While visiting the food and artisan markets of Bamako, we ran across the “fetish” market where all things voodoo permeate. There were cheetah fur, monkey, rat and warthog heads, whole rotting birds, shells, bones, skins, teeth, and i shall not go on. Much of these come from Benin, the origin of voodoo. Supposedly, monkey heads hold power, and some of the fetishes are used for ‘medicine’ and ‘good luck’. Check out this photo 5cense snapped.
fetish market in bamako mali
… not recommended for public consumption!
Your information on this market is inaccurate. Very little of the wildlife sold in the Marabagaw Yoro (not fetish market) comes from southwestern Mali (non Benin). If you are interested, I could provide you some insight, given that I have spent the past 15 years studying the Marabagaw Yoro and wildlife use in Mali as an environmental anthropologist.
Hi Ian! Yes, please do!
urwhatueat,
check out my old research blog. http://adventuresinbamako.blogspot.com/
cheers!