Enampore, Séléki and the Bandial villages hold the impluvium houses, a Diola architecture unique in West Africa and still lived in today.
The Bandial kingdom gathers a handful of Diola villages south-west of Ziguinchor, between rice fields and bolongs. Life follows the rhythm of the rice harvest and of traditional ceremonies, under the customary authority of a king whose role remains primarily spiritual.
Enampore is known for its impluvium houses: a circular mud-brick dwelling whose thatched roof opens at its centre to collect rainwater in an inner basin. Some are over a century old and still shelter entire families. The neighbouring village of Séléki has further examples.
Spending the night at the village camp in Enampore means sharing a meal of rice and fish, listening to the elders and coming close to a social order that has remained largely intact.
Photo: Ji-Elle, domaine public
