (bottom); Marco Destefanis/Shutterstock.com: 37 (bottom); mbrand85/Shutterstock.com: 39 (bottom);
Album/Alamy Stock Photo: 47 (bottom); Morten Ekstroem/Shutterstock.com: 48; Nataly Reinch/Shutterstock.com: 49. Cricket Media has made every effort to trace the copyrights of these images.
Fill in the speech bubble for
this photograph. Have your
parent or legal guardian send
your idea, with your name, to
[email protected] and
include a note that says “Your
caption is your original work
and FACES has permission to
LAST FACE

publish it in print and online.”

Please put the title of this
issue in the subject line. The
best entries will be published
in an upcoming issue!