02:27Thousands of people flocked to the town of San in Mali’s Segou region to participate in a centuries-old collective fishing festival known as 'Sanke mon' last Thursday (June 6).
Footage shows vast crowds armed with fishing nets ducking and diving to catch fish in the muddy waters of the Mare Sacre pond during the 624th edition of the event.
“Ever since I was little, collective fishing has been celebrated in the same way in San. Some come to make nets, others buy their nets and keep them for fishing; tradition is important to us," a local man said.
"It's a very good thing for us because it's our tradition and it's an opportunity to meet people we haven't seen all year long. We fish and celebrate," added a second.
The Sanke mon festival has been listed by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage event in need of protection since 2009.
The event is celebration of the founding of San and marks the beginning of Mali’s rainy season. It starts with sacrifices to the water spirits and is followed by 15 hours of collective fishing and traditional dance performances.
Keeping it reel! Thousands race to catch fish as centuries-old festival returns to southern Mali
Thousands of people flocked to the town of San in Mali’s Segou region to participate in a centuries-old collective fishing festival known as 'Sanke mon' last Thursday (June 6).
Footage shows vast crowds armed with fishing nets ducking and diving to catch fish in the muddy waters of the Mare Sacre pond during the 624th edition of the event.
“Ever since I was little, collective fishing has been celebrated in the same way in San. Some come to make nets, others buy their nets and keep them for fishing; tradition is important to us," a local man said.
"It's a very good thing for us because it's our tradition and it's an opportunity to meet people we haven't seen all year long. We fish and celebrate," added a second.
The Sanke mon festival has been listed by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage event in need of protection since 2009.
The event is celebration of the founding of San and marks the beginning of Mali’s rainy season. It starts with sacrifices to the water spirits and is followed by 15 hours of collective fishing and traditional dance performances.
Thousands of people flocked to the town of San in Mali’s Segou region to participate in a centuries-old collective fishing festival known as 'Sanke mon' last Thursday (June 6).
Footage shows vast crowds armed with fishing nets ducking and diving to catch fish in the muddy waters of the Mare Sacre pond during the 624th edition of the event.
“Ever since I was little, collective fishing has been celebrated in the same way in San. Some come to make nets, others buy their nets and keep them for fishing; tradition is important to us," a local man said.
"It's a very good thing for us because it's our tradition and it's an opportunity to meet people we haven't seen all year long. We fish and celebrate," added a second.
The Sanke mon festival has been listed by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage event in need of protection since 2009.
The event is celebration of the founding of San and marks the beginning of Mali’s rainy season. It starts with sacrifices to the water spirits and is followed by 15 hours of collective fishing and traditional dance performances.