Kita, Mali
Encyclopedia
Kita is a town and commune in western Mali
. It lies on the eastern slope of Mount Kita
(Bambara: "Kita-kuru"), known for its cave
s and rock paintings. Today, the city is known for its music
, its annual Roman Catholic pilgrimage and its role as a processing center for the surrounding cotton
- and peanut
-growing region. Kita lies on the Dakar-Niger Railway
and it the largest transit hub between Bamako
(112 miles) and Kayes
(205 miles).
In November 1955, Kita became a commune of average exercise. On March 2, 1966, Kita became a commune of full exercise. The town grew in the 1990s around the cotton
industry, but this has since declined.
A fictionalized version of Kita features as the setting for Malian author Massa Makan Diabaté
's "Kouta Trilogy" (Le lieutenant de Kouta
, Le coiffeur de Kouta, and Le boucher de Kouta).
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...
. It lies on the eastern slope of Mount Kita
Mount Kita
is the second tallest mountain in Japan, after Mount Fuji, and is known as "the Leader of the Southern Alps". It is included in the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains. It is situated in the city of Minami-Alps, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan...
(Bambara: "Kita-kuru"), known for its cave
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
s and rock paintings. Today, the city is known for its music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, its annual Roman Catholic pilgrimage and its role as a processing center for the surrounding cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
- and peanut
Peanut
The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
-growing region. Kita lies on the Dakar-Niger Railway
Dakar-Niger Railway
The Dakar–Niger Railway connects Dakar, to Koulikoro, . It serves many cities in Senegal and Mali...
and it the largest transit hub between Bamako
Bamako
Bamako is the capital of Mali and its largest city with a population of 1.8 million . Currently, it is estimated to be the fastest growing city in Africa and sixth fastest in the world...
(112 miles) and Kayes
Kayes
Kayes is a city in western Mali on the Sénégal River, with a population of roughly 100,000 people. Kayes is the capital of the administrative region of the same name. The name "Kayes" comes from the Soninké word "karré", which describes a low humid place that floods in rainy season...
(205 miles).
In November 1955, Kita became a commune of average exercise. On March 2, 1966, Kita became a commune of full exercise. The town grew in the 1990s around the cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
industry, but this has since declined.
A fictionalized version of Kita features as the setting for Malian author Massa Makan Diabaté
Massa Makan Diabaté
Massa Makan Diabaté was a Malian historian, author, and playwright.-Biography:Born in 1938 in Kita, Massa Makan Diabaté was the descendant of a long line of West African poets ....
's "Kouta Trilogy" (Le lieutenant de Kouta
Le lieutenant de Kouta
Le lieutenant de Kouta is a 1979 novel by prize-winning Malian author Massa Makan Diabaté. Loosely based on the author's hometown of Kita, Mali, the novel tells the story of a recently-returned lieutenant from the French Colonial Army, Siriman Keita, and his struggle to adjust to his village's...
, Le coiffeur de Kouta, and Le boucher de Kouta).
Notable residents
- Cheick Hamala DiabateCheick Hamala DiabatéCheick Hamala Diabate is a musician from Mali, West Africa who has been nominated for a Grammy award. Using Adelphi, Maryland as his home he travels all over the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. He has performed at the Kennedy Center, the United States Senate, and the Smithsonian...
, GriotGriotA griot or jeli is a West African storyteller. The griot delivers history as a poet, praise singer, and wandering musician. The griot is a repository of oral tradition. As such, they are sometimes also called bards...
and AfropopAfropopAfropop or Afro-pop may refer to:*African popular music*Afropop Worldwide, a weekly radio program from Public Radio International...
musician - Kandia KouyatéKandia KouyatéKandia Kouyaté is a Malian jelimuso and kora player; she has earned the prestigious title of ngara, and is sometimes appellated La dangereuse and La grande vedette malienne...
, musician - Massa Makan DiabatéMassa Makan DiabatéMassa Makan Diabaté was a Malian historian, author, and playwright.-Biography:Born in 1938 in Kita, Massa Makan Diabaté was the descendant of a long line of West African poets ....