Baïla
Encyclopedia
Baïla is a village in the rural community of Suelle, Sindian
, Bignona
, Ziguinchor
, Casamance
, Senegal
.
Boukout
, a Jola
rite of passage
, took place in Baïla for the first time in 1971, but it was 36 years before it was held there again. On August 4, 2007, thousands of people gathered for the occasion. In 2002, the French commune of Houdan
committed to providing Baïla with humanitarian aid, both economically and culturally.
and 15 km from Bignona
on the N5 road that leads to Banjul
, The Gambia
. The nearest towns are Tilaye, Belaye
, Diakoye, Diatang, Kaparan, and Diegoun.
tree, considered sacred by the population, which is 14 centuries old.
Sindian Arrondissement
Sindian Arrondissement is an arrondissement of the Bignona Department in the Ziguinchor Region of Senegal.-Subdivisions:The arrondissement is divided administratively into rural communities and in turn into villages....
, Bignona
Bignona Department
Bignona Department is one of the departments of Senegal, located in the Ziguinchor Region.- Subdivisions :The department is divided administratively into four arrondissements,...
, Ziguinchor
Ziguinchor Region
Ziguinchor is a region of Senegal . The region is also referred to historically and popularly as Basse Casamance.-Departments:Ziguinchor region is divided into 3 departments:*Bignona...
, Casamance
Casamance
Casamance is the area of Senegal south of The Gambia including the Casamance River. It consists of Basse Casamance and Haute Casamance...
, Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
.
History
Boukout
Boukout is a Jola rite of passage practiced in Ziguinchor, Senegal.-Origin:There is evidence that this ritual has existed at least since the 12th century...
, a Jola
Jola people
The Jola are an ethnic group found in Senegal , The Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau. There are great numbers on the Atlantic coast between the southern banks of the Gambia River, the Casamance region of Senegal and the northern part of Guinea-Bissau...
rite of passage
Rite of passage
A rite of passage is a ritual event that marks a person's progress from one status to another. It is a universal phenomenon which can show anthropologists what social hierarchies, values and beliefs are important in specific cultures....
, took place in Baïla for the first time in 1971, but it was 36 years before it was held there again. On August 4, 2007, thousands of people gathered for the occasion. In 2002, the French commune of Houdan
Houdan
Houdan is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-Geography:Houdan is west of Paris in the Yvelines département. It is linked by SNCF Alençon and Paris .-History:...
committed to providing Baïla with humanitarian aid, both economically and culturally.
Geography
The village is located approximately 45 km from ZiguinchorZiguinchor
Ziguinchor is the capital of the Ziguinchor Region, and the chief town of the Casamance area of Senegal, lying at the mouth of the Casamance River. It has a population of over 230,000...
and 15 km from Bignona
Bignona
Bignona is a town located in the Ziguinchor Region of Senegal. It briefly appears in the movie Binta and the Great Idea.-Notable people:*Landing Savané, politician*Ibrahima Sonko, footballer*Lamine Diarra, footballer*Séni Camara, sculptor...
on the N5 road that leads to Banjul
Banjul
-Transport:Ferries sail from Banjul to Barra. The city is served by the Banjul International Airport. Banjul is on the Trans–West African Coastal Highway connecting it to Dakar and Bissau, and will eventually provide a paved highway link to 11 other nations of ECOWAS.Banjul International Airport...
, The Gambia
The Gambia
The Republic of The Gambia, commonly referred to as The Gambia, or Gambia , is a country in West Africa. Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, surrounded by Senegal except for a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west....
. The nearest towns are Tilaye, Belaye
Bélaye
Bélaye is a commune in the Lot department in south-western France....
, Diakoye, Diatang, Kaparan, and Diegoun.
Population
According to PEPAM (Water and Sanitation Program for the Millennium), there are 1287 people and 179 households in Baïla. Most of the population is Jola, specifically Jola Fogny, a subgroup within the ethnicity. Pierre Goudiaby Atepa, an architect, was born in Baïla.Flora
In Baïla, there is a kapokKapok
Ceiba pentandra is a tropical tree of the order Malvales and the family Malvaceae , native to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, northern South America, and to tropical west Africa...
tree, considered sacred by the population, which is 14 centuries old.