The
FESTIVAL IN THE DESERT ESSAKANE
IN 2009 - FROM 8 – 10 JANUARY
Every year (in January) the Festival in the Desert is held in the oasis Essakane, about 65 kms. from Timbuktu.
It is a cultural music festival – originally only for the Tuaregs - which has developed into a festival, that is well known worldwide and where Malian and artists from the whole world are performing.
The Festival
features, except the performances of the traditional Tuareg music, the
Malian and the international artists, also dances, song contests, poetry,
readings, sword plays, games and camel races. Sometimes more than 25 groups
perform during this event.
Some of the artists which have performed during the years:
Ali Farka Touré ,Habib
Koité, Toumani Diabate, Haïra Arby, Tartit, Afel Bocoum, Bassekou Kouyaté,
Tamikrist, Vieux Farka Touré, Ethio – Mali, Oumou Sangare , Tinariwen ,
Robert Plant, Blackfire, Django, Tiken Jah Fakoly and more
The location is
beautiful – in the perfect white sand dunes is the stage, surrounded by the
tents of the artists, the tents of the festival goers, the tents for the
food & drinks and the stalls of the Tuaregs from Mali, Burkina Faso,
Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco and Niger, who offer their merchandise:
clothing, jewellery, CDs, leatherwork, knives etc.
The dunes in front of
the stage are the perfect “seats” to watch the performances.
During the day there
are traditional music and dance performances, sword fights and camel races.
The Tuaregs, their colourful boubous blowing in the wind, ride their camels
and encouraging them to go even faster.
Behind the stage are
the tents of the artists; wander around, talk to them about their lives and
their music; maybe you will be invited to join them in a jam session or
watch a spontaneous or private performance.
In the evening and
night, when you are sitting in the white sand dunes under a cobalt blue sky,
scattered with stars, a unique atmosphere is created by the countless
lights, the firepots, the torches and candles and the flaming “dìbì”, which
are illuminating the performances.
In Short:
meeting of culture,
people and music, dance, sand, starry skies, torches, candles, silence,
noise, “jatigiya”, solidarity, sun and cold nights.
What to bring to the festival in the desert:
Because temperatures range in January from 30° Celsius ( 100° F) during the day to 5° Celsius (40° F) during the night you need clothing for hot weather and clothing for cold weather, a sleeping bag, flash light and batteries, trekking shoes, a scarf or a turban to wrap around your face in case of a sandstorm.
Foretaste?:
http://music.guardian.co.uk/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?