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Segou, Festival sur le Niger. 3rd day.

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Thursday, February 04 2006

1 year, 6 month, 13 days

Segou, Mali

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About.

Manfred is creator of ThisFabTrek.com, photography and journey, a travel blog (since 2004).

I try to understand, report and photograph, enjoy, live and inhale different conceptions of life (all that TV [and the web] cannot give). I reject jealousy, animosity, bigotry. Be free!

Manfred in the desert of the Western Sahara

The mind, when pondering at night had always asked those questions. What am I doing in corporate wonderland of bank, university, office or church? Who is the other animal asleep inside, the thinker, punk, creative, or Indian, vagabond and healer, maybe artist, writer, photographer and traveler? Oh God, dare you to think. So when seeing the lies, gambles and manipulations I followed my old dream and set out for the real journey, the one that is call life lived.

Many years later having lived that life on the road and taken the turns as they have come along, I have realized one thing: Only such a small part of the planet can ever be explored and such a vast land and sea mass will always remain unknown; many swamps, jungles, deserts and oceans I will never travel. I am father of twin boys, Daniel and David, my most important. ThisFabTrek is ongoing. Photography and Journey, Stories from the Road and Life around the World, Love and Peace.

Current vehicle.

G20, Gladiator.

Chevrolet Gladiator G20, Christina in Southern California.
Current Journey, Americas.

Every truck needs a lady. The G20, the vehicle that came to me for the Americas adventures.

6 wheeled Land Rover.

Land Rover Defender 6x6
Link to Foley

The vehicle of the Africa adventures, a Foley 6-Wheeled Land Rover Defender.

Before, the MB307.

Manfred and MB307
Journey, Middle East.

The vehicle of the Middle-East and North-Cape Journies. See all vehicles.

Daniel and David with nanny Aisha, the best we ever had, black African Woman carrying white twin babies, in Bamako, Mali.

Land Rover 45,508km

Trekking 305km

Ferry 694km

Train 150km

Other cars 5.336km

Journey Journal.

contains Festival/Art photography.

"What matters in life is not what happens to you but what you remember and how you remember it, to tell the tale." Living to Tell the Tale - Gabriel García Márquez.

"They never taught wandering in any school I attended. ... they never taught the art of writing a book, either. It's all so mysterious."
"Wandering is an art in itself. Wandering and writing don't mix"
"Writing demands commitment and if one thing your wanderer is allergic to is that very quality of commitment, for once one is committed he runs that very risk of failure ..." Wanderer - Sterling Hayden.

"Photography enables you to grasp a place first time round. ... Photography is a means of exploration, it's a vital part of travel, almost as essential as a car or a plane. " - Wim Wenders.

"The worst prejudice we acquire during our youth is the idea that life is serious. Children have the right instincts: they know that life is not serious, and treat it as a game..." , Egon Friedell.

"How far you gonna go. Before you lose your way back home" - Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World, Achtung Baby, U2.

"If you want to be a hero well just follow me." - Working Class Hero, John Lennon.

"When I think of all the things I have done, I know that it's only just begun." - I love you, Lou Reed.

"One does not escape the Sahara - the Sahara let's you go or not" - Touareg.

"Planet earth is blue and there`s nothing I can do" - This is Ground Control to Major Tom, David Bowie.

"Glory for the crazy people/in this stupid world" - Ahmed Fouad Negm.

www.thisfabtrek.com > journey > africa > mali > 20060204-segou

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Bassékou Kouyaté and Amy Sacko

I saw him in Essakane ... In Segou he brings his beautiful talented wife Amy Sacko. The band is called Samagéra.

PS 2006/09, I actually think Amy Sacko was on in Essakane as well.

Bassékou Kouyaté (myspace) is the master of the ngoni/n'goni. And he has played it since he was a boy. "It was a toy for the children". Already his father was one of the best players around. Bassékou is passionate about promoting his mysthical instrument. And he's played it with stars like Carlos Santana ... But read it all on mali-music.

There is an interview with Amy Sacko in French on Malikounda.

Amy Sacko.
Bassékou's beautiful wife.
Amy Sacko.
Amy Sacko
Amy Sacko.
"I play in my husbands band, ...,
Amy Sacko.
... my husband is my manager".

3 N'goni
3 N'goni pre-show tuning.
Amy Sacko, 2 singers
The band.

Bassekou Kouyate.
Bassékou Kouyaté
Bassekou Kouyate.
N'goni player.
Bassekou Kouyate.
The best.

Crowd watching, clapping, feeding babies.
Crowd, watching, clapping, breastfeeding a baby.
Tamani player.
Tamani, talking drum.
Amy Sacko.
Ami Sacko, full of humor.
Bass n'goni plaer Fousseyni Kouyate.
Fousseyni Kouyaté, bass n'goni.

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Earlier in the day

Tindé

Watching the traditional Touareg dance performance again after Essakane. Women play the music while the men dance and perform spectacular jumps.

Tindé usually perform at a baptising or a wedding, and that is essentially how the event unfolds. It's a family event, children and elder are part of it. Lucky they because they are sitting under a tent, while I am getting roasted in the sun.

Tinde.
Tinde.
Tinde.
Tinde.
Tinde woman with 2 boys.

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Boatrace.

Suddenly all the audience interests shifts away from Tindé. Everyone rushes to the pier where a number of pirogues are heading towards the bank of the river.

Boatraces have been tradition for a long time, - and of course there are heated discussions on who is going to be the helmsman.

boat man.
Discussing ...
boat man.
... the issue.
Crew on a pirogue.
Forming a team.
Crew on a pirogue.
I have my crew.
Segou pirogue.
The winner is ...
3 girls carrying bananas on their heads are watching thje boat race.
Crowd is watching. Business stops for a moment.

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Some song/singer/dancer (griot) contest.

On the occasion of Segoubara, a majestic dance traditionally performed on occasions of festivities.

Griot.
They all can sing well ...
Griot contest.
Griot contest.
Griot contest.
Griot contest.
Griot contest.
Griot contest.

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Comments

Postings by readers don't necessarily represent my own views. I delete what I deem inappropriate. So be fair, don't swear. Discuss photography, travels, places, politics, whatever else faintly touches the subject of the page.

Thank you!
SO beautiful images! And such a lively document of the living spirit of Africa.

These images will be a most precious contribution in the preparation of a youths group for a theater play about Africa, here in Brazil! Thank you so much for posting them!
#0 - Ralf Rickli - 04/26/2009 - 08:34
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www.thisfabtrek.com > journey > africa > mali > 20060204-segou

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