Ouagadougou: Zitenga Naba Tigre, spokesperson for the traditional leaders of Bam, celebrated his traditional Napoussoum festival on Saturday in Tikare, in the presence of the province’s high commissioner, Karim Ouedraogo, who led a strong provincial delegation that came to wish him a happy new year.

According to Burkina Information Agency, Napoussoum is a traditional harvest festival that symbolizes the end of the harvest and gratitude to ancestors for the blessings of the land. In Zitenga, it also provides a framework for reunion, solidarity, and prayers for peace and prosperity.

This ceremony follows the Boulpoussoum, held at the beginning of the rainy season to implore the spirits of the ancestors for good rainfall. On this occasion, the chief implores the spirits of his ancestors to grant the canton good rainfall, while protecting it from disasters.

Surrounded by the guardians of local tradition, the Tigre Naba sat on his throne where he received greetings from the village chiefs of his constituency, according to customary rules.

The High Commissioner of Bam Province, Karim Ouedraogo, praised the social and spiritual significance of this celebration. “Beyond its customary nature, Napoussoum is a celebration of cohesion and unity. It is also an opportunity to renew our wishes to the head of the canton for this new year,” he declared.

He also congratulated Zitenga Naba Tigre for the start of this new customary year and for its constant commitment to good living together in the province.

In return, the Tigrean Naba thanked the High Commissioner and his delegation for their support. He took the opportunity to express his gratitude to the Koulse Regional Directorate of Communication, Culture, Arts and Tourism, which contributed to the construction of a hall in front of the royal court.

As a reminder, the canton of Zitenga covers the communes of Tikare, Guibare, and Rouko, and its chief, the Naba Tigre, has been on the throne for more than 20 years.