Travel Guide Hamdallaye

At 30 km of Mopti, on the N 32 road, lies the ruins of the capital of the Peul Empire of Du. Historians agree that it was by accident that the first Fulani arrived in this part of Mali in the th century, attracted by land rich in water and pastures. A nomadic people, they moved around the delta with their herds and lived in clan. The already present Islamic religion was, however, very influential. Things changed in the th century with the arrival of Sékou Amadou. A young nationalist scholar, he is the leader of a new movement based on the principles of Islam. In 1818, aged 22, he took head of an army and overthrew the Ardo, pagan chiefs of the clans in that region. The following year, the town of Djenné is taken and its mosque destroyed in order to create a new one that symbolically marks the creation of this new empire. From then on, the region is restructured, both at the religious, administrative and economic levels. It is the birth of the Peul Empire and the creation of the kingdom of Macina. Reforms are transforming the region. A capital is created, it is called Maternité. At the same time, empire liberated Segou from bambara power. Rapidly the prosperous region, large metropolises create like Djenné or Dia.Amadou died in 1845 but it does not stop the empire stretching from Timbuktu to the north in Djenné to the south. It is now his son and his grandson who leads the empire. However, a reversal of the situation occurred in 1862 when the empire fell under the arms of the toucouleur warriors commanded by El Hadj Oumar Tall who, in the name of the holy War, invaded the kingdom.Even today, the ruins of Maternité bear witness to the power and organization of the Peul Empire of Macina. Even if the city does not offer a very spectacular ruins, the site visit is worth a visit. She attracts many pilgrims from the tomb of Cheikou Amadou. Walk in canoe on the river: Fulani, bozo and Tuareg villages, but also the village of potters, and the meeting point of Bani and Niger. Bird lovers will be delighted because the area hosts thousands of migratory birds.