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Changing Malian Women's Economic Activities Submitted Article Changing Malian Women’s Economic Activities Vending in the Market, Travelling the World Miku Ito University of Hyogo Abstract: From around the year 2000, Malian women have begun to actively involve themselves in trans- national trade with Dubai (UAE) and Guangzhou (China). They travel alone and purchase commodities by themselves using the help of the Malian diaspora and the commercial network. Although there have been women merchants in Mali’s past, they have gone unnoticed because of the mono- gendered view of the history of long-distance trade. Even in current-day Mali, studies on women’s economic activities tend to be limited to those describing vending in the market. Observing Malian women working in the market as well as conducting trans-national trade in contemporary Mali, we realise the diversification of their economic activities and the social change that has occurred in Malian society. Key words: women merchants, trade, economic activity, gender, Mali I conducted fieldwork for two years for my Ph.D. thesis in Djenné, a small traditional town with a population of around 15,000 in Mali. The town is located on an island surrounded by a branch of the Bani River, one of the tributaries of the Niger River. Djenné is famous for its distinctive architecture, especially its Great Mosque, one of the world’s largest adobe structures. In the town’s public square in front of the mosque, a weekly market is held on Mondays, and thousands of people come here to buy and sell products. There is also a daily market in the centre of the town. Almost all the vendors in the latter market are women, and they are active vendors in the weekly market as well. The prominent role of women in local markets can be observed in other Sub-Saharan West African societies as well (Herskovits 1962: xi-xii). Three years after my work in Djenné, I conducted fieldwork in Bamako, the capital of Mali, to conduct comparative research on women’s commercial activities. I observed many women working as vendors at the daily markets in each district. At the same time, I found a considerable number of women selling goods that they had purchased by themselves in Dubai (UAE) or Guangzhou (China). It was known that women trans-national merchants Japanese Review of Cultural Anthropology, vol. 18-2, 2017 64 Miku Ito existed at the time and that they travelled among West African countries taking advantage of intra-regional free movement among ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) member states or occasionally went on pilgrimage to Mecca. However, in general, it was rare for Malian women to travel abroad and engage in long-distance and large-scale trade by themselves. It is widely known among West Africans that Mali has a long history of trade and that Malians are good at commercial activities. Malian merchants can be found in almost every West African city. Furthermore, Malian men have been migrating beyond their continent to European countries and the United States. According to the 2000 census data, over 1.5 million Malians out of an 11 million population at the time were estimated to be living abroad (OIM 2009). In Mali, travelling to peddle or emigrating abroad is not done for economic reasons alone but also as a cultural practice, a kind of rite of passage for young men (Castle and Diarra 2003). Therefore, long-distance and large-scale commercial activities have been dominated by Malian men while women have played an important role in the local markets. Unlike trading or wholesaling, vending in markets is not considered a profession and has been open to all people, regardless of gender, ethnicity, and level of acquired education. To become a market vendor is relatively easy for women, as it requires low initial investment and little specialisation (Sheldon 1996). However, in Bamako, currently, the mono-gendered understanding of trade and markets is poised to alter as an increasing number of Malian women merchants have made their impact on trade. In this paper, first, I provide an overview of the historical background of long-distance trade that Malians have engaged in since medieval times. Through this, I reveal how Malian women merchants have played a secondary role to male merchants. Second, I depict the activities of women vendors in the local markets in rural Mali, taking the example of Djenné. Vending the products of their family agriculture in the local market is regarded as a woman’s job. Their work is indispensable for maintaining the household. Third, I describe some women merchants engaging in transnational/transregional business in Bamako. By comparing these two forms of economic activity in contemporary Mali, I reveal the on-going changes in Malian society. Historical Background of Malians’ Long-Distance Trade Malian Merchants in West Africa Mali’s territory extends alongside the Niger River. As the upper part of the Niger River is rich in gold mines, some great kingdoms or empires like Ghana, Mali, and Gao (or Songhay) flourished from the 8th to the 16th century in the river’s middle-course zone. To obtain gold not only for making jewellery but also for use as currency, many merchants from North Africa and even from the Middle East crossed the Sahara with camel caravans. In exchange Miku Ito Changing Malian Women’s Economic Activities 65 existed at the time and that they travelled among West African countries taking advantage for gold, the merchants brought valuable goods like precious textiles, copper products, and of intra-regional free movement among ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African ceramic wares to these kingdoms. States) member states or occasionally went on pilgrimage to Mecca. However, in general, it As these kingdoms had never dominated the gold mines, the rulers needed brokers who was rare for Malian women to travel abroad and engage in long-distance and large-scale could mediate between the owners of the mines and merchants. The brokers who engaged in trade by themselves. the gold trade were Muslims, speaking the Soninke language, an offshoot of the Mande It is widely known among West Africans that Mali has a long history of trade and that linguistic group, and they were called ‘Wangara’ by other ethnic groups. With economic Malians are good at commercial activities. Malian merchants can be found in almost every development, the brokers began to engage in trade of goods imported from North Africa to West African city. Furthermore, Malian men have been migrating beyond their continent to distribute them to other regions of West Africa. A Portuguese of the early 15th century European countries and the United States. According to the 2000 census data, over 1.5 remarked that the merchants who controlled the gold trade in El Mina (a trade port million Malians out of an 11 million population at the time were estimated to be living constructed by Portugal on the south coast of today’s Ghana) were the same ‘Ungaros’ abroad (OIM 2009). In Mali, travelling to peddle or emigrating abroad is not done for (Wangaras) as those in Senegambia, 2000 km away from the port (Levtzion 1973:165-166). economic reasons alone but also as a cultural practice, a kind of rite of passage for young This indicates the wide extent of trade activities of the Wangara people at that time. men (Castle and Diarra 2003). After the collapse of the Ghana Empire, the Wangara merchants expanded their trade Therefore, long-distance and large-scale commercial activities have been dominated by network throughout West Africa, from the Sahara in the north to the Atlantic coast in the Malian men while women have played an important role in the local markets. Unlike south (Levtzion 1973:166; Wilks 2000). They gradually came to be recognised as an ethnic trading or wholesaling, vending in markets is not considered a profession and has been open group and were called Jula or Yarse in different regions (Maasing 2000, Sakai 2003: 76). All to all people, regardless of gender, ethnicity, and level of acquired education. To become a the appellations still imply ‘professional merchants’ today. market vendor is relatively easy for women, as it requires low initial investment and little As they went beyond their original territory for trade, they needed to learn certain skills specialisation (Sheldon 1996). However, in Bamako, currently, the mono-gendered to be accepted by the local people who were neither Muslim nor able to speak the Soninke understanding of trade and markets is poised to alter as an increasing number of Malian language. One of these skills was to be able to organise an armed caravan to transport and women merchants have made their impact on trade. sell commodities. This was written by René Caillié, a French traveller at the beginning of In this paper, first, I provide an overview of the historical background of long-distance the 19th century, who accompanied an armed caravan to reach Djenné from the Atlantic trade that Malians have engaged in since medieval times. Through this, I reveal how Malian coast (Caillié 1996). women merchants have played a secondary role to male merchants. Second, I depict the Another and more frequent approach was to extend their commercial network. Young activities of women vendors in the local markets in rural Mali, taking the example of Djenné. male merchants moved to towns outside their home territory with goods to sell. They also Vending the products of their family agriculture in the local market is regarded as a displayed their skills in cotton weaving and metalworking. To be accepted by non-Muslim woman’s job. Their work is indispensable for maintaining the household.
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