Festivals of Mali bring out the vibrant culture of the country. Mali is a butterfly shaped land in West Africa. There are many tourist attractions in the place including beautiful scenery, artistically designed mosques and many villages. Tourists from all over the world visit the place throughout the year. The people of the region celebrate different festivals in the different seasons of the year. These festivals are very colorful events and are popular both among the locals as well as the tourists. Some of the major Festivals of Mali are:
Dogon mask festival
This is a very colorful festival that is celebrated with much enthusiasm by the people of the country. This festival is celebrated by the tribe, Dogon. They stay in the region of Bandiagara in Central Mali. During the festival the men perform stage shows for five days. They wear masks and it is generally believed that these masks help them to drive away evil spirits. The Dogons think that the souls of the dead live in these masks. These masks also stand for the goddess of creation, Amma. There are hyena and buffalo masks which appear at the end of the festival and predict the future of the tribe.
Deegal
This is a festival wherein the men in the community are given several posts in the village on the basis of their experiences. This festival is also very important for young women of the land who are eager to marry. The people participate in the festival with a lot of enthusiasm. This festival also symbolizes the attainment of manhood by the young men of the community. This is one of the most important Festivals of Mali.
Festival on the Niger
This is one of the most important Festivals of Mali. This is a festival that is held annually in the first few days of February. It is held in the banks of river Niger which is located in Segou. There are musical and dance performances by the artists of the region.
Festivals of Mali depict the rich tradition of the region. While on a tour to the land, be sure to participate in these colorful events.
For more information on Festivals of Mali, visit travel.mapsofworld
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