Activities >> Sites

Burkina Faso: Conservation and Presentation of the Na-Yiri of Kokologho

Background

The Burkina Faso has a rich immovable cultural heritage; the Na-yiri of Kokologho is one of the most interesting sites in the country. It is a leaving heritage, where the Naaba, chief of 8 villages, lives. The community and the Naaba continue to practice traditional conservation, so that this site has kept its cultural and architectural significance. The Naaba however, foreseeing problems in the future to keep this traditional conservation’s practices alive, wish to explore a way to reinforce these practices with funds made available through the opening of the site to visitors. It is after his participation in one Africa 2009’s Regional Course, that one agent of the DPC has identify the Na-Yiri of Kokologho as a threatened site, where the DPC could easily play a very positive role. The project of conservation and site presentation of the Na-Yiri has been built in partnership with the Naaba, the DPC and Africa 2009 representatives.

Objectives

The objectives of this projet situé are (1) to restore the Na-yiri and reinforce its traditional practice’s system, ( 2) to put in place a site tour and its presentation, (3) to ensure its promotion, ( 4) to put in place a mechanism enabling the Na-yiri to benefit from funds generated by visits and sales of promotional material, ( 5) to inscribe the project in a sustainable development policy for the benefit of the whole community, by installing a solar lighting system and drilling a bore-hole with manual pomp. The project will also provide field of experience to national professionals trained through the Projet Cadre.

Structure

The project is to be implemented by DPC with the assistance of CRATerre-EAG. The schedule of activities is depending on the traditional schedule of activities, usually undertaken at the Na-Yiri. However it is composed by 5 parts:

• Preliminary works, including general studies on the context and the values of the site;
• Conservation works;
• Documentation of the Na-Yiri, including traditional practices and inventories of movable heritage to be presented in the exposition;
• Site presentation, including exposition, promotional material, management of visitors;
• Opening of the site and follow up of the project.
  

Results by the end of 2004

• General studies on the Mossi and comparative studies on the other Na-yiri in the kingdom of the Mogho Naaba ;
• Documentation of the traditional practices, including practices of conservation ;
  Survey of the Na-yiri ;
• A site tour respecting the traditional uses of the site has been defined, guides have been trained ;
• Site presentation has been defined and a detailed project designed ;
• Tour operators have been identified and strategies of promotion has been elaborate with them ;
• Documentation finalized, including documentation on movable heritage associated to the Na-Yiri ;
• A bore hole and a solar lighting system in place ;
• This project is a very interesting case study on how to a management mechanism can be established to allow tradition to continue while accepting visitors, while in turn revenue generated from visitors will help traditions to survive. An other very interesting aspect is that this project has also been the opportunity to actually address development issues, with the construction of a borehole useful not only for conservation purposes but also for the overall commuity.
  

Members of Africa 2009 network involved

Oumarou Nao, Directeur (DS, SC) Assita Traoré, (RC) Barthélémy Kaboré (TC, RS).