Cattle in the West African savanna: evidence from 1st millennium CE Kirikongo, Burkina Faso

Dueppen, Stephen A.

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2011.09.005

Cited by 12 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…A partial survey of the Bend from 1997-2000 discovered 19 Iron Age mound clusters, each ranging from 4 to 17 mounds (Holl and Kote 2000). I directed two independent seasons of fieldwork at one of the larger of these villages, Kirikongo, in 2004(Dueppen 2004, 2008,2012…”

Section: Burkina Faso In the Iron Agementioning

confidence: 99%

From Kin to Great House: Inequality and Communalism at Iron Age Kirikongo, Burkina Faso

Dueppen¹

2012

Am. antiq.

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AbstractArchaeological models of increasing sociopolitical complexity have over-privileged processes of centralization in comparison to decentralization. In western Burkina Faso, ethnologists have long been intrigued by several “village societies,” with complex communities characterized by heterogeneous populations (in kin and ethnicity), endogamous socioeconomic specialist groups, diverse ritual systems, and strong village autonomy. Rather than structured by a hierarchical sociopolitical organization, these multifaceted communities are defined by village communalism and an intricate horizontal organization. This paper presents the developmental trajectory of a community ancestral to a modern “village society,” through an exploration of the dynamic political strategies of multifamily houses at the Iron Age archaeological site of Kirikongo, located in Burkina Faso (ca. A.D. 100–1700). Extensions of power by Kirikongo’s founding house in the 1st millennium A.D. led gradually to increasing inequalities and a subversion of common descent. However, in the early 2nd millennium A.D. these developments were rejected through an egalitarian revolution that transformed the identity of the house, leading to an increased importance of the village community and civic institutions. In addition to exclusionary power strategies, I stress the transformative role of egalitarian behaviors in shaping the nature of power and leadership, particularly when derived from collective action by the community.

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Section: Burkina Faso In the Iron Agementioning

confidence: 99%

From Kin to Great House: Inequality and Communalism at Iron Age Kirikongo, Burkina Faso

Dueppen¹

2012

Am. antiq.

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“…It is estimated that about 25% of cattle, 33% of sheep, and 40% of goats are reared among smallholder farmers in WASS [ 32 ]. The specific breeds of cattle reared in northern Ghana and southern Burkina Faso include the West African Shorthorn (humpless type), Zebu/White Fulani, and crossbreed such as Sanga and N’Dama [ 33 ]. These breeds of cattle are reared in the study areas because they are trypanotolerant and therefore able to adapt to tsetsefly-infested environments [ 33 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The specific breeds of cattle reared in northern Ghana and southern Burkina Faso include the West African Shorthorn (humpless type), Zebu/White Fulani, and crossbreed such as Sanga and N’Dama [ 33 ]. These breeds of cattle are reared in the study areas because they are trypanotolerant and therefore able to adapt to tsetsefly-infested environments [ 33 ]. For sheep and goats, the common breeds reared by local farmers include the West African long-legged type (mostly found in Ghana), Djallonke, and crossbreed Mossi type (common in Burkina Faso) [ 34 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating criteria for valuation of forage resources by local agro-pastoralists in West Africa: using quantitative ethnoecological approach

Naah

2018

J Ethnobiology Ethnomedicine

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BackgroundThis paper provides an insightful quantitative ethnoecological analysis and affirms that agro-pastoralists have a multiplicity of criteria for valuating their natural forage resources. Rural households in West Africa are not only confronted with water resource scarcity but also have to cope with limited forage resources to feed livestock in both wet and dry seasons based on local knowledge. Local agro-pastoral social-ecological systems (SESs) in the study areas stem from the daily utilization of available forage resources by dominant domestic livestock (cattle, goats, and sheep) over the years. However, there is very little systematic knowledge documentation on forage-related valuation criteria in this part of the world. Hence, this study aimed at examining (1) forage resources used for different seasons and livestock types, (2) explicit forage-related valuation criteria and associated salience, and (3) effects of socio-demographic and climatic aridity on local valuation criteria.MethodsTo address these aims, a total of 526 individual ethnoecological interviews (encompassing Dagbani, Gurunsi, and Mossi ethnic groups) were conducted in 16 villages coupled with vegetation sampling of 144 plots in Ghana and Burkina Faso. Rigorous model selection, generalized linear mixed-effects models, cognitive salience indices, and descriptive statistics were applied.ResultsThe results revealed that majority (73%) of the agro-pastoralists regarded herbaceous forage plants to be very palatable for livestock consumption in the rainy season and for cattle while woody vegetation and crop-related forage plants were rather perceived to be more important in the dry season and for goats and sheep. The findings also indicated that climatic aridity significantly influenced the number of forage-related valuation criteria cited by agro-pastoralists for different seasonal and livestock types (p < 0.001). It was also found out that agro-pastoralists did not only judge forage plants based on their availability but also on other criteria such as palatability, stimulation of milk production, and healthy growth of livestock.ConclusionLocal agro-pastoralists’ knowledge on natural forage resources and their valuation criteria is geared towards sustainable domestic livestock production. This study is thus interesting and crucially important for fellow scientists, policy-makers, and other stakeholders in the agricultural production sector in local farming landscapes within West Africa and beyond.

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“…Sub-Saharan Western Africa displays low diversity of M. bovis genotypes. While some earlier cases of cattle domestication might exist in this area [47,48], clear signals of introduction of modern cattle species dates to first millennium AD in Burkina Faso [49].…”

Section: Plos Neglected Tropical Diseasesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary analysis of Mycobacterium bovis genotypes across Africa suggests co-evolution with livestock and humans

et al. 2020

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Mycobacterium bovis is the pathogenic agent responsible for bovine tuberculosis (bTB), a zoonotic disease affecting mostly cattle, but also transmittable to humans and wildlife. Genetic studies on M. bovis allow to detect possible routes of bTB transmission and the identification of genetic reservoirs that may provide an essential framework for public health action. We used a database with 1235 M. bovis genotypes collected from different regions in Africa with 45 new Mozambican samples. Our analyses, based on phylogeographic and population genetics' approaches, allowed to identify two clear trends. First, the genetic diversity of M. bovis is geographically clustered across the continent, with the only incidences of long-distance sharing of genotypes, between South Africa and Algeria, likely due to recent European introductions. Second, there is a broad gradient of diversity from Northern to Southern Africa with a diversity focus on the proximity to the Near East, where M. bovis likely emerged with animal domestication in the last 10,000 years. Diversity indices are higher in Eastern Africa, followed successively by Northern, Central, Southern and Western Africa, roughly correlating with the regional archaeological records of introduction of animal domesticates. Given this scenario M. bovis in Africa was probably established millennia ago following a concomitant spread with cattle, sheep and goat. Such scenario could translate into long-term locally adapted lineages across Africa. This work describes a novel scenario for the spread of M. bovis in Africa using the available genetic data, opening the field to further studies using higher resolution genomic data.

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Cattle in the West African savanna: evidence from 1st millennium CE Kirikongo, Burkina Faso

Cited by 12 publications

References 20 publications

From Kin to Great House: Inequality and Communalism at Iron Age Kirikongo, Burkina Faso

From Kin to Great House: Inequality and Communalism at Iron Age Kirikongo, Burkina Faso

Investigating criteria for valuation of forage resources by local agro-pastoralists in West Africa: using quantitative ethnoecological approach

Evolutionary analysis of Mycobacterium bovis genotypes across Africa suggests co-evolution with livestock and humans

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