Foto: Timbuktu (bron: -)

Mali - Timbuktu is a town in Mali and also the capital of the region bearing the same name. It lies about 13 kilometers north of the Niger River and has approximately 32,500 inhabitants. Timbuktu was likely founded in the 12th century by the Tuareg as a resting place for the caravan trade that connected the countries along the Niger River with the Maghreb. The main trade involved salt, which was mined north of the city in the Sahara. This salt was traded across West Africa—where salt was scarce—in exchange for, among other things, gold and slaves. The name of the city is Berber and is said to mean “She with the big navel” (Tin Boektoe). However, most Tuareg refer to the city as Tinboetkoe instead of Timbuktu. The local languages spoken include Songhai, Tamasheq, Arabic, and nowadays also French. The region around Timbuktu is the southernmost area in Africa where wheat is cultivated. This wheat is used locally to bake bread called tagulla, a famous local delicacy.

The Dogon Valley and old Djenne

Mali - The Dogon Valley is one of the few regions in West Africa where the people have managed to preserve their culture much as it was centuries ago. To this day, people still live according to the traditions of their distant ancestors. This is partly due to ...

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