les mosquées de Bani

… there is both – a RIGHT and a DUTY to protect….

The charming story of Bani has been narrated for decades, generation by generation, fathers to sons. It has never been documented, never capted by pen. There is no wonder, only the latest generation can write and read and will be able to appreciate their roots and individuality within the globalisation.

Bani is a small village at the edge of Sahel reserve in Burkina Faso, more precisely about 40km south from the Dori city. There is a complex of mosques built up in a unique place. They might not look so, but they are not older than 40 years yet.

However there is a story of an exceptional man beyond it, Cissé Amed Ama. It is said that as a child, without ever reading Koran, he started to speak like a prophet. At 10 years old, he left to the desert to meditate for about 40 years. After he had come back, he was natural leader of the community. At 1970´s he decided for amazing experience – to go to Mekka by foot. Arrived back he has convinced people to help him with his vision of mud mosques.

what is necessary?

To preserve traditional construction techniques, restore the mosques and make their maintenance sustainable so that local community might care about them independently. The main vision is to link cultural heritage, local community and sustainable development.

progress

2012_09______first visit of Bani
2012_09______first meeting with Bani elderly, reflecting of the preservation feasibility
2012_10______second visit of Bani, “as-build documentation”, photo documentation
2012_11______introduction meeting at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism
2012_12______Nouhoum Cissé (president of Pamtiral m´Jamu) in Bratislava to take part in the Forum of Inspiring Ideas
2013_01______initial contact with US embassy in Ouagadougou and the AFCP
2013_04______website, FB page and presentation of Bani site
2013_08______meeting with Meg Riggs (responsible for AFCP) at US embassy
2013_08______meeting with Itini Jules at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism
2013_08______meeting with Guy Sanou (architect responsible for Bani project in the past when he was employed in the Ministry)
2013_08______meeting with Bani elderly and Bani mayor Amadou Hama
2013_08______meeting with Barthélémy Kaboré, responsible for documentation at the Direction Générale du Patrimoine Culturel as well as Tiebele project that was accepted by AFCP in 2012
2013_09______updating of documentation in Bani
2013_11______refusal of AFCP support
2013_12______updating of documentation and completion of bani_mosquees_book