 |
| This
strange rock formation is called the Hand of Mahtma |
The Bandiagra Plateau, a
land of strange rock formations and steep cliffs, is a harsh and arid
land. The
Bandiagra cliffs run from the North to the South across Mali for over 200 km and vary in
height from 300 to 400 metres. Many of the Dogon people who live along these cliffs climb
up and down them several times a day, the women often laden with children and balancing
20-litre jugs on their heads. Heavier loads are taken up and down the cliffs using a rope
made from the bark of baobab trees. In a hot country, the plateau is hotter than anywhere
else. Plants can only be grown in small pockets of carefully preserved topsoil. |
