Bandiagara
Encyclopedia
Bandiagara is a city in the Dogon region
of Mali
in Africa
. The name translates roughly to "large eating bowl"—referring to the communal bowl meals are served in.
Bandiagara is east south east of Mopti
, some 63 km east of the Sévaré
crossroads. It is home to several distinct, cohabiting ethnic group
s, the Fulas
, Dogons
, Bambaras, Malinké
. Administratively it is part of the Mopti Region
.
In 1864, Tidiani Tall
, El Hadj Umar Tall
's nephew and successor, chose Bandiagara as capital of the Toucouleur empire
.
It is also Malian author Amadou Hampâté Bâ
's place of birth.
Dogon people
The Dogon are an ethnic group living in the central plateau region of Mali, south of the Niger bend near the city of Bandiagara in the Mopti region. The population numbers between 400,000 and 800,000 The Dogon are best known for their religious traditions, their mask dances, wooden sculpture and...
of Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. The name translates roughly to "large eating bowl"—referring to the communal bowl meals are served in.
Bandiagara is east south east of Mopti
Mopti
Mopti is a city at the confluence of the Niger and the Bani in Mali, between Timbuktu and Ségou. The city lies on three islands linked by dykes: the New Town, the Old Town and Medina Coura. As a result it is sometimes known as the "Venice of Mali".-History:The city of Mopti derives its name from...
, some 63 km east of the Sévaré
Sévaré
Sévaré is a town in the Mopti Region of Mali. It is a crossroads town of about 40,000 situated about 10 km. southeast of Mopti and 10 km. south of Fatoma, the old capital of Kunaari...
crossroads. It is home to several distinct, cohabiting ethnic group
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
s, the Fulas
Fula people
Fula people or Fulani or Fulbe are an ethnic group spread over many countries, predominantly in West Africa, but found also in Central Africa and Sudanese North Africa...
, Dogons
Dogon people
The Dogon are an ethnic group living in the central plateau region of Mali, south of the Niger bend near the city of Bandiagara in the Mopti region. The population numbers between 400,000 and 800,000 The Dogon are best known for their religious traditions, their mask dances, wooden sculpture and...
, Bambaras, Malinké
Mandinka people
The Mandinka, Malinke are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million ....
. Administratively it is part of the Mopti Region
Mopti Region
Mopti is the fifth administrative region of Mali, covering 79,017 km². Its capital is the city of Mopti.-Geography:Mopti Region is bordered by Tombouctou Region to the north, Ségou Region to the southwest, and Burkina Faso to the southeast....
.
History
Bandiagara is said to have been founded in 1770 by Nangabanu Tembély, a Dogon hunter.In 1864, Tidiani Tall
Tidiani Tall
Tidiani Tall succeeded his uncle, El Hadj Umar Tall, as head of the Toucouleur Empire following Umar's 1864 death near Bandiagara....
, El Hadj Umar Tall
Umar Tall
El Hadj Umar ibn Sa'id Tall , , born in what is now actual Senegal was a West African political leader, Islamic scholar, and Toucouleur military commander who founded a brief empire encompassing much of what is now Guinea, Senegal, and Mali.-Name:Umar Tall's name is spelled variously: in...
's nephew and successor, chose Bandiagara as capital of the Toucouleur empire
Toucouleur Empire
The Toucouleur Empire was founded in the nineteenth century by El Hadj Umar Tall of the Toucouleur people, in part of present-day Mali....
.
It is also Malian author Amadou Hampâté Bâ
Amadou Hampâté Bâ
Amadou Hampâté Bâ was a Malian writer and ethnologist.-Biography:...
's place of birth.