After crossing the border from Ghana into Burkina Faso we headed to Tiébélé, a Kassena village famous for its decorated mud built houses decorated by women using guinea fowl feathers.
Above is a family compound we visited, and below the campement we stayed at where we were allowed to put our tents on the roofs to take advantage of the breeze!
The dyes used to stain the walls are red, white, black and brown and all made from natural pigments. Each pattern has a meaning, symbolic of articles or creatures important to Kassena life.
Below are storage utensils we saw within the two-room buildings.
We also visited a village known for its pottery production where women learn the craft from an early age. However the older lady in centre of the photo below put the younger ladies to shame with the speed of her work! The pots are functional rather than decorative, and are built up by ring upon ring of clay which is then smoothed without the use of a wheel.
A short drive from Tiébélé brought us to the capital, Ouagadougou, where we enjoyed an evening dancing to a band playing Congolese rumba from the 50's and 60's. We were surrounded by immaculately dressed Burkinabes dancing ever so much more stylishly than we were!
Above is the Grand Mosque in Bobo Dioulasso, our next stop after Ouagadougou where we enjoyed more live music, explored the old town and market and visited its numerous artisans.
The Domes de Fabedougou rise sharply from the plains below, surrounded by green irrigated fields in the south-western corner of Burkina. The rock formations are easily scrambled up, and virtually deserted save for a few cow herders. We spent an afternoon exploring the area including several hours cooling off at a beautiful set of nearby waterfalls.
The bush camp we made below the peaks was a real cracker, and such a beautiful spot to enjoy watching the sun set over the imposing peaks.
An early start saw us visit Tengrela. The lake that dominates the village is known for its hippos, though the chap below was the only one we were able to get close to by pirogue.
Above, Pooley works on his rock star look, and below, Alexi and Jess wear lilies from the lake.
Above is a sacred baobab tree we visited, memorable for its eccentric guardian who communicates with the tree using a bell. He is the 12th guardian of the tree, which is believed to offer protection to the village and its agriculture. On the left, an albino man who gave us a performance on his Balafon.
The Sindou Peaks are of a similar geology to the Domes de Fabedougou, formed under an ancient sea and since eroded by wind and rain. They are the location of local initiation rituals.
Below, Pooley continues to work on his rock star look accompanied by Zoe and Nathan.
Above, Jess, Alice, Zoe, Alexi, Nathan, Emila and Al among the Sindou Peaks.
Below, behind Al, you can see rice cultivation on the surrounding plains.
From Sindou we visited Niansigouni, a troglodyte settlement inhabited from ancient times up until the 1980's. The structures above on the left and right are granaries: enough grain could be stored to last a year when needed in times of tribal war, though all was grown and carried up from the fields below. The image in the centre shows a house depicting weapons which belonged to the chief.
The settlement is perfectly shaded from the sun and protected from the wind and rain, and most importantly cannot be seen from below. Although no longer inhabited, residents of the village below still visit this site for animist rituals.
The structure below, which is situated above the level of the rest of the settlement, was for storing objects of particular value for ritualistic or spiritual reasons.
A long bumpy drive saw us cross from Burkina Faso to the north of Ivory Coast, and our first stop Korhogo. This lively town is known for its skilled artisans in the surrounding villages. Above a woman spins yarn, and below it's woven into cloth, with the finished product in the picture below that.
These beads are used to make jewellery and are painted with feathers while being spun on a stick.
Below is an example of Korhogo cloth, a print for which the region is well-known.
From Korhogo we head south to the Ivorian capital, Yamoussoukro, and then west into Guinea's Forest region before continuing south into Liberia. There'll be many more great photos coming soon so stay tuned!
Many thanks to passenger Alexi O'Brien for sharing these images with us.
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