TAKIENTA

The word takienta literally means "she who guards". Nicknamed "Tata Tamberma", the most beautiful takienta are located in the village of Bassamba, about 15 km from the beginning of the trail. The village is made up of a series of towers arranged in a circle and linked together by a thick wall. These walls are built with a mixture of clay and straw. There is only one opening in the building, which looks like a small fortification. The main façade always faces west, the direction taken by the deceased. It is flanked by two towers, of which the north tower is for the woman. The habitat was originally a warrior habitat, designed to ensure protection against tribal invasions and later, in the 19th century, to defend against German colonizers. This is evidenced by the ruts provided to shoot arrows. In front of the house are the fetishes that ensure the protection of the spirits and to which chickens, guinea fowl and game are sacrificed. The horns and skulls of the sacrificed animals are then placed above the entrance to the house. The house has two floors: the first floor where the animals are housed and the terrace where the kitchen (which is sometimes also located on the middle floor), the bedrooms, and the granaries are located. These are the turrets of the fortification that serve as granaries. One stores there the millet or the corn. The granary is accessed by means of a traditional ladder carved in a Y-shaped wood.