Mali, Bankass, Dogon Falaise, 1987
Mali, Bankass, Dogon Falaise, 1987

Mali, Bankass, Dogon Falaise, 1987 - We arrived in Bankas shortly before sunset. I rushed to a Campenent and paid 500 CFA to leave my unnecessary baggage there overnight. They tried to convince me to take a guide for 6000CFA, then 2500 CFA out to the Dogon village. I preferred to walk to the Falaise (escarpment) by myself under the night sky and bright moon. One of the men sitting by said I could find it myself. The prospective guide walked me to the edge of the village and pointed the way. I stuck to my 2000 CFA offer hoping it would be declined. A group of his friends stood by. It was suggested that I might encounter a sorceror on the road. It was also pointed out to me that I don?t speak Dogon. One man asked for my address. I said I?d give it on my return tomorow. He shook my hands, and with an eerie glint in his eye, he said in French, ""I might be dead by tomorrow or maybe you will be.? I thought, 'If that the case then there?s really no use in us exchanging addresses, is there?' All these forms of cheap intimdation only served to convince me I wanted to go alone. I bragged to them how I travelled in far more dangerous places, how I got by using hands and expresssions instead of language. I departed. It was very beautiful out there, quiet, moonlit. I had a cigarette, then started considering if there really were sorcerors and got just a tiny bit spooked. I came to a village. A man was crying out a chant loud and long, echoing into the muted sounds of women and chidren bathing at the well in the dark. After an hour, I stopped and fell asleep in the deep sand of the road. I awoke suddenly and peered to see a man and a donkey. He sensed my alarm! He wanted to put my bag on his donkey but I declined & he moved on. As I had planned, I walked until I thought I was within about two kilometers of Inde. I made camp in the sand. I had a few coffees and fixed dinner. After a hot chocolate I slept.

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