Ouagadougou: The singer Tewinde Segda, known as Mariam Segda, was officially elevated on Friday in Ouahigouya to the rank of Living Human Treasure, in recognition of her commitment to safeguarding and transmitting Yanna oral traditions.

According to Burkina Information Agency, this distinction recognizes the artist's remarkable commitment, his perfect mastery of the craft, and his contribution to the preservation and transmission of Burkina Faso's intangible cultural heritage.

For more than twenty years, Mariam Segda has been perpetuating the genealogies, founding narratives, and musical and linguistic expressions specific to the Yanna community.

This recognition aims to highlight the essential role of traditional knowledge holders in preserving national cultural identity. It also contributes to the promotion of intangible heritage and the empowerment of local cultural stakeholders.

On this occasion, several cultural actors stressed the need to support the bearers of traditions in order to facilitate the transmission of their knowledge to younger generations, in a context marked by social changes.

The Living Human Treasure distinction is awarded to individuals recognized for their exceptional mastery of skills and cultural practices threatened with extinction.