Malian Culture

1428 Words6 Pages

Introduction The history of Mali has no doubt proved that the Republic of Mali has been taken under the hands of several empires and kingdoms. Caravan routes has been traced to pass through Mali since 300 A.D., one of the early empires from Mali is the Great Empire of Mali. Originally the word Mali means “hippopotamus” in the Mandika language but it eventually changed to mean “the place where the king lives”. There is a legend that tells how Sundiata, the influential prince who managed to expand the small kingdom of Mali into a large empire, transformed himself into a hippopotamus in the Sankarani River. The Empire of Mali spread its influence and became one of the world’s main gold suppliers. It was then known for the wealth of its rulers. …show more content…

Although there are over 30 languages are spoken by the Malian, many ethnic groups in Mali use their own language, with the Bambara language being the most used which is most likely because the Bambara ethnic group is the largest ethnic group in Mali, the official language of the country has been French since the French occupation of the region during the European colonization era. Due to the widespread of poverty in the country, many of its people do not attend school so the rate of literacy is very low among the people, which is only 31% of the population can read and write over the age of 15. For religion, the dominating religion in the country has been the Muslims with an estimated number of 90% of the population being Muslims, and the remaining are of other religion such as Christians and traditional animist beliefs. Even though the majority of the population is Muslims, but Mali still remain to be a secular state following its …show more content…

The highest authority in the judicial branch is the Supreme Court. The judiciary has been granted as independence according to the constitution, however the Ministry of Justice appoints the judge. Apart from the Supreme Court, there is also a separate constitutional court and a high court of justice that can put on trial senior government officials in cases of treason.

Reference
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International Business Publications. (2011). Mali Foreign Policy and Government Guide, Volume 1. Washington: International Business Publication.
“Mali Political Geography”, http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/world/mali-government.html retrieved 25.04.15
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Middleton, J. “Mali”, Encyclopedia of South Africa South of the Sahara 3
“The World’s Muslims: Unity and Diversity”, Forums on Religious & Public Life. Accessed 25.04.15
Wolny, P. (2013). Discovering the Empire of Mali. New York: The Rosen Publishing