A pilgrimage to Arawān: Religious legitimacy, status, and ownership in Timbuktu

Northern Mali's prolonged drought and conflict have spurred a significant shift from genealogical to territorial conceptions of status, hierarchy, and ownership. This study highlights how the pilgrimage to Arawān, north of Timbuktu, reflects evolving notions of religious legitimacy, social status, and land rights among descendants of a regional saint. The research reveals that these changes are not only driven by environmental and political instability but also by the recent discovery of oil in the area, which further complicates issues of ownership and belonging. By analyzing this pilgrimage, the study underscores the transition from traditional, infinite hierarchical structures to more exclusive, territory-based systems rooted in indigeneity.

SCHEELE, J. (2013). A pilgrimage to Arawān: Religious legitimacy, status, and ownership in Timbuktu. American Ethnologist, 40(1), 165–181. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/amet.12012