PÔ — On March 30, 2024, the village of Tiakané, situated 6 kilometers west of Pô in Nahouri province, celebrated the revival of the traditional harvest festival ‘Tiakana-faa-tchiandia,’ a practice that had dwindled over the years. The festival, organized by the village’s customary chief and his notables, aimed to reconnect the community with its cultural roots and reinforce social cohesion.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the ‘Tiakana-faa-tchiandia’ festival served as a platform to honor ancestors, seek blessings, and engage in communal festivities. It also provided an opportunity to support the local Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (VDP) and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) through donations. The festival’s return was seen as a critical step in preserving and passing on traditional values to younger generations and in acknowledging the government’s initiative to designate May 15 as a day of traditions.
The customary chief of Tiakané, known as ‘Tiakané Pê,’ emphasized the festival’s historical significance in fostering unity among residents and their friends, both within the village and beyond. He highlighted the event as a means for current and future generations to understand and appreciate their cultural heritage.
The festival attracted a significant delegation of traditional chiefs from Ghana, including ‘Paga-Bourou-Pê,’ the customary chief of the border town Paga Bourou. Their participation underscored the longstanding fraternal relations between communities across the Burkina-Ghana border and emphasized the transcendence of culture and tradition beyond national boundaries.
Local administrative leaders, including the president of the special delegation of Pô, Ilassa Dianda, attended the festival to express their support for the community’s cultural revival and their commitment to aiding the customary authorities in their developmental and unifying endeavors.
Before the festivities commenced, Tiakané’s notables invoked their ancestors’ spirits to safeguard those fighting for the country’s territorial integrity. The community demonstrated its solidarity and philanthropy by donating substantial quantities of corn to both the VDP and IDPs, illustrating the festival’s role in addressing contemporary social challenges alongside cultural celebration.
The harvest festival not only marked a return to tradition for Tiakané but also showcased the power of cultural practices in uniting and supporting communities, particularly in times of need.