Travel Guide Diafarabé

A hundred kilometres of Mopti, between Niono and Mopti, 44 km north of Ké-Macina takes place in the small town of Diafarabé.Between mid-October and December each year, at a date negotiated by the authorities, farmers, fishermen and nomadic éleveurs or moors, with herds of thousands of livestock, pass through the waters to win the bourgoutières, swampy pastures which feed them during the dry season. It is a very ancient rite, codified by Cheikou Hamadou in 1818. The rules laid down then are still valid. During the festival, the best shepherd is elected, and one also celebrates and above all, despite the complaints of farmers about the damage caused by herds to the fields, the agreement between somono farmers, bozo fishermen, somono and fulani and maures breeders. This event, which always takes place on a Saturday (day of splendour in popular peuhl beliefs), is called «Degal» in Pulaar and gives the opportunity to celebrate, in honour of nomadic peoples: contest of the most beautiful flock, poems, music and dances. The cultural area of the Yaaral and the Dégal that hosts this event has been classified as the intangible world heritage of UNESCO. It corresponds to the vast pastoral area of the Fulani delta of the Niger Delta composed of an immense alluvial plain of 90 000 km ². For the rest of the world, it is a great show, not to miss it if you are in Mali at the right time.