The unforgettable fire

Day 16 - Kara to Sokode

We're about 250kms from the Bukino Faso border and there is a large military presence, with multiple checkpoints on our drive to visit the Tamberma people.

Every time we think that we've seen enough villages we find that the next village has something unique to show us. The huts in this village are built for defence, and look like miniature castles with two floors. The lower floor is used for sleeping and is dark, with hanging objects that can warn of the approach of strangers, and have arrow slots. The upper level contains a cooking area and a granary, as well as another room area for sleeping. The villages were established hundreds of years ago by people fleeing from the Mossi empire.

Before we left we were treated to some singing and dancing by the women of the village. We were encouraged to join in, a few of our group did, but we declined.

We drove back to Kara for lunch then headed to our hotel in Sokode. After settling in we regrouped around 6pm to drive to a voodoo fire show at a village nearby. 

We arrived in the dark and our bus was immediately surrounded by children trying to get their hands on anything we were carrying, M had to be vigilant about kids trying to take his metal water bottle.

The show started off with some men running burning sticks over their hands, arms, feet, legs and heads. It then progressed to the fire being placed in their mouth and rubbed along their tongues.

The finale was a man picking up small logs from the fire and biting off chunks of flaming charcoal pieces, placing them in his mouth and between his teeth whilst blowing on them to fan the flames. A couple of times he offered the stick to people in the audience, of course everyone refused. It felt like he was staring into our eyes only, only to discover later that everyone thought the same thing .... spooky!

We were suddenly told that it was over and were rushed back to the vans very hastily, on our way back to the van we were mobbed my kids, M almost losing his water bottle. It left us feeling a bit uncomfortable as the atmosphere was as if something bad was about to go down, but maybe that was just part of the show?