Mali • Throwing cowries: an art of divination well anchored in our country • Malijet

She is sitting in her living room wearing a white boubou with a black scarf. Lala Traore called Larabou is a professional caurist. She lives in Lafiabougou. She makes these comments: “I am 62 years old, and I have been a caurist for 40 years. Nobody taught me cowries, I don’t work with jinns. The cowries are a gift from God for me. I can read cowries to predict the fate of my clients.

The most important thing in this divinatory art is to know how to interpret the signs. And it is at this level that we can distinguish a professional caurist from an amateur. The cowries never lie. My cowries are 12 in number. I consult them for one person. I ask him to make sacrifices, at the latest before 12 days. Beyond these days, there is no point in making sacrifices. But if you make the sacrifices you will have a good result. I have clients inside and outside Mali. Most of my clients are politicians.

in Sabalibougou, it is Monday. We are in a family. More than thirty people are seated in a row. Everyone waits their turn to consult the cowries with Bakary Keita. This diviner is in a room. The cowries are spread out in front of him. According to Keita, knowledge of mystical science is a reality in our society, and one must know its art. “I have been a curator for 30 years. I learned cowries for 15 years from a veteran. I always say what I see, but not what the client wants to hear. »

Cowries never lie. “It’s the cowrie thrower who can make a mistake or lie to the customer. I consult the cowries from 1,000 FCFA. And every day that God makes, I have customers. I have everything I desire through my art. The most frequent consultations in the cowries are love, money and marriage. The person will react to it and must face it. “.

Django Traoré, a customer of Keita confides to us: “I consulted the cowries at Keita for the first time, 16 years ago. At the time, I was in the fourth year of my childless marriage. After the consultation, the cauriste told me that my husband was a soldier. That he was going to be transferred to a region. That he was going to leave me because of a woman who got pregnant by him. And that after my divorce, I was going to meet another man with whom I was going to have a child. I swear that the scene happened during the eleventh year of my marriage as he had predicted.

It must be recognized that throwing cowries is an ancient practice of clairvoyance in our society. The cowries have always proven themselves. But it must be recognized that a cowrie owner remains a human being. He can’t see everything. Mariam Koné explained to us that she consulted the cowries. And the cauriste was the big sister of a friend.

“Once she threw away the cowries, she said a woman close to us was going to die. And that this death was going to surprise us and make us suffer too much. The next morning, it was the caurist herself who died. The lady had not seen her own death”.

A GAME-Throwing cowries becomes a pastime among idle women. They miss no opportunity to consult the cowries when they are alone, or with relatives or friends. This is the case of Ms. Sacko Bintou Keita who takes advantage of a wedding ceremony to throw cowries between relatives. She consults the cowries to find answers to the questions of the women around her. Mrs. Keïta throws the cowries every morning to find out the information of the day. It’s a game for her and her family.

Moreover, many of them indulge in throwing cowries. They want answers to their questions about their current or future situation. next to this category, engaging in a playful and entertaining activity, there are professional caurists. They predict the future in a surprising way through these small shells. In this sense, the one who consults goes to the diviner who first presents her with four cowries.

The first murmurs in a low voice the object of his visit and blows or spits on the cowries. The second can ask his client to throw them on the van. Then, depending on the layout of the cowries, the diviner is already capable, from this first draft, of auguring good or bad results. He can repeat the gesture with the four cowries before mixing them with the others, and deciphering their message about the future.

“The practices of clairvoyance in our society are numerous, but I trust the cowries more. They don’t lie, and the answers are quick. It’s thanks to the cowries that I was able to get married. I learned through the cowries that my man was seeing three girls. But thanks to the recommended sacrifice, he chose me, ”says Maïmouna Diarra, a housewife.

Mamou Goiba, an engineer, specifies that knowledge of the future must be reserved for God. Have faith and leave your fate to God. Because only God has the power to help and know the future. All the people who frequent these soothsayers will never be at peace. They will always be at odds with those around them. Very often, women who engage in these practices risk ending up badly.

Maïssa Diaby, housewife, believes in cowries. But she recognizes that nowadays there are many imposters. Their sole purpose is to deceive and scam women. It is often better to get away from it.

Drissa Diabaté, teacher, is responsible for clairvoyance at the Cauris Festival. He explains that in the past, cowries were not only used as a means of exchange between the populations of Mandingo, but they also constituted a practice of clairvoyance. But at that time, the great connoisseurs were assigned to the warlords. Mr. Diabaté specifies that clairvoyance is a reality for us. According to him, when one consults the cauris, just out of the vestibule of the caurist, one can be satisfied or happiness can arrive.

Interpretation of signs-Example of combinations of four cowries. Two cowries are open, two are closed: that’s a definite yes to your question. Your wish will be granted.

Three open cowries, the fourth is closed: it’s a small yes. Your business will be possible if you firmly believe in it. There are many obstacles on your way.

The four are closed: the answer, just as much as the question is vague. It is necessary to proceed to a new roll by specifying its question.

Three are closed, the fourth is open: it’s a preventive no. Your project may come to a halt if you are not vigilant. The risks are many.

Baya Traore