Explore the Djenné Market

The Djenné market led to the prosperity and growth of the city, exchanging gold from sub-saharan Africa with salt from the north. The market still thrives, displaying new global trading influences alongside established goods.

Travelling to market. People gather from all over, coming from as far away as neighbouring Burkina Faso!

Market day is a colourful extravaganza, with a wide array of goods on offer, ranging from staple cooking ingredients like Sumbala to expensive items - jewellery, gold, or salt from Timbuktu.

These are Geze, twigs from a special tree used to brush teeth.

Firewood has to be imported into Djenné, so to save fuel heat is conserved in fire through bundles of wire.

Both animist medicine men and certain Marabouts (Islamic holy men) are consulted for their use of magic. Potions are sold at market which tell the future or bring about a desired effect, using ingredients from plants, animal skins, vegetables etc.

Minerals have many different uses in Djenné. Lumps of Potassium are sold for cooking and the production of Bogolan.

A slab of rock salt from the Taoudenni mines of northern Mali. The salt used to be taken by camel to the market in Timbuktu and then transported down the river to other cities in Mali.

Gold traditionally travelled up from sub-saharan Africa, and would be exchanged for salt from the north. It can still be found in the marketplace here.

But the market is mainly a centre for domestic goods. A visitor to the market can quickly learn a lot about the ins and outs of Djenné's cuisine...

This is Sumbala, a form of stock cube used for Tjon Tjon, a staple fish dish in Djenné, the name coming from the sound made when the fish hits the pan!