Abstract
Mali has experienced war and strife since 2012 and this has sent many of Mali’s writers and musicians into exile. Nonetheless, some creative voices have managed to stay and produce in Mali. Whether speaking from the diaspora or within the country, women writers of the last decade have provided an abundance of rich texts that express resistance to war and a call for reconciliation in an inclusive way. Although most of the writings have emerged from Black Malians, there have been rare examples of texts composed by Malian women of Tuareg origin. Together, these novels, short stories, poems, and songs show a multitude of perspectives on the current conflict and how to end it. The inclusion of song lyrics in this study is notable because of the unique situation of Malian musicians who are usually from an initiated caste. The genre known as Wassoulou has freed female artists from constraints traditionally imposed upon them within more traditional genres of Malian music. Western forms of literature such as the novel as well as the musical genre known as Wassoulou provide alternative modes of expression that Malian women have embraced and made their own. Analyses and interpretations of texts will be supported by theories put forth by African scholars which give a more Afro-central focus to the problem, as seen by Malian women writers.
Presenters
Cheryl TomanProfessor and Chair, Modern Languages and Classics, University of Alabama, Alabama, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Mali, Women, Literature, Music, Tuareg, Sub-Saharan, Wassoulou
