Songhai (Sonrai) woman in Gao, Mali

this photo is not taken by me, I found it in the press. It shows a young Sonrai Woman in the desert city of Gao, Northeast Mali, after the liberation just recently. During the occupation by the islamists, it was forbidden to wear their ethnic headdresses. As part of my husbands family are Sonrais, I felt like showing this picture. My mother in law used to wear such a headdress when she was young. On festivities like marriages, etc. the Sonrai women wear another type of headdress similar to the ones worn by Tuareg women in Mali, only theirs has a gold colour (see under comments), while Targias used to prefer silver. But habits change, and I have seen pictures of Tuareg ladies wearing gold coloured ones too.Mali is also a nation of tissues, cloths, woven by hand, dyed by hand, sewn by hand. They have wonderful pieces of tissues and blankets, not only the wide known Bogolan, but also the Arkillas and similar big blankets as seen here. They are often used on walls for decoration, or in order to divide a room.

Comments

Eva Baby March 9, 2013 at 5:33pm

these are two Sonrai women with their typical headdresses at weddings and similar festivities. It must be said that not only the bride wears this headdress, but any female guest can wear it too. Weddings are therefore very beautiful events....... the men wear Turbans like the Tuareg men.
Eva Baby March 10, 2013 at 9:20am

My mother-in-law when she was young, wearing a typical Sonrai headdress. (She is approx 1/3 Sonrai, other parts are Moroccon, Mauritanian and Tuareg).
Eva Baby March 10, 2013 at 11:19am

Thank you for the feature, when I go to Mali again some day, I must get myself such headdresses... ! I hope it will soon be possible.... (there had been some more shootings in Gao recently.... the peace is still fragile).
Chantal March 10, 2013 at 11:24am

Wonderful photos Eva, thanks for posting. Interesting comments as well.
Thelma March 10, 2013 at 12:43pm

Love the photos, Eva. Glad they can now be worn freely again
Edith D March 11, 2013 at 4:40am

Nice post, Eva....thanks from all of us!
Eva Baby March 11, 2013 at 6:03am

@Thank you all for the comments!
Akkie March 13, 2013 at 8:21am

Oh, so nice all the photos and the information. Thanks, Eva.

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Songhai (Sonrai) woman in Gao, Mali

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