Hombori
Encyclopedia
Hombori is a town in Mali
, lying between Mopti
and Gao
on the slopes of the Hombori Tondo mesa
. It is in the traditional region of Gourma, and the current région administrative de Mopti
, Cercle of Douentza
.
While the village itself has about 3,000 residents, there are 12,000 in the surrounding commune of Hombori.
of rock-built houses with narrow alleyways and tunnels. Having an average annual 24-hour temperature above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), it is one of the hottest places on earth.
The area around Hombori features rock formation
s including the Needles of Gami and is popular for rock climbing
. Mount Hombori
, Mali's highest point at 1153 meters, is also nearby.
people; its exact age is unknown.
After the invasion of the almoravides in the 16th century, one part of the royal family of Gao
established themselves in Hombori. The Songhai, now the majority population, later followed the royal refugees to this area.
Hombori remains a focus of Songhai Empire
traditions but was also a strategic point for the conquest of southern Mali by the Songhai successor states.
Those local villages deeper in the hills (for example Tabi, 30 km away) were never conquered or directly colonised, and retain their traditional cultures.
The Songhai leadership were largely coopted by the French Colonial administration upon their arrival around 1900, while much of the Dogon community fled to nearby mountains, a process that had earlier begun to escape Moorish
slave raids.
The religion of the community is Islam by a vast majority. Sufism
and Shiism are the dominant belief systems in the area.
Some sequences of Souleymane Cissé's film, Yeelen
, were shot in Hombori.
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
, lying between Mopti
Mopti
Mopti is a city at the confluence of the Niger and the Bani in Mali, between Timbuktu and Ségou. The city lies on three islands linked by dykes: the New Town, the Old Town and Medina Coura. As a result it is sometimes known as the "Venice of Mali".-History:The city of Mopti derives its name from...
and Gao
Gao
Gao is a town in eastern Mali on the River Niger lying ESE of Timbuktu. Situated on the left bank of the river at the junction with the Tilemsi valley, it is the capital of the Gao Region and had a population of 86,663 in 2009....
on the slopes of the Hombori Tondo mesa
Mesa
A mesa or table mountain is an elevated area of land with a flat top and sides that are usually steep cliffs. It takes its name from its characteristic table-top shape....
. It is in the traditional region of Gourma, and the current région administrative de Mopti
Mopti Region
Mopti is the fifth administrative region of Mali, covering 79,017 km². Its capital is the city of Mopti.-Geography:Mopti Region is bordered by Tombouctou Region to the north, Ségou Region to the southwest, and Burkina Faso to the southeast....
, Cercle of Douentza
Douentza
Douentza is a town and commune in the Mopti Region of southern Mali.-Tourism:Douentza is a base for exploring the Dogon villages in the area....
.
While the village itself has about 3,000 residents, there are 12,000 in the surrounding commune of Hombori.
Sites and fame
The town is known for its vernacular architectureVernacular architecture
Vernacular architecture is a term used to categorize methods of construction which use locally available resources and traditions to address local needs and circumstances. Vernacular architecture tends to evolve over time to reflect the environmental, cultural and historical context in which it...
of rock-built houses with narrow alleyways and tunnels. Having an average annual 24-hour temperature above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), it is one of the hottest places on earth.
The area around Hombori features rock formation
Rock formation
This is a list of rock formations that include isolated, scenic, or spectacular surface rock outcrops. These formations are usually the result of weathering and erosion sculpting the existing rock...
s including the Needles of Gami and is popular for rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
. Mount Hombori
Mount Hombori
Mount Hombori is a mountain in Mali's Mopti Region, near the town of Hombori. At 1,153 meters, it is the highest point in Mali.Mount Hombori is a significant archaeological site, with caves inhabited more than 2,000 years ago....
, Mali's highest point at 1153 meters, is also nearby.
History
Hombori is an ancient village of the DogonDogon people
The Dogon are an ethnic group living in the central plateau region of Mali, south of the Niger bend near the city of Bandiagara in the Mopti region. The population numbers between 400,000 and 800,000 The Dogon are best known for their religious traditions, their mask dances, wooden sculpture and...
people; its exact age is unknown.
After the invasion of the almoravides in the 16th century, one part of the royal family of Gao
Gao
Gao is a town in eastern Mali on the River Niger lying ESE of Timbuktu. Situated on the left bank of the river at the junction with the Tilemsi valley, it is the capital of the Gao Region and had a population of 86,663 in 2009....
established themselves in Hombori. The Songhai, now the majority population, later followed the royal refugees to this area.
Songhai Empire
The Songhai Empire, also known as the Songhay Empire, was a state located in western Africa. From the early 15th to the late 16th century, Songhai was one of the largest Islamic empires in history. This empire bore the same name as its leading ethnic group, the Songhai. Its capital was the city...
traditions but was also a strategic point for the conquest of southern Mali by the Songhai successor states.
Those local villages deeper in the hills (for example Tabi, 30 km away) were never conquered or directly colonised, and retain their traditional cultures.
The Songhai leadership were largely coopted by the French Colonial administration upon their arrival around 1900, while much of the Dogon community fled to nearby mountains, a process that had earlier begun to escape Moorish
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
slave raids.
The religion of the community is Islam by a vast majority. Sufism
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
and Shiism are the dominant belief systems in the area.
Some sequences of Souleymane Cissé's film, Yeelen
Yeelen
Yeelen is a 1987 Malian film directed by Souleymane Cissé. It is filmed in the Bambara and Fula languages, and is based on a legend told by the Bambara people...
, were shot in Hombori.