Hunting in Centre-South: Rocky bushland and millet fields, Mossi rituals, seasonal bird and mammal hunts, local elders, and unwritten laws

Expansive bushlands and mosaic habitats at the heart of southern Burkina The Centre-Sud Region unfolds across rolling savannahs, acacia-dotted plains, and transitional woodlands, with natural corridors linking the dense farming zones of the Centre to the greener forest edges of the south. Located just below Ouagadougou, it includes the provinces of Bazèga, Zoundwéogo, and Nahouri — areas where the landscape speaks both of cultivation and wilderness, of millet fields and game trails. The climate is seasonal, with intense rains followed by long, dry months that draw wildlife toward isolated water sources. Though agriculture is dominant, hunting continues to mark the rhythm of rural life, especially in areas near forest fragments, rocky escarpments, and communal bush. Mossi traditions and the cultural identity of the southern hunter In Centre-Sud, hunting is deeply embedded in Mossi tradition. It has long been considered a post-harvest activity, often practiced communally and tied to specific village rituals. The hunter is respected not only for his skill but for his endurance, generosity, and silence — qualities viewed as essential in both the field and in life. Young men are introduced to hunting through storytelling, observation, and hands-on training with traps and dogs. While firearms are now more common, traditional tools — such as slings, bows, and hand-forged knives — still find use, especially in symbolic or ritual contexts. What sets Centre-Sud apart in Burkina’s hunting geography This region serves as both a passageway and a meeting point — a space where northern savannah species mingle with southern forest-edge fauna. Its terrain is accessible and varied, making it suitable for diverse hunting techniques, from still-hunting to team-driven strategies. Though large game is rare, the region’s strong cultural emphasis on community hunting, land respect, and sacred forest protection makes it notable. Sacred hills and ancestral groves play a unique role in conservation, often preserving biodiversity more effectively than written law. Species targeted and dry-season tracking traditions Centre-Sud is home to a variety of small and medium-sized game: guinea fowl, francolins, doves, hares, porcupines, cane rats, duikers, and the occasional bush pig or oribi. The dry season — particularly between January and April — is prime hunting time, when grasses are low, trails are clearer, and animals concentrate around waterholes and shaded bush. Hunters rely on wire snares, pressure-trigger traps, and lightweight rifles. Dogs assist in the pursuit of rodents and birds, while some elder hunters still prefer to hunt barefoot, using wind direction and ant trails to guide their steps. Hunting laws, spiritual rules, and village codes of conduct As in other regions, Centre-Sud is governed by national wildlife laws, but their enforcement is uneven and frequently interwoven with traditional codes. Village councils often determine when and where hunting may occur, and some groves are declared sacred or closed during certain periods of the year. There is widespread understanding that certain animals — such as monkeys or monitor lizards — are spiritually “charged” and avoided by custom. Seasonal bans are often observed not out of legal fear but out of ancestral respect. Agricultural pressure, sacred spaces, and ecological resilience Though Centre-Sud is increasingly cultivated, especially around Kombissiri and Manga, many families maintain bush zones as buffers — places not just for hunting, but for gathering medicine, reflecting, and honoring spirits. These patches serve as micro-habitats for remaining wildlife, offering shelter and food amidst expanding fields. In some communities, hunters have begun working with agroforestry cooperatives to restore bush corridors using native trees, preserving pathways for both animals and ancestral memory. Ceremony, initiation, and the hunter’s social role In certain villages, a young man’s first hunt is celebrated as a rite of passage. The meat from his first duiker or hare is shared in a meal that honors the ancestors and welcomes him into adulthood. Horns, hides, and feathers are used in ritual dances or stored in family compounds as signs of strength and continuity. Women also play a role — preparing game, interpreting hunting dreams, or advising when to postpone a hunt based on omens. The hunter is thus not a lone figure, but part of a communal web of meaning and memory. Footsteps in dust and stories carried by firelight Near Tiébélé and Nobéré, it’s said that some hunters can follow a guinea fowl’s path through dry leaves by sound alone. In the hills of Nahouri, elders teach children to listen to wind shifts as messages from the spirits. And in the early morning silence of the dry season, when the bush is still and the sky pale with heat, the hunter walks not just for meat, but for knowledge — knowledge of where the world has been, and where it’s going.