Highlights from Weeks 2 and 3

Around Bamako

On May 10 we visited the national radio and TV stations. Five days later we had a mud cloth workshop with M.GOITA at the National Museum.

• More snapshots of the mud cloth workshop: 1 | 2.
  
  

We often find ourselves lunching at Les Cocotiers--here, Ryan, Abdias (Jeremy's host brother) and Jeremy, are shown.

Dogon Country

We made a trip to Dogon Country May 17-20. Some of the most compelling structures in this part of the country are the cliff dwellings where pygmies lived centuries ago before the Dogon people arrived.

On May 18 we hiked down the cliff from Djiguibombo to Kani Kombole. In the foreground of this group photo are Esther and Abel KONE who accompanied us on the trip. We stayed in Teli that night, (here, playing cards in our lodgings...) a village at the base of the cliff.

The next day we hiked back up the cliff from Kani Kombole to Djiguibombo. In the photo, Cindy, Andrea, Meg, Sylvia, Jonah, and Jesse are pictured with our Dogon guide Ouelogeme. While helping get a horse and cart across a stream Kate had hurt her foot and is shown here with footcare by Jonah, Kristen, Ryan and Hadley.

Here are some phrases from a group poem written on the way home in the bus:

Beyond Segou, Bamako awaits our return.

Our minds are full of vivid images of beautiful cliffs and plateaus, as well as the hospitality of many villagers and guides.

We have collected memories of a cliff, a roof, a storm, and a climb.

We have walked into the future by way of the ancient.

Sun, sand, sand, sand, sand, red earth, orange fruit...

Sweat dripping from the nape of my neck down my spine collecting momentum like the Niger after it rains...

But before we returned to Bamako, just as happened on the same Sunday back in Goshen, Indiana, USA....

Graduation

Our seniors, Kate, Annie, and Frenchye were honored at a graduation ceremony May 20 at the C&MA church in San. Each was dressed in an african graduation headress for the occasion. The programm included speeches by Abel KONE, local church leaders, and the graduates, several songs, handwritten diplomas, a blessing, and warm congratulations!