
‘We can talk through our art': the Malian festival uniting the Sahel's people
A group of Tuareg musicians dressed in light blue robes were playing by a campfire that cast dancing shadows on the red sand. A drum and violin accompanied the electric guitars as more people came to watch the band, called Aitma.
Every February, the city of Ségou, 140 miles (230km) north of the capital, Bamako, is transformed into Mali's cultural hub as tens of thousands of people come to enjoy a week-long arts and music festival, Ségou'Art, on the banks of the Niger River.
'We are here to meet each other,' said Aitma's band manager, Mohamed Mitta. 'When we share our culture, we remember that we are one people, even if politics divides us.'
In 2012, Mitta's band members fled the northern desert city of Timbuktu with their families to escape the advancing jihadists. Part of the Tuareg population had taken up arms alongside groups linked to al-Qaida to fight for an independent state in northern Mali, as several jihadist groups spread throughout Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, pitting different communities against each other.
'When we arrived in Bamako, we met people who had not met people like us – the Tuareg from the north – before,' said Mitta. 'That was more than 10 years ago. The conflict brought northern and southern Malians into contact with each other.'
Although Timbuktu is still under a jihadist blockade, most of the band's family members have returned to the city. But Mitta and his band dare not leave Bamako. 'If the jihadists ever occupy the city again, artists will be among the first victims,' he said.
In the past four years, three military regimes have come to power in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso through coups born out of frustration with the failure of the French-led military campaign, Operation Barkhane, to contain the spread of jihadist groups in the Sahel. The French withdrew their forces in 2022 after nine years of fighting the Islamists.
When the Economic Community of West and Central Africa (Ecowas) imposed economic and monetary sanctions, and threatened to intervene militarily in Niger to force the juntas to hold elections and restore civilian rule, the three countries came together to form their own bloc: the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
In January, the AES states withdrew from Ecowas, aiming for greater military, economic and cultural sovereignty.
The political backdrop added weight to the theme of this year's festival of 'cultural diversity, peace and unity'.
The military regimes of the AES states sent a senior delegation of ministers and envoys to the festival, where Col Maj Ismaël Wagué, one of the Malian junta members, told the crowd: 'From Mauritania to Chad, our shared culture and diversity can be a binding force if we choose to embrace it.'
Mali's foreign minister, Abdoulaye Diop, told visitors at the opening of the new Kôrè museum in Ségou: 'Just as the European Union works toward a common identity to prevent disintegration, we too see the importance of this for the alliance of our countries.'
After the ministers left, visitors crowded round Abdoulaye Konaté, an artist whose internationally acclaimed canvases are on display at the museum. 'For me, this festival is like a library, a place and yearly event where we can share knowledge and dialogue about what matters to us. We can talk through our art. It is important,' he said.
Ky Siriki, a Burkinabé artist whose bronze statues reflecting on Africa's oral history are part of the museum's collection, said: 'From Mauritania to Sudan, we share a common culture in the Sahel region due to our nomadic past and our empires. That shared culture, a rich tapestry of diversity, can unite us. Even in our differences.'
Sign up to Global Dispatch
Get a different world view with a roundup of the best news, features and pictures, curated by our global development team
after newsletter promotion
Beverly Ochieng, an analyst at the consultancy Control Risks, which monitors the political and security situation in the Sahel, said there was widespread support among people in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso for the idea of a shared identity.
'Ecowas sanctions have caused a lot of resentment among the population in the three Sahel countries,' said Ochieng, adding that it was one reason why, despite the resulting economic downturn, a large portion of the population still backed the junta.
She said the Malian regime's pursuit of economic and monetary sovereignty, with access to its own resources and food security as key goals, 'enjoys widespread support'.
The Malian junta, led by Gen Assimi Goïta, has improved the security situation by making territorial gains in the central and northern regions of the country, earning it the trust of the population, according to Wouter van den Hazel, the Dutch defence attaché for Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad in Bamako. This is despite the heavy repression of any form of opposition and the abolition of press freedom.
In the heart of a market near the festival, a music vendor selling traditional Malian blues leant in, lowering his voice as he spoke of his country's future. 'For me, sovereignty and security are the most important. After that, a return to democracy – but not too soon,' he said.
'The junta of Assimi Goïta is cleaning up the old corrupt elite, the politicians who filled their pockets. If they come back to power after elections, it's like starting from scratch.'
As the sun's last rays deepened the red hues of Ségou's terracotta buildings, designers from five Malian cities prepared for a fashion show.
Models showcased a fusion of modern styles and traditional, bright patterns and woven fabrics. 'This is a perfect example of the cultural synergy we're aiming to build within the AES,' said Niger's young crafts and tourism minister, Aghaichata Guichene Atta.
