Tiebele

Tiebele is a small village located right next to Burkina Faso’s border with Ghana. There are many traditional mud homes and other architectural structures, all of which are wonderfully adorned. Because of the poverty in the region, the houses here are made of straw and mud, but they are adorned with individuality and pride, making them a fantastic place to visit.

Tiebele is home to the Kassena people, a region-wide ethnic group. The home paintings are one of several traditional traditions for the tribe, which is on the verge of extinction. The region, like other traditional activities, is rapidly commercializing, and murals may soon be a thing of the past. Thankfully, the tourism community's renewed interest in the tradition has increased the number of visitors visiting Tiebele, which may be the silver lining for the dying practice. Tiebele has also been recognized by the World Monument Fund, and monies have been raised to promote and preserve the culture here.

The wall paintings in Tiebele owe their existence to Kassena women, who have been practicing the tradition as a community project for centuries now. Each painted house in the village owes it to the women folk around. A closer look reveals a lot of interesting symbolism at work in the paintings here.

• Location: Tiébélé is a department or commune of Nahouri Province in southeastern Burkina Faso.