Mali

Greetings

Man greeting Man - Men shake hands when greeting one another. After shaking hands it is common to put your right hand to your chest as a show of respect. When meeting friends, especially if it has been a long time since you have seen each other, a hug is the common form of greeting. Handshakes may linger a bit.

Woman greeting Woman- A simple handshake is appropriate for an initial meeting. A verbal hello is appropriate as well. When meeting friends, especially if it has been a long time since you have seen each other, a hug is the common form of greeting.

Man greeting Woman- A simple handshake is common. If the hand is not extended, than a slight bow or nod is the polite thing for men to do.

Note: ALWAYS use the right hand when greeting. A slight bow of the head is appropriate when greeting elders. It is viewed as a sign of respect. In certain parts of southern it is common for women to bend their knees when greeting elders.

Communication Style

• Malians tend to favor a mostly indirect style of communication.
• It's best to always start a conversation going through a healthy dose of small talk before getting to the reason behind the conversation. This includes asking questions about one's family, health, ethnic background,etc.
• People will often communicate through other people so that a message arrives indirectly to its destination.
• It is very rude to interrupt elders when they are speaking and one should never ever contradict them, even if they are completely wrong.
• There are many proverbs used in discussions, e.g. “A piece of wood that stays in water will never become a crocodile.” “Slowly but surely the little bird build his nest.” It's good to learn a few as well as the basic greetings in the local language.

Personal Space & Touch

• The amount of personal space depends on the closeness of the relationship. The closer friends or family you are, the less space will be between you. An arm's length or a bit less is common.
  
• Despite the conservative culture (90% of the country subscribes to Islam) touching is normal during conversation.
• Often times when something is funny if said or a good point is made, a high-five like hand grasp is normal.
• Touching is especially normal between women, such as a hand on the arm.
• Men normally hold hands with other men while walking. This is a sign of friendship.
• There is less touching and more space when talking between genders.
  

Eye Contact

• Malians tend to prefer indirect eye contact over direct.
• Friends usually look each other in the eyes but when speaking with elders, religious leaders, a boss, or members of a high social class, it is polite to look down and away instead of making direct eye contact.
• Overly direct eye contact is viewed as rude and possibly a threat.

Gestures

• A universal gesture is pursing your lips and making a buzzing sound, which means “nothing.”
  
• Burping is considered a sign that one has enjoyed their meal and is considered a compliment to the cook or host.
• Mali is composed of many different tribes and ethnic groups. The largest of these groups is the Bambara (31%), followed by the Fula Macina (9%), Soninke (7%) Sanghai (6%) and the Dogon (5%). Each ethnicity has their own gestures.
  

Views of Time

• Being punctual is not a virtue in Mali, therefore, being patient is. People are rarely on time in Mali, but no one gets upset about this, because everyone knows no one is ever on time. For example, when wanting someone to arrive at 2 pm, it's best of you invited them for 12 pm.
• Regarding business, when your financial interests are directly concerned, there is more incentive to be punctual. However, even arriving to work at the appointed 8 am start time is unheard of and most people, including the director, arrive around 10am.
• This view of time is almost a custom in and is not considered impolite.
• Regarding transportation, if the bus is full, it will leave. If it does not come one day, try again the next day.
• The only train in goes from the capital, Bamako, to. It is mostly on time.
• Many foreigners feel Mali is on West African International Time (i.e. W.A.I.T.).

Gender Roles

• The role of women is slowing changing, but is still considered largely to consist of staying at home, having children, cooking, cleaning and pleasing a husband.
• An educated woman can work but it is generally the husband that controls the money and is the bread-winner for the family.
• When tribes were close to each other, arranged marriages within a tribe were normal. Now that many tribes are opening up to each other and mixing more and more, arranged marriages are less common, although still practiced.
• Women should dress modestly. Nobody should walk around in shorts.

Taboos

• Avoid pointing at people with your index finger, use the whole hand instead.
• Giving anything to someone with the left hand is considered very rude. Always give and receive object with the left hand.
  
• When eating out of a communal bowl, don’t take meat or veggies from the other side.
  
• Passing gas in public is considered rude.
• When invited to dinner at someone’s home, it is rude to bring a hostess gift. It is the responsibility of the host to provide everything for their guest.

Law & Order

• Alcohol is technically illegal under Muslim law. This is not so for foreigners, Christians and Animists.

Dress

• For Men - Formal suits and ties. Darker colors are the way to go.
• For Women - Conservative is a good choice. Avoid wearing overly expensive accessories, dresses/skirts cut above the knee, and sleeveless attire.
• More casual attire may be appropriate in certain industries and locations. Avoid shorts, jeans, and revealing clothing.

Titles & Business Cards

• Professional titles are used when meeting and addressing people.
• It is best to use the titles Monsieur (Mr.) and Madame (Mrs.) until you are on a first or more likely a last name basis as many Malians call each other by their last name.
• Business cards are usually exchanged at the end of a meeting. Always give and receive cards with the right hand.

Meetings

• Be on time even though the meeting will typically start late.
• Small talk is expected before the meeting starts.
• Meetings can go on for longer than scheduled. Be patient and go with the flow.
• Interrupting someone is not common practice and may be considered very rude.

Negotiations

• As a foreigner, one will nearly always be given a price that is higher than for the locals. You shouldn’t be insulted, but be expected to bargain for just about everything you buy. You can try walking away if they don’t accept your price. If they call you back, you were right, otherwise their price was as low as they can go. It’s all part of the game/process.

Gift Giving

• When invited to dinner at someone’s home, it is rude to bring a hostess gift. It is the responsibility of the host to provide everything for their guest.

In the Classroom

• follows the Gregorian calendar instead of the lunar calendar used by most Muslim countries. The school year starts in September and ends in June.
• Vacations include 15 days for Christmas and 15 days for Easter as well as three months for summer holiday.
• Dress can vary from very western to very traditional. For most evenings out, western dress in worn. Avoid shorts and revealing clothing. It's best for women to wear clothing that covers the shoulders and does not go above the knee. For traditional soirées, either a bogolan (a cotton, hand made shirt) or a basin (similar cotton top) are generally the attire of choice.
• Teaching methods depend on the professor and his style (most teachers are male). Interactive group work is quite common.
  
• At the university levels, grades follow the French system, which is based on grades ranging from 0-20 (20 being perfect and nearly impossible to achieve). The average is around 12.

Other Observations

• Malian people are open to foreigners and will help anyone who is lost or looks lost.
• French is the official language, but there are thirty-two languages listed for Mali. Bambara is a second most used language used to communicate nationwide.
• Mali has an ancient culture, it's good to learn some of the history because each family traces it’s lineage back to a few. Associated with this is the phenomenon of joking cousins, whereby you can “insult” your cousin, but it’s understood as a joke and a way to break the ice.
• Respect is everything and hospitality is king.