'We must work together to ensure that the products we make, the crafts we create, can be shared across the Sahel and beyond. This is how we strengthen our identity and our ties with one another.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- North Wales Chronicle
US criticises UK decision to sanction two Israeli ministers
Donald Trump's secretary of state Marco Rubio said that the travel ban and asset freeze imposed on Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich 'do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire' and called for the measures to be reversed. The UK is taking the action alongside Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway. Mr Rubio said that the US 'stands shoulder-to-shoulder' with Israel. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said on Tuesday that the ministers had been 'inciting violence against Palestinian people for months and months and months, they have been encouraging egregious abuses of human rights'. In a post on X, Mr Rubio said that the 'United States condemns the sanctions imposed by the governments of United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, New Zealand, and Australia on two sitting members of the Israeli cabinet. These sanctions do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war.' The United States condemns the sanctions imposed by the governments of United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, New Zealand, and Australia on two sitting members of the Israeli cabinet. These sanctions do not advance U.S.-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and… — Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) June 10, 2025 He went on to say that America reminds 'our partners not to forget who the real enemy is'. 'The United States urges the reversal of the sanctions and stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel.' The sanctions against Israel's security and finance ministers were announced on Tuesday. Mr Smotrich and Mr Ben-Gvir both belong to right-wing parties which help to prop up Benjamin Netanyahu's fragile coalition government, and both have been criticised for their hardline stance on Gaza. Mr Smotrich has campaigned against allowing aid into Gaza, and also supported the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law. Meanwhile, Mr Ben-Gvir has called for Gaza's people to be resettled from the territory. In a joint statement with the foreign ministers of the other nations who also imposed sanctions, Mr Lammy said that the two sanctioned ministers had incited 'serious abuses of Palestinian human rights' and described their actions as 'not acceptable'. The statement added: 'We will strive to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate release of the remaining hostages by Hamas which can have no future role in the governance of Gaza, a surge in aid and a path to a two-state solution.' Downing Street said that the two men had been sanctioned in their 'personal capacities' and not 'their ministries and departments'. 'As the Israeli ambassador to the UK has said in recent interviews, their statements in their ministerial capacities do not even represent government policy,' a Number 10 spokesman said. The UK and other allies have upped pressure on Israel in recent weeks, amid aid shortages in Gaza and suggestions a large-scale offensive could be launched into the territory. It has been reported that only scarce amounts of aid is making it into the hands of people, and the slow flow of food and medicines has prompted warnings of famine and starvation.


Time Out
an hour ago
- Time Out
How Bangkok taught Lounys rhythm and contrast
555. No, not the number – though it might as well be the punchline. It's how we laugh in Thai: ha ha ha. It's also how Lounys, a French-Algerian artist now living in Bangkok, occasionally sneaks humour into his work – a wink to the absurd, a code-switch between languages, cultures and emotions. Born in Paris with Algerian and Berber roots, Lounys is what happens when you fold a handful of cities into one mind: New York, Los Angeles, Miami, a few stops across Europe and now Thailand. His art has appeared across Bangkok, cropping up in galleries and pop-up shows like visual outbursts – provocative, dense, unfiltered. Drawing on satirical cartoons and caricatures, Lounys sketches out modern survival as a warped spectacle. Political figures are stretched, social archetypes distorted, but always with a knowing eye. There's something dreamlike in his method – automatic, compulsive, channelling the spirit of 1920s surrealism while humming with the colour-fuelled energy of pop art. We asked him a few questions, naturally – about the move, the city, the sprawl of it all. He tells us he's adapting to Bangkok, slowly. The food, the pace, the people. Bangkok: too hot to hold, too alive to ignore – just like his work. Looking back, how would you describe the different chapters of your artistic journey so far? What felt like turning points along the way? 'My journey's been instinctive – no map, no mentor, just motion. One chapter was solitude, another dialogue. The shift came when I stopped chasing the art world and started building my own. That's when it all began to find me.' You've spent years creating in Bangkok – how has the city shaped the way you think, see and make art? ' Bangkok taught me rhythm and contrast. It's chaotic, spiritual, neon and decaying all at once. That tension fed into my work. I learned to follow instinct and embrace imperfection, like the city does.' 'In Bangkok, sacred and pop blend so easily it never feels like a clash.' Are there moments, corners or textures in Bangkok that you keep returning to in your work? 'Yes – torn posters, rusted gates, soi dogs asleep in shrines, temples wrapped in scaffolding. I'm drawn to what's overlooked. It speaks to time, to resilience. I don't copy it exactly, but the texture, the spirit, slips into my work.' How has your relationship with the city's art scene changed since you first started out? ' When I arrived, I felt outside of everything – an observer. But by constantly creating and showing up, I found my rhythm. Now I feel part of a parallel current – not fully in the 'mainstream', but visible and supported by local creatives and international eyes.' What shifts have you noticed within the local creative community – whether in spirit, structure or support? ' There's more boldness now. Young artists aren't waiting for permission – they're experimenting, self-organising, making space without asking. Things feel more open, more horizontal. But there's also a hunger for meaning, not just noise.' 