Negotiating material identities: young men and modernity in Djenné

UNESCO’s recent emphasis on countries’ intangible cultural heritage (ICH) has raised questions about what such a programme of validation means in practice. In this article, a discussion of the restoration of traditional boys’ houses ( sahos) on the outskirts of Djenné in Mali is used to question what is actually preserved through architectural restoration. An exploration of modern boys’ houses highlights their dynamic social function and the tension between a heritage vision of a town that looks inwards, and the outward-looking ambitions of young men in Djenné.