Decentralization in Mali - Radio Broadcast

Speaker: Hadmahaamed ag Mohamed
Place: Inkiringiya (south-east of Ménaka)
Station: Radio Rurale de Ménaka
Date: 10 November 2001
Source: Christiansen-Bolli, R. (2010). A grammar of Tadaksahak. Leiden University.

Context

Third part of a speech lasting about one hour, interspersed with music. The main topic is decentralization, a new organizational policy of the Malian government.

Igmattaak ho senda

You can be sure

You can be sure.
ay-n t-a-damil-t be komin-tan andayo ooda anda-b-gun(a)-a Maali-a-d(a)-i

it is for its (Mali) benefit that the communities you see are made. (lit: Mali makes them)

It is for Mali's benefit that the communities you see are created.
wiji bananda a-dda desatralisasiö

It is not for nothing that it installed the decentralization

It is not for nothing that the state established decentralization.
wiji he be a-dd(a)-i har almital ay(o) ooda ay-to-har andi se

There is no other reason why he did it, than this example I am telling you

There is no other reason for this than the example I am about to give you.
as bora a-to-may ay-n alman babo-(a)n

Suppose somebody has his numerous herd

Suppose someone has a large herd.
a-m-zi-mmizi marad-ood(a) ay-n barr-en se

he divides it between his children

He divides it among his children.
a-m-d(a) anda t-a-sagar

he makes several small herds out of them

He makes several small herds from them.
bora kullu a-m-n(a) aa-se ay-n a-dagar ayof-kud

he gives to each person his part to keep

He gives each person their share to keep.
bora kaaka s(a) a-f-kud ay-n alman

Anyone who keeps his herd

Whoever keeps their herd
a-ss-a-hsa-kaat-a

makes it win (be more numerous)

Makes it prosper (makes it more numerous).
a-m-d(a) aa-se kud gin-giman

and keeps it well

And keeps it well.
ay-n ga s(e) a-kkuud-a

It's for himself he keeps it

It's for himself that he keeps it.
a-yyirsay aa-se ay-yirsay aa-se

It gets bigger and bigger for him

It becomes bigger and bigger for him.
bora da ay-wani agar kud

But the person who is keeping it badly

But the one who keeps it badly
a-hun(u)-an

it (the herd) will disappear

Their herd will disappear.
anga se a-dda ho se

It's to himself he did that

It's to himself that he did harm.
He (a)yo senda ay-n almital

That is the parable

That is the parable.
anga ne (a)yda: Maali ay-n ga se addwal

Here it is: Mali is a country for its own right

Here it is: Mali is a sovereign country.
He (a)-kkas addwal ba-beer-i

It is a large country

It is a large country.
wertilla s(a) alhakumat a-kko(a)nda a-handag kaamil and-anga wiji anda ay-n ko-(e)n

It does not happen that the government goes to every place without its owners

The government cannot manage everywhere without the local people.
Ho senda be a-dda komin-tan

Because of that, it made communities

That is why the state created communes.
ganda kullu anga na-wwaqay gand(a) ayo s(a) a-mmay

Every region has signed (=received responsibility) for the land that it owns

Each region has received responsibility for its land.
bora kullu a-wwakal ganda ayo s(a) ang(a) a-baara

To each person was entrusted the land on which he is

Each person has been entrusted with the land on which they live.
he (a)yo senda be anga be komin-tan i-dda

Because of that matter, because of this, communities are made

That is why communes were created.
anga be desentralisazio i-dda

because of this, decentralization is made

That is why decentralization was established.
anga be sekter-tan i-dda

because of this, sectors are made

That is why sectors were created.
Ittill(a) a-handag a-mmay bor(a) ayo yyisked-an and(a)-a

Every place belongs to the person to whom its disaster returns

Every place belongs to the one who suffers its consequences.
a-n i-yayed

It is to him that its ruin returns

He is the one who suffers its ruin.
anga i-n t-a-nfa i-yed

It is to him that its profit returns

He is the one who gets the profit.
Bora da ayo sa ganda a-b-d(a) agar kud

The person who takes care of his land badly

The one who takes care of their land badly
ayo (a)di ay-n ga a-yad

that one, it is to himself he did a ruinous thing

That person has harmed themselves.
Day adi ittill(a) agg aadem a-ngu kaak(a) a-haara

Thus, every human being, wherever he is

Thus, every human being, wherever they are,
a-mmay a-dagar ganda n t-a-ggas-t ka

has a share in the protection of the land

has a share in protecting the land.
ittil(a) agg aadam kud day sa (a)n-ta-yiga z addekad ayo ka ni-nn alman a-bb-adan-kat har a-mm-ee-kat ay-n t-a-ggas-t a-f-keedi nin

Every man, even if you only guard in the measure where your herd grazes and returns, its protection is your responsibility.

