Mali - Bogolan Mud cloth Exhibition p3

The Maison des Jeunes (Youth Club) in Bamako is a popular meeting place for young people in the capital city of Mali. It also has a programme to assist young people, providing opportunities for education and development of income generating skills. The teaching of bogolan is one of the most popular programmes and a regular workshop is held in the garden of the Maison, under the shade of the mango trees. Kader Keita is one of the main teachers of bogolan. The following interviews are with one of the teachers and two of the young participants in the programme.

Often young people might come to the Maison at a transitional time in their lives, when they are going through difficulties or searching for the next step and looking for guidance in identifying a profession.

The bogolan workshops offer them a chance to develop a valuable skill and to meet other young people in a welcoming and supportive environment. The interviews reveal some of the problems facing young people in Mali (some of which may be universal, some specific to Mali), such as difficult family relationships, concerns over their future career, the lack of educational opportunities, including basic literacy for girls, and the increasing challenge of refugees fleeing from conflict.

Kadiatou Maiga – is 19 years old and a young mother

“ All professions are good – and it is good to learn bogolan. I chose bogolan because I like it. I have tried other skills, but I prefer bogolan. In the past I was a dancer, but I did not find it useful. I met someone who said come to Maison des Jeunes and learn bogolan. I have studied and learnt how to make bogolan over one year. Bogolan pieces are sold here and the Maison des Jeunes attracts people. In the future I will attend a school where I can learn to read and write and eventually enrol at the School of Fine Arts of Mali. ”

The Association des Femmes Veuves et Enfants Desherite de Sabalibougou, Bamako (Association of Widows and Orphans) The Association was set up by Madame N’Diaye Sikiliba as an organisation that provides support to women and young people to help them produce bogolan cloth for sale in the Association’s shop and local market. They have a building in traditional compound style, composed of workshop rooms and outside courtyard space for the various stages of the production of bogolan.

Rooms are devoted to weaving with looms, application of the designs, and sewing the finished cloth into garments or other articles. The external space is used for preparation of dyeing materials, dyeing and drying of the cloth in the sun. The Association meets the need for disadvantaged groups, such as widows and orphans, to form a group that will help them to develop their skills and market their products, in a country that is one of the poorest in Africa, with an annual GDP per capita of just US$280.

Adiara Boncoure and her colleagues

“ What is our inspiration? Designing with pochoir and stencil. Also drawing designs with brush – sometimes customised tooth brushes are used.

Each woman who produces the bogolan, sells the cloth and keeps a portion of the fee for herself and gives a portion to the Association. The families have benefited from the foundation of the Association. The atelier (workshop/studio) is always open 12 months a year. The products are sold in Segou, Bamako and its environs. A coverlet or large piece will take ten days to finish. The colours take time to apply and you always have to utilise the colours from the base, n’gallama, which allows the argil (river mud paste used in drawing the designs) and the other colours to fix on the textiles. N’gallama gives the yellow colour, n’pekou the red. The Association has one workshop for weaving, another for couture, and a third for production – the application of the argil to the cloth. ”

Boutique des Femmes, Sinignesigi in Segou, a Women’s Association.
The Boutique des Femmes is based in Segou, a major town situated about 150 miles to the north east of the capital, Bamako, and situated on the Niger River. Segou is renowned as a centre for the production of bogolan cloth. The Women’s Association is another example of the vulnerable in society banding together to pool their skills and talent, and sharing their small profit with other women who might not be able to produce bogolan any more, due to age or infirmity. There are 80 members of the Association and over 50 of these work on bogolan. The Association was created eight years ago.