Hair & Henna

    Traditional and modern Malian culture show their differences between generations through attitude and appearance.  These things are especially apparent in village life with young men and women itching to explore aspects of the cultures they hear about from friends going to the 'big city' or from watching dubbed Spanish soap operas.  Young men who wear detailed jeans and Ed Hardy tshirts (an easy find at the dead toubab clothing stops), adorned in jewelry, are often nicknamed 'Americain' (said with a French accent) and they revel in it.  Young Malian women wear tighter clothing than their moms and grandmas and pair their traditional skirts (pagnes) with tank tops and tshirts certainly made outside of Mali.  However, I've yet to see a woman in my village, other than myself, wear pants!  The women love jewelry, more often than not, the tackier the better, and I get asked for my earrings, bracelets, rings, and watch every single day.  Unlike in the US, in village life, shoes are just a barrier between your feet and the ground or a vehicle through which you improve your soccer game. 
    I find the most intriguing aspect of this shift towards modernity to be the hair styles and the uses of henna for both the young men and women.  Hair and the way it is styled or cut is a symbol of status in the United States, especially within Black communities, and it is here as well.  The city women in Mali (the 'Bamakois' - the Bamako elite) spend lots of time and money on getting extensions and weaves which are a sign they don't have to work in the fields, are educated, or have money in the family.  In village life, on the other hand, weaves and extensions are both hard to acquire and impractical.  There is, however, a recent trend to use a gimp-like wire (can be seen in my pictures on facebook) to wrap around strands of hair as an alternative to regular braiding.  I find the braiding patterns intricate and beautiful, but these wirey additions look so uncomfortable and strange that is is interesting to me as to why they have become so popular. 
    Just as it is a special time for women when they get their hair done, it is the same for men and young boys in village.  One day every few weeks I notice myself looking around at a bunch of bald headed boys and men in my concession!  Some of the young men try to keep some hair and style it like early Fresh Prince episodes, zig zag patterns and all.  Its always done on the same day, and in Malian culture hair must be disposed of by burying it in the ground or throwing it down the nyegen (pit latrine).  It is said that if a donkey were to eat your discarded hair, you will come down with a terrible headache, so watch out!
    Another popular way to jazz up your appearance here in Mali is to use natural henna.  Traditionally, henna is applied for special occasions and is especially important for soon-to-be brides and their female family members.  If you are planning to attend a wedding or Tabaski is coming up, it is customary to apply henna to your feet and hands with incredibly detailed designs by applying patterns using tape which you remove after the henna dries.  It dyes your hands, feet, nails and hair for weeks if left alone.  More recently though, other ways to use henna have become more popular.  Tattoos aren't entirely understood here (as I've learned through experiences of other PCVs), but the temporary art of henna is loved.  The men are often seen with henna tattooed on their eyelids as an eyeliner.  This is especially prominent among the 'Americain' types I mentioned above.  Most common though, is the practice for women of applying long thin strips of henna above the eyes to make eyebrows (since they shave their own right off).  It creates an intensity in their facial expressions that, a year later, I am still not used to!  It is also common for moms to paint eyebrows on brand new baby girls, perhaps to emphasize their gender. 
    Some of these aspects are things I still take notice of daily and then others are just now part of my understanding of Mali and barely register anymore.  I can say though, that this is just the cusp of understanding how modern culture is slowly, and sometimes strangely, influencing the lives of the Malian young people and Malian culture.