His-group project

[footnoteRef:1]In Ibn Battuta: Travels in Asia and Africa 1325-1354, Ibn Battuta discove rs many cultures through his whole vigorous journey that god guides him through which include Mali’s culture’s putrefying food, lifesaving remedies, uncountable pieces of literature, unique ceremonies, everyday clothing, exciting festivals, and common communication within the people and their king. Mali’s political features and practices included having a king, qadi, interpreter and gift giving throughout the people’s culture, while the ceremonial practices and features included music and different forms of entertainment. [1: website link: http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1354-ibnbattuta.asp title: Medieval Sourcebook: Ibn Battuta: Travels in Asia and Africa 1325-1354 Source: Ibn Battuta, Travels in Asia and Africa 1325-1354, tr. and ed. H. A. R. Gibb (London: Broadway House, 1929) Publisher and date published: © Paul Halsall, February 21, 2001  ]

Ceremonial rituals are very important in Mali culture. The main staples of the ceremonies include food customs, oral traditions and ritual dances. Food means a great deal to Mali’s society, Malians use more than fifty percent of their income on food relates expenses. Jinjinebere and dabileni are drinks made of water and sugar that are served during rituals such as weddings and birth celebrations. In Ibn Battuta: Travels in Asia and Africa, Ibn was welcomed with “gifts of food”. This is a fairly common practice for Malians to give food in times of celebration. Animal sacrifice rituals were also used for ceremonial rituals, specifically goats (Goucher, LeGuin & Walton). Malians were predominantly Muslim and celebrated Ramadan; everyone observes a fast for thirty days followed by a feast and celebration.

Oral traditions are passed from generation to generation. In Malian celebrations old stories are often told as a form of entertainment. The most popular is the Epic of Sunjata, about the life of a power Mali ruler Sunjata (Conrad). Spirits of ancestors are worshiped. Rituals of dance became an important part of ceremonies. People would dance wearing masks, feathers and costumes (Goucher, LeGuin & Walton). Malians also celebrate public holidays as well including Independence Day ( September 22), Labor Day (May 1), Africa Day (May 25). Religious holidays are also celebrated, most important being the birth and baptism of Prophet Muhammed.

Mali’s main feature of political practice was the structure of the kingdom.  For a King to rule Mali was their political practice and this role was viewed as the most high.  The culture was derived from shared experiences and the Kings ruling was followed very closely and obediently by the people of Mali.  The Mali Empire was divided into provinces. To assist with day-to-day political issues, the King appointed a governor in charge of each province.  It is explained in the excerpt how wealth, in the form of gold, poured into Mali and was an economical practice for high volumes of trade. This had a political effect on the overall empire.  In the excerpt, Battuta describes how it was very common for “the King to gracefully give out gold and other lavishness gifts to the people of Mali and those he encountered during travel”.  The hospitality Battuta discusses throughout the excerpt is highlighted in this act of kindness from the King. In the excerpt, Ibn Battuta details that there are “two hold men of the city”. This included a qadi, who was a master of eloquence whom are under the direction of the King.  Battuta also details “this qadi showed us even greater consideration and hospitality than our former benefactors and sent his son with us in his place to bath.”  A Kings imperial power was often feared yet highly respected throughout Africa.