Dogon Woman and Child

THE MALIAN GIFT ECONOMY:
KEEPING CULTURE, VALUES, AND INDIVIDUALS ALIVE

In most parts of the world, people are searching for alternatives. In West Africa, the alternative already exists, and has for thousands of years.

A powerful phenomenon is utterly unknown among economic justice and gender justice organizers, advocates, and scholars thoughout the world. This is a practice of dama, gifting, which keeps tradition, community, and individuals alive throughout West Africa. It keeps at bay much of the suffering and misery that official stats indicate should be the lot of the vast majority. It maintains dignity and strong values. It keeps tradition and society intact. Dama is based on the value of sharing and 'being human', and propagated primarily through a strong, though informal, women's social network.

Practiced in many ways, this rich phenomenon offers deep lessons for those struggling for a more humane society and more life-sustaining economic organization around the world. Yet it is under serious challenge from the market economy being pushed by global trade and financial institutions. Dama and other forms of gifting have a chance of remaining viable, broad-based alternatives for just and equitable economics only if strong and organized movements promote them in West Africa and elsewhere.

Teacher Teaching

OTHER WORLDS: HELPING KEEP GIFTING ALIVE

Other Worlds is a multi-national, multi-media, multi-lingual education and organizing collaborative to inspire hope and knowledge that another world is possible, and to help build it. Based in South Africa, the U.S., and Mexico, Other Worlds compiles and brings to light political, economic, cultural, social, and gender alternatives that are flourishing throughout the world, and inspires and helps the public open up new pathways to adapt and replicate them. Other Worlds' program includes: (1) Documenting fourteen case studies of thriving, large-scale just economies in a context of globalization, and with an emphasis on gender; (2) Creating multiple media products for extensive educational outreach throughout Southern Africa and the Americas, in English and Spanish, aimed at reaching popular audiences; (3) Inspiring action. Once the media products are out, working in partnership with movements and citizens' groups to help the viewers/readers/listeners become active in their own communities and sectors and to work for more just policy and systems; and (4) Generating support for the alternatives and the movements behind them. We campaign, fundraise, and support in other ways the movements we feature and others working in the same spirit.

In the spirit of the Jubilee South slogan "Nothing about us without us," the project relies on deep collaboration with economic, social, and gender justice movements, and is accountable to them.

We seek to spread news of the dama model and encourage creative forms of replication through targeted public education, mainstream and alternative media, and organizing collaboratives. Current initiatives include the following.

Malian Bride

The dama model and its implication for others will be prominently featured in a book, a photo book, national speaking tours and photo exhibits, a slide show, a film series, magazine articles, radio, electronic articles, and a Spanish-language popular education program.   We are developing intensive partnerships with grassroots groups in the U.S. and global South who want to explore and advocate for alternative economics, particularly dama.   We have raised funds for groups propagating gifting in Mali, and have helped connect them with international research and activist networks.   We are helping the Institute of Popular Education in Mali develop a popular education curriculum on alternative economics, emphasizing gifting.   As our gift, we set up a photography program for the students at Ciwara School in Kati, Mali. Through Other Worlds, five photographers spent two weeks in Mali teaching the art to the kids, helping them develop their own photo exhibit, and setting the wheels in motion for further classes.

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