Baïla is a village in the rural community of Suelle, Sindian,

Bignona Bignona is a town with commune status located in the Ziguinchor Region of Senegal (Casamance). It briefly appears in the movie ''Binta and the Great Idea.'' Its population on 2013 was 27,826. Notable people *Landing Savané, politician *Ibrahi ...

Ziguinchor Ziguinchor (; wo, Siggcoor ; ar, زيغينكور) is the capital of the Ziguinchor Region, and the chief town of the Casamance area of Senegal, lying at the mouth of the Casamance River. It has a population of over 230,000 (2007 estimate). I ...

Casamance , settlement_type = Geographical region , image_skyline = Senegal Casamance.png , image_caption = Casamance in Senegal , image_flag = Flag of Casamance.svg , image_shield = , motto ...

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...

History

Boukout Boukout (also called bukut or futampaf) is a Jola rite of passage practiced in Ziguinchor, Senegal. Origin There is evidence that this ritual has existed at least since the 12th century. Before the colonization, boukout was the only method of ...

, a Jola

rite of passage A rite of passage is a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of status in society. In cultural anthropology the term is the Anglicisation of ''rite ...

, took place in Baïla for the first time in 1971, but it was 36 years before it was held there again. On August 4, 2007, thousands of people gathered for the occasion. In 2002, the French commune of Houdan committed to providing Baïla with humanitarian aid, both economically and culturally.

Administration

Baïla is one of 16 villages in Suelle.

Geography

The village is located approximately 45 km from

and 15 km from

on the N5 road that leads to Banjul,

The Gambia The Gambia,, ff, Gammbi, ar, غامبيا officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. It is the smallest country within mainland AfricaHoare, Ben. (2002) ''The Kingfisher A-Z Encyclopedia'', Kingfisher Publicatio ...

. The nearest towns are Tilaye, Belaye, Diakoye, Diatang, Kaparan, and Diegoun.

Population

According to PEPAM (Water and Sanitation Program for the Millennium), there are 1287 people and 179 households in Baïla. Most of the population is Jola, specifically Jola Fogny, a subgroup within the ethnicity. Pierre Goudiaby Atepa, an architect, was born in Baïla.

Flora

In Baïla, there is a

kapok tree Kapok tree can refer to several plants Malvales with one exception with seeds that grow long hairs: *''Bombax ceiba'', an Asian tree with red flowers *''Calotropis procera'' (Asterid), a shrub with white and purple flowers, native to Asia and ...

, considered sacred by the population, which is 14 centuries old.

External links

Maps, weather and airports for Baila

Baïla on the PEPAM website

Introduction to Baïla: A piece of history revisited by thousands of young people in Jola country
Populated places in the Bignona Department Arrondissement of Sindian {{Bignona Department