The Mali Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Mali - Essay useIn fact, some of the same the Muslim historians and scholars that have written about Ghana have overly provided a written record of Mali (Jackson, 1970). For example, Ibn Khaldun, a Muslim scholar working out of Islamic Spain in the 15th century, wrote about both Ghana and Mali. Islamic scholars must have paid a gigantic of attention to Mali because its rulers converted to Islam, and subsequently spread it throughout Africa. The richness of the historical record of Mali allows a level of this great civilization to be reconstituted (Jackson, 1970).The geographical borders of Mali where similar to the former boarders of Ghana. The similarities exist because Mali was once a feudal territory that rose to fill a void after Ghana had fallen at the transfer of the Susu. In his Kitab al-Ibar Ibn Khaldun indicates that Mali occupied Ghanas former boarders (Davidson, 1991). He writes, Much later the population of Mali grew to such an extent that it became die hard ove r all over this region (i.e. the area formerly ruled by Ghana) (Khaldun, 1969 p.1). In the aboriginal history of Mali, during the reign of Al-Malik al-Nasir, Mali extended its borders west to the Atlantic Ocean. To the north, Mali occupied the upper portions of the Sahara. To the south, Mali extended down the Niger River past the metropolis of Djenne, which is located on marshy land in the middle of the Niger River, it is referred to as an island. To the East, the kingdom stretched to a city called Takrur this included much of the Sahara. Originally the kingdom of Mali started expanding from the top of the Niger River (Davidson, 1991). Starting from the city of Timbuktu, Mali steadily conquered the lands that determine down stream. These areas included the towns of Djenne, located on series of mashes and lakes that lies close to the Niger River, and Kawkaw, thought to be the modern-day city of Gao. Controlling the Niger River and the cities that lie on its banks were important fo r trade and travel (Jackson, 1970). The Niger was a central artery of mercantilism for both West and North African trade routs. The importance of the Niger can also be seen in the fact that Malis capital city, which changed many times, was often located on that river. Malis control of the Niger River, and these important cities, helped it to grow and expand (Davidson, 1991).By the 18th century, Mali was in a semi anarchic state. Two empires emerged that opposed French invasion, the Tukolor conglomerate of al- Hajj Umar (1794-1864) and the Somori Toure (1870-98). During this time the region saw a resurgence of Islam. But in later eld Mali was conquered and became the French Sudan, part of the Federation of French West Africa (Jackson, 1970).Mali TodayThanks to its rich and ancient past, Mali has mystify a country of great heathenish diversity with nearly two dozen different ethnic hosts living within its borders. The main groupings are the Mande (including the Bambara, Malink e, Soninke, Mandinka, Mende, Susu, Dialonke, and Dyula), Peul (or Fulani), Voltaic, Songhay, Tuareg, and Moor. Some other groups include the Dogon, Bozo, and Bobo. The single largest ethnic group is the Bambara also known as Bamana. This name recalls the era when the influence of Islam was spreading through Africa, yet this group of rural farmers refused to convert to a new religion and kept alive their traditional way of life. Bambara government agency infidel or