Every year, musicians from all over the world gather with Touareg tribesman to enjoy one of the most unique festivals in the world. The Festival au Desert will enjoy its 10th anniversary in January 2010, on the outskirts of Timbuktu in Mali. The 3 day music festival will be held from 7 - 9 January in 2010.
The Touareg nomads traditionally gather once a year to exchange news, do a little trading as well as share songs and poems. In the past 10 years, musicians from other parts of Mali as well as Europe, and even as far as Canada, have been invited for the festival. In 2008, you could watch Inuit perform alongside a reggae band from the Ivory Coast and blues musicians from Mali. This is truly a "world music" event. While some commercialization is creeping in, the festival will take place on the outskirts of
The festival is an adventurous "bring your own tent" affair with little, to no electricity, so leave the curling iron at home. But several tour agencies who specialize in festival tours and/or Mali make it easier to get to and enjoy. At least, they provide the tents and transportation so you don't have to lug your camping equipment half way round the world. Nor will you have to borrow a camel to get there. You can save some of your energy to party for 3 nights instead.
Festival au Desert Tours:
Palace Tours based in Philadelphia offer numerous Festival tours from one week to two weeks.
Venus Adventures specializing in women only travel offer a 17 day Mali itinerary including the Festival
Wild Frontiers based in UK has an 18 day tour that includes the Festival
Saga Tours based in Mali offer a 2 week festival/Mali itinerary
Festival au Desert Reviews and Videos
NY Times feature on the Festival au Desert in 2008
The Guardian's review of the Festival au Desert
BBC Slideshow of the 2007 Festival au Desert
Touareg, Mali -- © Getty Images/Peter Adams
Don’t you think you should note that 4 tourists were kidnapped last year coming back from the festival, and one, Edwin Dyer, was later executed in June by his kidnappers?
There’s also a British government advisory about travelling to this area I understand.
4 tourists were kidnapped in Mali last year, but they were attending a different festival closer to the border of Niger. The Festival au Desert went off without a hitch. I would advise anyone who attends this festival to travel with an organized tour and of course keep an eye on the news.
FCO travel advice:
There is a high threat from terrorism [in Mali]. Terrorists have been involved in kidnaps in the region and we believe that further kidnap attacks are likely. A group of European tourists were kidnapped in the area of the Mali-Niger border near Menaka on 22 January 2009 and a British national who was part of this group was later murdered. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
There have been reports of kidnap threats against westerners attending festivals in Mali. You should be aware that the “Festival in the Desert” and “Sahara Nights” festival, which take place in Timbuktu and Essouk (500 kilometres north east of Timbuktu) are in areas of Mali to which we currently advise against all travel.
We advise against all travel to the provinces of Mali north of the River Niger from Mopti. This includes the provinces of Kidal, Gao, Koulikoro (north of Mourdiah), Segou (north of Niono), Tombouctou (including the city of Tombouctou (Timbuktu)), areas bordering Mauritania east of Nioro in the Kayes province, and the north of Mopti province (north of the town of Douentza).
We’re writing to you on behalf of Tata Kinge.
Good day Sir/Madam
We are a nonprofit organization (ORG) based in the US. The name of our ORG is
MOUNT CAMEROON CULTURAL HOUSE. Address:- 11700 Old Columbia Pike, Suite
#215, Silver Spring, MD 20904. USA.
We’re affiliated with MOUNT CAMEROON CULTURAL HOUSE in Cameroon still to be implemeted there,
West Africa. Tata Kinge is based in Cameroon-Buea SouthWest Region. He has an international experience
for cultural exchange and intertainment and has been in Music for 20 years with 7 recording albums and many videos. He is one of the best Cultural Artist you’ll want
for any cultlural program.He lastly performed at the Shanghai Expo 2010 in China (Tata Kinge Asian tour)video,did the African cultural song for President Obama which has a video on youtube (Tata Kingue Barack Obama video)many other videos of of (Tata Kinge yaya),(Tata Kinge Malachi II)on youtube,(Africa Life album). on (allafrica.com)and has a new album now in the market which is released in the US, enttiled JOGOGO on facebook/kato2025 etc….and was released at the FAKO AMERICA CONVENSION DC 2011.We can also provide mask groups ,arts/cultural exhibitions etc…..
Tatah Kinge and his group can teach, and perform the African culture to the best
interest of our people. He has visited many nations world wide.
We promise to be of good help to have him and his group for any exchange program
you may need him to participate.We have develope many cultural Exchange programmes at hand.We will also be happy to be invited and to attend any Seminars,programmes you will organise.
For any question or more information about Tata Kinge, please contact us.
We will love him work with you Sir to continue his great vision for the folklore/African music.
Jacob L. Efande
for MOUNT CAMEROON CULTURAL HOUSE
e-mail:- jacoblefande@yahoo.com
tel:- 240-687-4860