'The future belongs to those who create it themselves, on their own terms, with integrity and courage.' From my understanding, your work often weaves tradition into the contemporary – how do you navigate that mix in a place like Bangkok, where the past and present constantly collide? ' Tradition isn't fixed – it moves. I let that mix happen on its own, sometimes as a gesture, a texture or a symbol that slips in.' Do you sense a move towards newer, more experimental forms in Bangkok's art spaces? If so, where do you see your work in that mix? 'Definitely. There's a real openness now to cross-genre and multi-sensory, even anti-art gestures. My work isn't experimental in form but in spirit. It's grounded in painting yet takes in collage, street energy, memory and sometimes scent or sound. I don't chase trends, I stay honest.' Bangkok sits at the edge of so many influences – how do you bring both Thai and global elements into your visual language without losing either? ' By staying present. I'm a guest here but live deeply in Thailand. My work absorbs everything – streets, galleries, talks, rituals – mixed with my North African roots. The key is letting it flow naturally, not forcing it.' Is art a space for you to reflect or respond to what's happening socially or politically in Thailand, or is it something more inward? ' For me, art is deeply personal but always connected. I don't illustrate politics, I process feeling. When a moment stirs me – joy or injustice – it finds its way into the work. Art lets me respond poetically, never didactically.' 'I hope the next generation holds on to the freedom and generosity that make the Thai scene so unique – the absence of ego, the spirit of play.' You can now step inside his world – not just as a spectator, but as a collaborator. In his workshops, held regularly with little fanfare, you're handed a curious task: paint within the lines he's taped onto canvas, lines that carry the unmistakable rhythm of his hand. Participants – kids, adults, anyone with a brush and a bit of curiosity – paint within the lines. Once the tape peels away, what's left is a quiet collision – your colour, his form. An unspoken conversation made visible. It's an invitation to loosen control and co-create, with no need for prior skill or pretension. For those intrigued, he's reachable via Line (@lounys) or Instagram DM (@lounys). And if you're more voyeur than participant, catch him live-painting at Bardo Social Bistro and Bar on June 28 – a glimpse into the process, raw and unscripted, unfolding in real time.

Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Western Telegraph
US criticises UK decision to sanction two Israeli ministers
Donald Trump's secretary of state Marco Rubio said that the travel ban and asset freeze imposed on Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich 'do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire' and called for the measures to be reversed. The UK is taking the action alongside Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway. Mr Rubio said that the US 'stands shoulder-to-shoulder' with Israel. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said on Tuesday that the ministers had been 'inciting violence against Palestinian people for months and months and months, they have been encouraging egregious abuses of human rights'. In a post on X, Mr Rubio said that the 'United States condemns the sanctions imposed by the governments of United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, New Zealand, and Australia on two sitting members of the Israeli cabinet. These sanctions do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war.' The United States condemns the sanctions imposed by the governments of United Kingdom, Canada, Norway, New Zealand, and Australia on two sitting members of the Israeli cabinet. These sanctions do not advance U.S.-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and… — Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) June 10, 2025 He went on to say that America reminds 'our partners not to forget who the real enemy is'. 'The United States urges the reversal of the sanctions and stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel.' The sanctions against Israel's security and finance ministers were announced on Tuesday. Mr Smotrich and Mr Ben-Gvir both belong to right-wing parties which help to prop up Benjamin Netanyahu's fragile coalition government, and both have been criticised for their hardline stance on Gaza. Mr Smotrich has campaigned against allowing aid into Gaza, and also supported the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the sanctioned ministers had been 'inciting violence against Palestinian people' (PA) Meanwhile, Mr Ben-Gvir has called for Gaza's people to be resettled from the territory. In a joint statement with the foreign ministers of the other nations who also imposed sanctions, Mr Lammy said that the two sanctioned ministers had incited 'serious abuses of Palestinian human rights' and described their actions as 'not acceptable'. The statement added: 'We will strive to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate release of the remaining hostages by Hamas which can have no future role in the governance of Gaza, a surge in aid and a path to a two-state solution.' Downing Street said that the two men had been sanctioned in their 'personal capacities' and not 'their ministries and departments'. 'As the Israeli ambassador to the UK has said in recent interviews, their statements in their ministerial capacities do not even represent government policy,' a Number 10 spokesman said. The UK and other allies have upped pressure on Israel in recent weeks, amid aid shortages in Gaza and suggestions a large-scale offensive could be launched into the territory. It has been reported that only scarce amounts of aid is making it into the hands of people, and the slow flow of food and medicines has prompted warnings of famine and starvation.