What does Mali look like?

The geography and shape of a nation constantly changes as the nation grows bigger or sometimes as a nation gets divided. When one nation grows bigger, that means another one grows smaller. This type of change refers to the political boundary of a nation and then depending on where those boundaries stop, determines what type of geography a nation has.

          When the country of Mali first started, it was actually called the French Sudan, and the northern border was the Sahara desert (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/360071/Mali/279103/French-West-Africa). The northern border is still the Sahara desert, but as the desert expands a few inches each year, the country of Mali is slowly expanding as the political border moves with the geographical border. “In 1904 the Kayes-Bamako portion of the Ocean- Niger railroad, linking coastal Dakar with the Niger River, was completed. Bamako became the colony’s capital, doubling in size from 1902 to 1912 and continuing to rapidly grow thereafter” (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/360071/Mali/279103/French-West-Africa). Mali gained some major land and cities in the early 1900s which increased the size of the country, and made the country increase not only in land size, but also in population. The population of modern Mali is 16,456,000 people (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/360071/Mali/279103/French-West-Africa). In January 1959, Senegal and the Sudanese Republic joined together to make one nation called the Mali Federation. However, that did not last long because of political differences and therefore the Senegal split from the Mali Federation in August 1960. The Republic of Mali was born in September of that same year when the Mali Federation declared its independence and became its own solidified country (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/360071/Mali/279103/French-West-Africa).

          All countries have geographical and political boundaries most of which change throughout a countries history. A country also tends to go through several name changes before settling on its official title and that was the case with Mali. Mali is a wonderful country with amazing borders that contain amazing histories and stories behind them.

References

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/360071/Mali/279103/French-West-Africa

http://www.maphill.com/mali/maps/satellite-map/

http://www.turkey-visit.com/mali-map.asp

Who has witnessed?

          Mali has had a history of missionaries come through the country, however most of the missionaries have either been Muslim, or if they were Christian, they did not associate well with the people of Mali and were distant from the Malian people. Islamic missions is a major part of their religion just like it is in Christianity, and from the looks of the religious make up of Mali, the Islam community is doing a tremendously better job in Mali than the Christians are. According to the Alliance organization, “less than 1 percent of the Malian people follow Jesus” (http://www.cmalliance.org/field/mali) This is a very sad number and should be disturbing to Christians and should break our hearts that so many people in the country of Mali are lost and going to hell. However, there are some Christian missionaries in Mali that are spreading the gospel, but they are being met with adversity and hostility.

          One missionary family that my home church supports is the Beckley family. I had the privilege to meet them over Christmas when they were in America on furlough. Ken and Sarah Beckley are the parents and they have four sons, Marc, Andrew, Benjamin, and Stephen. They have been missionaries in Mali for many years, but because of threats to their family from some Islamic radical groups, they moved to the nearby country of Benin. The church that they had started in Mali is still active and meets in secret to keep the members safe. The Islamic community does not like Christian coming into Mali because that causes people to turn away from their religion and it is starting to threaten the control that Islam has in the country of Mali. It was incredible to talk to this family and see how much peace they had about living over there and how even though their lives are in danger quite often, they are trusting God to keep them safe and they have no fear. Pray for the Beckley family as they continue to live in Benin, but are hopeful to go back into Mali soon to continue their work in the wonderful country of Mali.

References

http://www.cmalliance.org/field/mali

http://thefountainoffaith.blogspot.com/2012/06/meet-our-fbm-missionaries-ken-sarah.html 

Who came to Visit?

          Mali has had some interesting but amazing encounters with Asians and Europeans throughout the country’s history. The one major event that impacted Mali the most involved the city of Timbuktu.

          "Founded as a place for the nomadic people in West Africa to have a place to call home, the city of Timbuktu was founded in 1100 CE." (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/596022/Timbuktu)  The placement of this city is the perfect place for a city that would become one of Mali’s and in fact one of Africa’s most prominent trading centers. Timbuktu is located at the meeting of the desert and a form of water which makes it ideal for transportation as well as for people dwelling. However, Timbuktu was not a part of the Mali Empire until the 14^th century, but when it did, it was a flourishing trade center for gold and salt and it boosted the economy of the Mali Empire in a huge way. Once Timbuktu joined the Mali Empire, Islam was brought to the city of Timbuktu and it became one of the Islamic centers in Africa.

          "European explorers first reached the city of Timbuktu in 1826 when Gordon Laing from Scotland arrived but he died shortly after from illness. In 1828, disguised as an Arab but really from France, Rene-Auguste Caillie arrived in Timbuktu and stayed for 2 weeks before returning to France with a report on what he found. Then in 1853, after traveling 5 years across Africa, a German geographer named Heinrich Barth reached the city of Timbuktu and actually published a chronicle of his travels including the city of Timbuktu. The city was then in 1894 captured by the French who then restored the city back to its glory days except never put in a railway or road connecting it to any other city. Then in 1960, Timbuktu became part of the Republic of Mali." (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/596022/Timbuktu) (citation applies to the whole paragraph)

References

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/596022/Timbuktu

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAYQjB0&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpulitzercenter.org%2Freporting%2Ftimbuktu-al-qaeda-mali-libya-tuareg-Qaddafi-mercenaries-obama-arab-spring-economy-tourism-terrorism&ei=qjQvVcko9v6wBOzOgZgM&bvm=bv.91071109,d.cWc&psig=AFQjCNGZsm8C0drSXKgdSrGUhse1ytzsAg&ust=1429243403281844

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAYQjB0&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.destinationspoint.com%2Ftimbuktu-mali%2F&ei=RTUvVe6MCuXZsATCnIHAAw&bvm=bv.91071109,d.cWc&psig=AFQjCNGZsm8C0drSXKgdSrGUhse1ytzsAg&ust=1429243403281844

What are Mali's Natural Resources?

