Festival on the Niger (Festival sur le Niger)
Image Source: Festival sur le Niger. Photos ©Manfred Schweda; ©Lydia Martin; and Sen en Soi
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| Country and Region | Mali — Ségou |
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| Type of Festival | Dance, Music |
| Location of Festival | Ségou, Ségou, Mali |
| Festival Address Information | Festival sur le Niger |
| Festival Description | Segou, offers you a unique spectacle, with music and dance from the region, as well as well-known West-African artists. Many of Mali’s most renowned musicians have contributed, as well, including Habib Koité, Amadou et Mariam, and Djenaba Seck. Traditional music, expositions, tales and legends, workshops and a craft faire. The Festival on the Niger takes the celebrated river as its theme, basing its many forums and presentations on “the many functions of the Niger River.” The Festival also encourages the linking of participants to the audience—one of the ways in which it accomplishes this is by accomodating performers in local people’s homes. The theme of the 2008 festival is “Ségou, city of architecture”. The three-day multidisciplinary festival is a crossroads for art and people by opening up its rich cultural heritage to the world. The program includes a forum on local knowledge and development; art exhibitions; exhibitions of regional traditions in music, dance, masks, puppets, hunter shows, boat races and more…; tales and legends from Mali; crafts and agricultrual fair; workshops organized by local craftsmen; and concerts with well-known musicians from Mali and West Africa. |
| Festival Dates | January 31 - February 3, 2008 |
| Festival Links |
Festival Events:
Festival on the Niger Program 2008:
- Dates—Thursday, January 31 until Sunday, February 3, 2008 in Segou, Mali
- Theme—”Segou, city of architecture”
- Rich with history and open to the world, Ségou, a region of culture, will become the scene of a multidisciplinary festival where art and people meet each other during four days. After the very successful festivals of 2005, 2006 and 2007, the Festival on the Niger opens Segous’ doors once again and offers you a unique spectacle on the river and its banks.
- FORUM—”Local Knowledge, the Engine of Development”
Examination of these two concepts comes within the prospect for a new approach to “development” which breaks with the traditional approach based on transfer of technology. Of course, the concept of development is a relative one; nothing indicates that Paleolithic mankind felt less happy than their 21st century counterparts. Local knowledge is defined by systems of knowledge specific to each culture or society. How then can this local knowledge be a factor of development? That’s the central question of the forum which will take place on Thursday, January 31, in the city hall of Segou. - TRADITIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS—”Ségou receives Koulikoro”
Traditional troupes will reveal to you the great cultural richness of our ancestral rites; this is a unique opportunity to discover these ceremonies which tend to be forgotten and which the festival gives a new space for expression. This year the invited region is Koulikoro. Music, dances, masks and puppets, tales and legends of Mali, hunter shows, boat races… - ART EXHIBITIONS—”the Earth”
—An international meeting of West African and Mexican artists in the “Korè” gallery at the quay of arts;
—A national meeting of Malian artists at the “Malick” center;
—A photo exhibition of the revival of red earth architecture at the city hall of Segou;
—An exhibition of the famous Malian sculptor, Amahiguiré Dolo, in his new exhibition center “Anemy Sculpture”;
—An exhibition in the Ndomo center: “16 years of experience in creating, training and inserting young people in bogolan making” - CRAFT AND AGRICULTURAL FAIR where the imagination and creativity of the country’s craftsmen and farmers will meet.
- CONCERTS ON THE RIVER with Salif Keita, Abdoulaye Diabaté, Cheick Tidiane Seck, Mangala Camara, Madina Ndiaye, Super Biton de Ségou, Bassékou Kouyaté, Nainy Diabaté, Afel Bocoum, Alou Sangaré, Yoro Diallo, Tribu (from Mexico), and Espoirs de Coronthie (from Guinée)
- FORUM—”Local Knowledge, the Engine of Development”
- For additional information visit http://www.festivalsegou.org, or contact info@festivalsegou.org
Other Sources:
Forum:
- Festival on the Niger discussion forum. Please visit
http://www.festivalsegou.org/forumen.htm#
Newsletters:
- June 2007 Newsletter
http://www.festivalsegou.org/newsletter.htm
Practical Info:
Participant information:
- Sleeping accommodations are available in Ségou, during the Festival sur le Niger.
- All the necessary information can be found on
http://www.festivalsegou.org/accomodation.htm
Discounted airfare (possibility) 2007:
- Airfare from USA to Bamako, Mali for the Festival on the Niger, may possibly be discounted if your group has at least 7 individuals.
- Contact Cathie Roberson
Email: Divemaid@aol.com
Ticket Prices:
- All days pass €100
Friday €50
Saturday €50
Sunday €10 - FCFA All days pass 65,000
Friday 32,500
Saturday 32,500
Sunday 6,500 - Special tariff for Malinans FCFA
All days pass 6,000
Friday 3,000
Saturday 3,000
Sunday 1,500 - Special tariff for children under 13 years no charge
- For more information online http://www.festivalsegou.org/tariff.htm
Start or join a conversation about this festival in the Forum.
