The Gangsta Rented A Car: Generosity Overflows in Mali
MALI
Mali came on and off my list a few times. More keen to visit the out of bounds places, being forced to the confines of Bamako itself, I debated if journeying there was whimsical or sensical. Convinced after a quick convo with one of the most pivotal players that made this entire trip a reality (deep gratitude to the gem of a man that I didn’t even meet!), the globetrotter in me saw the silver lining that whatever was meant to be, I would see. Perhaps this psyche set the scene for what unfolded during this slightly longer than expected stay.
In truth, many of the city sites were basic, at best. After some personalized tours of a private hospital and iron factory, we also visited the Grand Mosque, where I was surprised to see heaps of trash being ‘temporarily stored’ at various entrance points.
Contrast this to the Great Mosque of Djenné. When you think of mudbrick buildings, this is the mother of them all – finished with the classic and unique toron, sticks of rodier palm, perpendicularly jutting out from the walls.
Had it not been for the geopolitics of the region (with yet another kidnapping the day before), it would have been way cool to have ventured there and to other outskirts where more of the sites and action exist.
Not to mention, being a part of the Crépissage mid-April where the annual community comes out (and competes!) to re-plaster the mosque, under the direction of senior masons. And while the mosque changes shape slightly throughout the year from the 1000 mm of rainfall, this practice of maintenance not only protects the structure, but also reinforces a sense of social cohesion, unity and community. Guess I’ll have to return to Mali just for that!
For now, I was permitted to tour the local artisan market in the city centre.
Here in addition to the usual fare, skulls and skeletons of status quo and strange species were on sale for those who wished to bury them in their yard, in exchange for hopes of a happy home. Possibly a haven for veterinarians, I tried to make sense of what the exchange rates would be.
Did it mean there was less prosperity expected if a smaller animal frame was purchased versus the bones of a bigger beast? We asked several store owners, but the jury was out.
One of the coolest things about this trip was constantly being adopted. Similar to the sentiments in Senegal, the people of Mali seem to walk the walk in how they hold their relations.
Through a contact’s contact, we met the manager of yet another rapper. In my life, I’ve never seen a man who can pull off camouflage pants and a fisher man’s hat while sporting a red fanny pack as if it were his necklace – and look that gangsta. With only a few hours' notice of our arrival, did Gangsta rally up a buddy named Cidee, who was brought along because of the Gangta’s inability to drive. Instantaneously, they assumed the role of ‘our tour guide’.
After a rooftop late night dinner, they escorted us to the National Park of Mali (and zoo), a site I was particularly keen to see.
Under a public-private-partnership, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture was tasked to focus on 103 hectares between the National Museum and the Presidential Palace Complex, landscaping a semi-circular canyon of protected forest beneath the Koulouba plateau.
That would have been my affair with Mali. However, through a series of situations, I found myself back at uncertainty, not knowing when I’d leave Bamako and where I'd go next. From covid “policies”, boat men who semi stranded us on an island, police looking to pad their pockets and visa sagas, it was a sheer fiasco in trying to fly out.
What is it about rules and regulations that make them protective versus ones that are self-serving? I wondered about migration and movement and the immense privileges I have, particularly armed with that dark blue Canadian passport.
Regardless, at that moment, border crossing red tape and logistical hoops to board planes meant that I was to meander more in Mali, like it or not.
And in a drop of a hat, Gangsta was back! While the circumstances created some turbulence in logistics, his affection and reception was eager to welcome us (back).
Could I genuinely see me extending this kind of loving hospitality? In spite of the language barrier and other obvious differences, we were quick to bond. But even before that was fully forged, he spent his time and attention on me, something that can be difficult to safeguard with friends well known - even when dates and deets are calendarized with ample runway.
Truth be told, it was because of him that we saw the cooler sites of the city. No one else mentioned Le Campenment as a place to check out, yet given the paucity of places, it’s definitely a highlight. There we enjoyed the rustic yet somewhat manicured mount, each with levels of pools and lounge chairs that offered differing vantage points over Bamako.
Amidst a wedding photo shoot, heart to heart convos, a walk chasing the setting sun and a dinner of cow hearts, we sipped fresh mbuyu and bisap juices as we lazed away the day (… before playing games and dancing the night away at a private pool side party!)
As we re-attempted to leave Mali again, we made an ambitious plan to squeeze in one more off-the-beaten-path recommendation. Marketed like a resort type place (and residence of a former rapper), Djata Land may have seen some swank eons ago, today though it seemed to be waiting to welcome someone, anyone, even tumbleweed.
Yet again, Bamako was less about the place and more about us coming together one last time to sit, swig sodas and play games under the trees while feeling the breeze. All the straight up simple stuff life offers us when we're ready to sip or slurp it up.
While I left Mali with literally only minutes to spare (before the flight gate was closed yet again), it wasn’t till the tail end of our stay that I realized the magnitude of a stranger’s hospitality.
In a sideways convo, I learned that in order to host and tour us over the past few days, the Gangsta rented a car! I was floored - who else would do this in these circumstances, would even I? #OneHumanity #OneLove. Talk about going the extra mile…
May we have many memorable moments where we give and receive that extra mile (and smile),