Attractions of Manga and its surroundings
Located in the southern part of the country, the South Central Region is bordered to the North by the Central Region, to the South by Ghana, to the East by the East Central Region and to the Central Plateau to the West by the West Central Region. It includes the provinces of Bazèga, Nahouri and Zoundwéogo, whose capitals are respectively the cities of Kombissiri, Pô and Manga. It covers an area of about 11,327 km², representing 4.1% of the country’s total surface area. The chief town of the region is Manga which is located about 100 km from Ouagadougou and 20 km from the Burkina Faso border with Ghana. The south central region is characterized by two main climatic seasons: a rainy season from May to October and a dry season from November to April. The rainy season is dominated by the monsoon, while the dry season is dominated by cold and dry winds that blow from December to February and hot and dry winds that blow from March to April. Rainfall is abundant and the average annual rainfall varies between 500 and 1200 mm.
Kaboré Tambi National Park
Located between Ouagadougou and the border with Ghana, the Kaboré Tambi National Park was created in 1976 as the Po National Park and covers an area of 155,500 ha. Thanks to its biodiversity and the particularity of its ecosystem, it represents an important nature reserve in the heart of West Africa. The park is home to about 32 species of large mammals, including antelopes, elephants, monkeys, jackals, mongooses, genets, hyenas, warthogs and several species of reptiles and fish. The avifauna is made up of approximately 251 species of birds divided into 42 families, including snakes,
marabouts, tantalum ibis, black storks and several migratory species that are added every year. The flora of the park is essentially made up of Sudano-Zambézian species that have adapted to the sub-Sahelian climate, characterized by a single rainy season. 212 species have been recorded in the different types of savannah.
The Royal Palace of Tiébélé
Situated at the foot of a hill in a plain landscape covering an area of about 1.2 ha, the Royal Court of Tiébélé forms an irregular circular space. The royal palace is made up of several characteristic elements such as the Pourou which is a sacred mound where the placentas of the royal family members are buried, the nabarê which is the altar of the ancestors, the red fig tree, sacred stones, the court hut, the ancestors’ cemetery. The Palace is divided into 5 main areas corresponding to the following categories: princes, drum keepers, elders, little brothers and spokesmen. Each concession
is organized around a mother house which, seen from above, is shaped like the number eight. The courtyard is characterized by a rich traditional architecture with a defensive character. It is surrounded by high walls and fences connected by walls of the various dwellings. The Royal Court of Tiébélé is an exceptional testimony of the Kasséna traditions.
Nahouri Peak in Songo
The Nahouri peak is located in Kasséna country, 1 km from the village of Nahouri not far from the border with Ghana. It is an isolated inselberg-type peak, the only notable one in the entire region, which peaks at 447 metres. It rises about 180 metres above the surrounding plain which is made up of a wooded savannah. It is one of the highest peaks in the country after Mount Tenakourou and the Sindou peaks. A little further east towards Tiébélé are other eminences associated with the same geological formation whose summits vary between 350m and 430m.
Traditional habitats of Tiébélé
The village of Tiébélé is located in the southern part of Burkina Faso, not far from the border with Ghana. It is the village of the Gourounsi people also known as the Kassena people. It is one of the oldest ethnic groups living in Burkina Faso since the 15th century. The village of Tiébélé is known for its incredible traditional architecture with richly decorated walls that are part of a vast cultural heritage of paramount importance to these peoples. They build their houses with local materials: earth, wood and straw. These houses are built according to a defense concept as in colonial times.
The walls are 30 cm thick and the houses are designed without windows, except for a small opening or two that let some light in. The doors are small, making it difficult for enemies to enter. The roofs are protected with wooden ladders that are easily accessible in case of enemy attacks.
The Naaba Bilgo and its objects
Tomb of Naba Bilgo's mother
According to legends, Naaba Bilgo’s mother’s pregnancy lasted 9 years. The chief, his wife and their entourage were worried about this long pregnancy and wondered about the nature of the child that would be born. It was then that Bilgo’s mother informed the chef that every evening, at mealtimes, her belly would become flat. Indeed, Naaba Bilgo would leave her mother’s womb to fight, and her belly would then become flat as if she were not pregnant. At dawn, the Bilgo would return to her mother’s womb, waiting for the evening to come and start his conquests again! Today the tomb of
Naaba Bilgo’s mother can be visited in the region.
