The Utah Arts Council today announced it has selected Faces of Mali, an
exhibit of photographs of village life in western Africa, for its 2010
traveling art program. The show, sponsored by Sorenson Molecular
Genealogy Foundation (SMGF) and Mali Rising—two Utah-based non-profit
organizations—and the Embassy of Mali, opens a window for viewers into a
region with a 600-year history as a center for scholarship and trade. The
first traveling exhibit is scheduled for Canyon Community Center in
Springdale beginning Feb. 4.
“The people of rural Mali have a culture that is rich in tradition and
history and it is delightful that people all over Utah will be able to
enjoy this photo essay”
The exhibit’s images of Mali villagers were captured by Edgar
Gomez-Palmieri and Yeah Samake during recent working visits.
Gomez-Palmieri is director of international outreach and fieldwork for
SMGF. Samake is Malian honorary consul in Utah; mayor of Ouelessebougou
(way-lay-suh-boo-goo), a city in southwest Mali; and president of Mali
Rising Foundation, a Sandy-based organization that built five
village-owned and operated schools.
“The people of rural Mali have a culture that is rich in tradition and
history and it is delightful that people all over Utah will be able to
enjoy this photo essay,” said Samake. “Many Utahns already have a
positive connection with Malians by helping us explore and record our
ancestry, build schools and better educate our children.” For five years
SMGF has been collecting DNA and family history information from Malians
in the process of creating the world’s largest repository of correlated
genetic genealogical information. Sandy-based Mali Rising Foundation
helps Mali villages develop clean water sources, improve sanitation and
build schools.