Kalabougou

Kalabougou is a Bambara village on the left bank of the Niger River in the Segou Region of Mali, directly across the river from the town of Segou. Its history goes back to the Bamana Empire, which ruled the area from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries. The village is known for its craftsmanship, above all the pottery made by its women, who are traditionally the potters. Kalabougou pottery is sold in large quantities in Bamako, roughly 150 miles or 241 km away, and in nearby Segou. The remainder of village life is divided among blacksmiths, who are known as numu, fishermen, who are known as Somono, and farmers, so that the settlement combines several of the occupational groups typical of Bambara society along the Niger.