West Chester University
The Massufa were devout Muslims who said their prayers, learned the law, and memorized the Qu'ran. But their women were "not modest in the presence of men" and
did not wear a veil. Although people married, "but the
women do not travel with the husband, and if one of them wanted to do that, she would be prevented by her family." Each was free to take other sexual partners from outside the "prohibited degrees of marriage" [father, brother, son, etc.]. "One of them would enter his house to find his wife with her companion and would not disapprove of that conduct."
At first Battuta wanted to leave immediately with a group of pilgrims from Walata, but then decided to remain and visit the Mali capital. Battuta ultimately spent about 50 days in Walata, and left this description of the town: "The town of Iwalatan is very hot and there are in it a few small date palms in whose shade they plant melons. They obtain water from the ground which exudes it. Mutton is obtainable in quantity there. The clothes of its people are of fine Egyptian material. Most of the inhabitants belong to the Massufa, and as for their women--they are extremely beautiful and are more important than the men."
