Because it is Ramadan, the month when Muslims fast during the daylight hours, everyone is working at a slower pace than usual. Indeed, some men use the occasion to lounge about for hours, dazzling passersby with their most elegant outfits. Even during the rest of the year, though, men can often be seen resting quietly in shady spots throughout Malian villages while their wives pound grain, wash clothes, care for children, cook, and gather firewood. Published in Material World, page 16. Mali.