Dogon villages Djiguibombo, Teli and Ende, Mali 7 Oct 07

Colourful Sunday market in Ende

We lunched in Ende at the restaurant of Abdullaye’s ‘little’ brother Aly. He was taller and also looked older than Abdullaye but they both swore he was the younger of the two. While we waited for our lunch, still sweltering ¬- even in the shade - a group of French people arrived. They turned out to be from an association of dispensers of medicine. They go to Mali periodically as volunteers to give medicine directly to the poor villagers. UNICEF ought to follow their example.

 
After our simple lunch of rice with a tasty gombo sauce, we took a short siesta on some rather uncomfortable bamboo chaises-longues and then headed for the Sunday market. This was without a doubt the most colourful market that we’d ever seen, thanks chiefly to the women’s clothes. They all looked so smart and Abdullaye confirmed that they wear their very best dresses to market. And all the products are carried to the market for several kilometres in the baking sun on top of the women’s heads.
 

The ‘Case à palabrer’ is a low shelter where the elders meet to discuss village affairs, no doubt while chewing on some kola nuts to keep the conversation flowing. The one in Ende had beautifully carved pillars by a local artist.

We knew before coming that there is a 900 meter airstrip at Bandiagara but, since we had to carry so much fuel to make it as far as Lomé (Togo), taking off from such a relatively short strip was marginal. We stopped at the strip on our way back from Ende to Bandiagara to find it occupied by cows and goats, bushes and large stones. As far as we can gather, the last person to use it was a Swiss friend of Jean Bastian who flew in with an ultra-light a few years ago. However, Jean Bastian says that, another time, he could have the runway cleared of stones and bushes if he were given advance notice of our arrival.