Arts & Culture

Malians Here and There

Patrick Zachmann presents a visual dialogue between families living in their homeland of Mali and those that have left for Paris

Patrick Zachmann

Patrick Zachmann | Malians Here and There A Peugeot car imported from France parked in the background. Kayes, Mali. 1993. © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos
Patrick Zachmann | Malians Here and There French-Malian kids gathered for a special day organized by the Malian Community Association of Essonne. Les Aunettes, France. 1993. This photograph can only be used in a context or/and with a ca (...)
Patrick Zachmann | Malians Here and There People sit together. Kayes, Mali. 1993. © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos
Patrick Zachmann | Malians Here and There A celebration for Malian women of migrant workers families in the city of Evry, near Paris. France. 1994. © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos
Patrick Zachmann | Malians Here and There Group of women. Bamako, Mali. 1994 © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos
Patrick Zachmann | Malians Here and There In an African hostel in Paris, celebrations for the christening of a Malian immigrants' child. Paris, France. 1994. © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos
Patrick Zachmann | Malians Here and There Mr Moussa Diarra, a migrant worker who has been living with his family in Evry since 1975, returned on vacation to his birthplace, the village of Diouncoulane, after 12 years of absence. Kayes, Mal (...)
Patrick Zachmann | Malians Here and There French-Malian kids gathered on a special day organized by the Malian Community Association of Essonne. France. 1993. © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos
Patrick Zachmann | Malians Here and There Photograph of Keita Astan, a Malian immigrant who has been living in France since 1983. The picture was shot in France and sent to Keita's grandmother in Mali. Kayes, Mali. 1993. © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos
Patrick Zachmann | Malians Here and There Young man sits with guitar in car. Kayes, Mali. 1993. © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos
Patrick Zachmann | Malians Here and There Malians celebrate a birthday. France. 1993. © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos
Patrick Zachmann | Malians Here and There Traditional dances to celebrate the return of migrant workers from France, on vacation for a few months. Village of Troula, Region of Kayes, Mali. 1993. © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos
Patrick Zachmann | Malians Here and There Celebrations for the christening of a Malian immigrants' child. Paris. 1994. © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos
Patrick Zachmann | Malians Here and There Many Malian migrant workers living in France come from this town. Region of Kayes, Mali. 1993. © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos
Patrick Zachmann | Malians Here and There Street scene. Town of Evry, Essonne, France. 1993. © Patrick Zachmann | Magnum Photos

There are over 60, 000 Malian citizens working in France. The French government has therefore decided to improve their family, schooling, social and cultural conditions. One example of this is the French town of Evry, with 50, 000 inhabitants, 5% are Malian migrant workers. It has created a ‘twin towns’ programme with the town of Kayes who also have a population of 50, 000 in Mali, which provides two thirds of Mali’s migrant force to France. Most Malians send a large part of their wages back home, thus improving their families’ conditions.

With Maliens Here and There, renowned photographer of identity Patrick Zachmann, sets out to present a dialogue between Malian families who have remained in their homeland, principally in Kayes, and their close relatives and friends who have come to work and live in Evry, a ‘new town’ in the suburbs of Paris. His photographs literally tell about the correspondences and contrasting ways of life between the two. He invites us on a journey into the heart of a world that makes its presence felt in color here and in black and white over there.

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