Every man, even if you only guard where your herd grazes and returns, its protection is your responsibility.
I-manokal-an ingi da a-handag ayo i-wani ka i-n dini a-kkay-kat ganda ka ay-n t-a-ggas-t a-f-keedi-i

As for the chiefs, the area that is theirs, from where they stop taking from the land, its protection is their responsibility.

As for the authorities, the area that is theirs, where they take resources, its protection is their responsibility.
a-yiiwan an koy anga da ne k(a) ay-n t-a-buuyar i-yyee-kat ganda ka anga da ay-n t-a-ggas-t a-f-keed(i)-a

As for the head of the camp, there where his female camels return on the land, he too, its protection is his responsibility.

As for the camp chief, where his female camels return to the land, its protection is also his responsibility.
day adi ittil(a) agg aadam eb-dida a-baara gand(a) ayo Maali wani a-mmay aa-ka t-a-dagar-t t-a-ggas-t wani

Thus, every human being walking, being in the country of Mali, has in it a little share of its protection.

Thus, every human being living in Mali has a small share in its protection.
ni-b-d(a) aniyat bora s(e) ayo n-ta-dar ganda

You pay attention to a person that may harm the land

You must watch out for anyone who might harm the land.
ni-b-d(a) aniyat a-na-z-gaafa se an-ta-huuru-kat ganda

You pay attention to an evildoer that may enter the country

You must watch out for any wrongdoer who might enter the country.
ni-b-da aniyat a-baydog se a-b-dida tarra ka

You pay attention to a thief who walks in the bush

You must watch out for any thief lurking in the bush.
ni-b-da aniyat eeqad se

You pay attention to a bush fire

You must watch out for bush fires.
ni-b-da aniyat bora se an-ta-kos tugud-en

You pay attention to a person that may cut trees

You must watch out for anyone who might cut down trees.
i-n tugud-en kaamil anda-wan-en

Its trees are all yours

The land's trees all belong to you.
i-mmay t-a-nfa ba-beer-i

they have great use

They are very useful.
day adi bor(a) ayo gguna bora b-d(a) eeqad wala f-kos tugud-en a-na-c(i) aa-se he

So, the person who sees somebody putting a fire or cutting trees and does not say anything to him

So, whoever sees someone starting a fire or cutting down trees and says nothing to them,
a-m-bay ganda se i-nn alman jen h(e) ayda k(a) a-kkan har a-ddumbu-i a-na-yiyam aa-se

he should know that (this is like) somebody who fell on their herd and slaughtered them and did not warn him.

he should know that this is like someone who came upon their herd and slaughtered them without warning him.
Day adi ee-dag ayo senda ittilla agg aadam ayo f-keedi Maalin ganda kaamil a-mmay darwa, a-mmay alhaq a-to-yigaz ee-dag ayo a-baara ganda ka ittill(a) addokad ayo (a)nda ni-ddabet ay-n t-a-ggas-t

So, on this occasion, every human being, anywhere in the country of Mali, has the right, has the responsibility to look after the place where he is with every measure you can to protect it.

Thus, every human being, wherever they are in Mali, has the right and responsibility to look after the place where they are, by every possible means to protect it.
and-anga ni-ddabet sa (a)n-temaazal anda ni-n kamba n maazal

If you can, you act with the act of your hand

If you can, take action yourself.
nanga t-a-raqim-t ni-n iilas wani ni-mm-aryam

or you warn with a warning of your tongue

Or warn with words.
nanga he ni-kkassan ni-m-koy-kat ni-m-har alhakumat se

If the warned person refuses, you come and tell the authorities

If the warned person refuses, go and report it to the authorities.
manna ayo (a)yda a-ta-taw nin

This same lack of food will reach you

This same lack of food will affect you too.
as-kar cini-en i-sa-kar ittilla agg aadem h(e) ad(i) a-ta-dar

If the rains do not fall, everyone will eventually suffer

If the rains don't come, everyone will eventually suffer.
day adi ee-dag ayo senda anga be ittill(a) agg aadem a-m-nahad a-handag ayo a-baara ganda ka

Thus, on this occasion, because of this, may every human being take care of the land where he is

Thus, may every human being take care of the land where they live.
a-mm-agaz ay-n ga se wiji bora fo se

May he look after it for himself, not for someone else

May he look after it for himself, not for someone else.

Key themes

decentralisation
collective responsibility
natural resource management
environmental protection
local governance
community autonomy

Vocabulary

komin-tan: communes
desatralisasiö: decentralization
alhakumat: government
ganda: land/country
t-a-ggas-t: protection
anìyat: attention/watchfulness
alman: herd
eeqad: bush fire
tugud-en: trees
sekter-tan: sectors