Mali’s natural resources have not changed much over the years, but they are different in different regions of the country. In the northern part of the country where the climate is dry the main resource is pastoralism of cattle, goats, sheep and camels. In the south where the climate is wetter, crops are the main resource. The two types of crops that are grown today are food crops and cash crops. The food crops that are grown are millet, sorghum, corn, rice, cassava, and yams. The cash crops that they have are cotton, rice, peanuts, tobacco, and kola nuts. Agricultural products are traded between the north and the south of the country.

The wealth and prosperity of Mali was based on the trans-Sahara trade route. The most common and profitable products that Mali sold and traded on the trade route were gold and salt. Gold was first mined along the Senegal River and then the Niger River. Gold is still mined today and is still a major resource in Mali. Salt was mined in the Sahara and can still be found in the market in Timbuktu, Mopti, and other Niger towns. Other products that were traded on trans-Sahara trade route were iron, copper, cloth, books, pearls, ivory, leather, rubber, and even human slaves.

Salt and gold dust were used as currency and after the fourteenth century, cowrie shells were also introduced into the currency. Mali is one of the world’s poorest countries. Today, products in Mali only sell for a minimum price, and therefore farmers and other sellers are growing just enough products and selling just enough to get by and survive on. Fishing has become a growing industry that has become profitable in Mali. Fishing as well as new gold mining operations give new hope to the Malian people that they can still find economic growth and prosperity.

Resources

http://mali.pwnet.org/geography/geography_resources.htm

https://www.google.com/search?q=gold+in+mali+africa&biw=1366&bih=643&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=eDgnVbTfMMLFsAWhvYDICA&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#tbm=isch&q=fishing+in+mali+africa&imgrc=0huYDql24LUC1M%253A%3B_oo7dhu6rtBxlM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.travel-pictures-gallery.com%252Fimages%252Fmali%252Fniger%252Fniger-0033.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.travel-pictures-gallery.com%252Fmali%252Fniger%252Fniger-0033.html%3B720%3B482

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAYQjB0&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sabc.co.za%2Fnews%2Ftag%2FAfrica&ei=UDonVcu_Baa1sQSho4GQBA&bvm=bv.90491159,d.b2w&psig=AFQjCNEx0M3vpJD5IwVlny66REROSz2mWQ&ust=1428720576431956

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAYQjB0&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FAzalai&ei=iDonVeWFPOffsASt5oHYBw&bvm=bv.90491159,d.b2w&psig=AFQjCNHUF66wyN4Q4F4YLT4VRZh01TrJYw&ust=1428720646490438

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAYQjB0&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffloweroflife.hubpages.com%2Fhub%2FThe-Rise-of-West-African-Empires&ei=rTonVaPGDLeZsQThkYDYBQ&bvm=bv.90491159,d.b2w&psig=AFQjCNHUF66wyN4Q4F4YLT4VRZh01TrJYw&ust=1428720646490438

What Do They Believe?

The religion of Mali has stayed pretty much the same, but has just become more defined over the years. Mali’s religion is often referred to as a type of animistic religion because they believe in more than one god. Traditionally, many ethnic groups on the western part of Africa believed in the “spirits of the land”. These spirits were believed to help make their crops grow faster and more plentiful. These spirits had been arranged by ancestors, and therefore connected with deceased loved ones is essential in the Malian culture. The Mansa, or village head/chief, had the closest connection with the spirits. Today, only those who live in rural area still hold to these beliefs and honor the spirits and deceased loved ones.

During the trans-Sahara trade in the thirteenth century, Islam made its way into Mali and it has now become the dominate religion of the country. Sundjata, the founder of the Mali Empire, was not Muslim, but most of the rulers that followed after him were Muslim and that is how is became the religion of the entire country.

In 1324, Mansa Musa, who was a grandson of one of Sundjata’s sisters, was Muslim. He rode over 3,000 miles across the desert to Mecca as part of his Muslim faith. He had with him over 60,000 people including his wife.

Islam has since become a huge part of Malian culture. Two huge Muslim universities were founded in Mali: one in Timbuktu and the other in Djenne. Islam has become the religion of every king, chief, trader, and most townspeople. Although the traditional beliefs of the Malian people were not rejected at first; Islam came and was a religion that worked alongside their spiritual beliefs. Through going on the hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) that is major part of the Islamic religion, the people in Mail gained assess and exposure to geography, literature, history, mathematics, astronomy, science, and medicine. These all enriched the life and culture of the Malian people.

Mosque of Djenne

References

http://mali.pwnet.org/history/history_religion.htm