Kira Salak and Timbuktu

First, this article (this woman!)- amazing : http://www.kirasalak.com/Mali.html. The end, especially, but read the whole thing, there is no chance you'll regret it.

Second- Mali has been eventful, and I'll compile the events in about a week to post(there will probably be even more by then!). Would it be a ridiculously obvious statement to say that it's very different here than in Salone, than in Ghana, than in the Gambia? Perhaps, but I hadn't anticipated it to this degree, as w Africa is so often referred to as a whole. The Mali Empire, Ashanti Kingdom, Gold Coast &etc having overlapped so much historically, to consider differences across modern boundaries seems colonial. Maybe it is, but it's also real...definitely real.

Mali has not been exactly friendly to us so far. I could see it being described as a friendly place, as there are always scads of smiling people wanting to talk to us, but I don't consider it to fit my definition of friendly, because there is no interest in making connections, sharing humanity, being friends. Quite the opposite, in fact- the superficial mask of smiles covering the underlying desperation to separate me from my money makes the situation seem really menacing to me. The touts here are agrressive, they don't stop when I ask them to, and it scares me sometimes. This happens in Sierra Leone too- large men will try to block my path to force me to buy from them or whatnot, but there, the sophistication of the technique is undeveloped, so that I can raise an eyebrow and smile, or even scowl and say "make way!", and the fellow will grin, apoligise and move. Here, not so much- the tourist trade is developed, there are cartels in each town, and touts will phone each other to discuss in which direction we're walking, and what kind of interactions have taken place thus far. It's about extracting money from the tourists, in whatever way, at whatever reasonable cost (malleable definition of reasonable!). Whioh is fair enough- I blame myself for the interactions more than anything (if there is blame to be allotted, which is really a bit dramatic), as I loathe the idea of being a tourist- entering towns and villages for a day or two, taking a million photos and leaving nothing behind(except some empty water bottles)- and I should have remembered that in making these travel plans. I wouldn't logically expect the local reaction to us to be any different- I'd probably treat us just as disrespectfully were the tables turned. [let me amend and say that I'm generalizing, of course, and there have been some really kind, truly friendly people along the way- unfortunately their numbers are minuscule compared to the other.]

I've realized that I really do appreciate hiding behind my volunteer/NGO worker veil, letting it impart some legitimacy to my presence in Africa. I feel like a straight up asshole traveling around like this, I feel I'm being treated like one too, and I don't think I'll do it again (be a tourist in Africa, or maybe anywhere in the developing world, or maybe anywhere in the world). It feels harmful locally, nationally, regionally, as well as to me. But maybe it's just ego. I know the delineation between foreign worker and tourist is nebulous in the minds of many, but it's sharp and clear as day in my mind, and now in my experience.

But don't worry- we're safe, my mum is having a blast and couldn't care less about these things, which is a good counterbalance to me. I am having a positive time overall- I think it's obvious that in life, I can appreciate difficult experiences, and this one is teaching me a lot. I can't really complain, I realize- we're seeing amazing things, and despite my pooh-poohing the tourism, I recognize it is the sole option we have if we wish to see legendary places like Djenne, Dogon country & Timbuktu. So far, the perspective imparted by visiting these amazing sites- not just visually amazing, but emotionally, intellecturally, physically, envronmentally, spiritually heavy places- is worth all my western boohoo-ery. I'm lucky to be here, I'm appreciating it, but this does not make the emotional toll of being constant prey any less tiring. Mum is out today while I take a day off from Africa- am in a hotel with hot water and wifi, and damn well enjoying it.