Bandiagara

Bandiagara
Commune and town
Bandiagara

Location in Mali

Coordinates: 14°21′0″N 3°36′40″W / 14.35000°N 3.61111°W / 14.35000; -3.61111Coordinates: 14°21′0″N 3°36′40″W / 14.35000°N 3.61111°W / 14.35000; -3.61111
Country  Mali
Region Mopti Region
Cercle Bandiagara Cercle
Elevation 392 m (1,286 ft)
Population (2009 census)[1]
  Total 25,564
Time zone GMT (UTC+0)

Bandiagara (French pronunciation: [bɑ̃djaɡaʁa]) is a small town and urban commune in the Mopti Region of Mali. The name translates roughly to "large eating bowl"—referring to the communal bowl meals are served in.

Bandiagara is 65 km east-southeast of Mopti. A seasonal river, the Yamé, flows in a northeasterly direction through the town. The population includes a number of different ethnic groups including Dogons, Fulani and Bambaras.[2]

History

Bandiagara is said to have been founded in 1770 by Nangabanu Tembély, a Dogon hunter.

In 1864, Tidiani Tall, El Hadj Umar Tall's nephew and successor, chose Bandiagara as capital of the Toucouleur empire.

It is the birthplace of Malian authors Amadou Hampâté Bâ and Yambo Ouologuem.

In the music video for the song Reset by Three Trapped Tigers it is shown as the location of an alien rune.

See also

References

  1. Resultats Provisoires RGPH 2009 (Région de Mopti) (PDF) (in French), République de Mali: Institut National de la Statistique.


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