Bassari people

The Bassari are an ethnic group who live primarily in Senegal, with some diaspora into Gambia, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.

They are mainly subsistence farmers growing for self consumption, with fonio being a crop of large importance both to combat climate change and for cultural significance.

[4] They migrate to the cities and towns of Senegal and Guinea in the dry season in search of wage-labor, using the money they earn to buy household equipment, clothing and other necessary items.

The Bassari particularly have been documented to stock pile food for 2–3 years in advance, which also opens up opportunity for market trade with neighboring communities.

Participants have dubbed her the Queen of the fonio, and the festival serves as a place for political speeches, traditional singing and dances, and the gifting of offerings made to Ndiaye.

Each of the three levels of the society gives initiators access to the roles of masks and kore, which in turn creates six modes of simulated entities.

Toure's Militia performed public unmasking ceremonies in front of women and children in order to undermine the cultural relevancy of the society, followed by a beating of the men and burnings of ritual objects.

The Bassari have a long standing tradition of metallurgy which have been included in European records since the late 19th century.

Importing materials through trade with the Coniagui for iron ore and Fula for copper, the Bassari process these metals within their own line of blacksmiths to craft tools and jewelry.