DBQ 8 - Ibn Battuta Nick Gilman

1. What did Ibn Battuta admire most about the people he encountered in East Africa, along the
trans-Saharan trade route, and in Mali?

Ibn was particularly impressed with the safety and security offered by the people of Mali by their just
behavior. He speaks of their intolerance of injustice being more impressive than any other people he has
encountered. Neither traveler nor inhabitant, white or black, must fear robbery or violence while in
Mali. He also remarks on the level of piety that exists in their culture. That they all will attend mosque
on Friday and wear clean, white garments. Even if a man has nothing but an old worn shirt, he will wash
it for Friday service. He also remarks on the importance they place on establishing a proper sense of
piety in their children by making them memorize the Koran by heart. Children who show any
shortcoming in this task will be put in chains until it is corrected. Ibn Battuta also spoke of the generosity
of hospitality of the people of Mali when he arrived being offered accommodation as well as an
outpouring of gifts and food. (word count 168)

2. What did Ibn Battuta find hardest to accept among the people he met? Why?

Ibn Battuta seemed to struggle with accepting hospitality that he found to be beneath a level that he
was accustomed to or contrary to the customs of his people. When he reached Walata, he and the
merchants met with the city’s deputy. The merchants remained standing as the deputy spoke to them
through and interpreter while seated. It is then the Ibn repents his journey to Walata due to their “lack
of manners and contempt for the whites.” It is difficult to determine if this was genuine contempt or a
misunderstanding of their culture and social norms. He is again displeased with their offering of
hospitality when he is served “some pounded millet mixed with honey and milk.” He is even informed
that this is considered their highest form of hospitality but finds it beneath him. These differences in
cultural norms continued to confound Ibn during his Walata. The status of women and their ability to
maintain “friends” or “companion” outside their families as well as that their members claim descent
from their mother’s brother instead of their father. He finds it difficult to conflate the Muslim traditions
he is accustomed to with the social order of the people of Walata. (word count 201)

3. In your opinion, did Ibn Battuta understand fully all he encountered? Why or why not?

The cultural differences between societies he encounters are often lost on him or require explanation. It
seems without such explanation, he often misinterprets the locals’ actions as disrespectful. This is
demonstrated when he goes down to the river to “satisfy a need.” A local follows him down and stands
between him and the river. He is confounded by the lack of decency until it is explained to him that he
was protecting Ibn from the crocodiles by placing himself between Ibn and the river. After meeting with
the sultan of Malli, Ibn returned to his room where he received the sultan’s gift of hospitality. He
describes the event of the sultan’s gift being delivered to him as an important event based on the
decorum and enthusiasm of the sultan’s party who delivered the gift, only to find it to be some
seasoned meat, bread, and sour curds. He laughs at how foolish they act for such a measly offering.
With no further explanation, this appears to be another example of Ibn misinterpreting the importance
of this event or again placing himself above the people of Mali, that such an offering should impress
him. (word count 193)