The Mudding of the Mosque of Djenné, Mali

“La boudi wa?” “A wa!” “Is the mud ready?” “It’s ready!” Young men from various neighborhoods chant in the streets carrying mud in baskets on their heads from the fermenting pits to the base of the mosque. Women and girls add water, men add rice and millet husks and kids mix the mud with their feet. As soon as the mud reaches the right consistency, the young men eagerly fill their baskets and run to their assigned section in a race to be the first group to finish. It’s a slippery, messy scene with mud flying in all directions, people yelling instructions, kids laughing, people chanting – community chaos at its best. 

This is the annual mudding of La Grande Mosquée de Djenné, the largest mosque in West Africa and one of the largest mud structures in the world. At over 100 years old, the mosque stands as a symbol of the community’s dedication to their faith and their commitment to preserving this beautiful World Heritage Site. 

This series was photographed for National Geographic Magazine and accompanied a photo essay on Djenné by Sarah Leen in the June 2001 issue.