Natta

Natta is a small Somba arrondissement just west of Boukoumbé and one of several places where the traditional tata compounds can be visited without too much fuss. The setting is flatter than Koussoukoingou — open millet country rather than ridge-top — and the compounds are spread thinly across the fields, each one a self-contained homestead with its livestock, granaries, and shrine.

The arrondissement is best reached as a half-day side trip from Boukoumbé, either on foot for the energetic or by motorbike taxi for everyone else. As with the other Somba settlements, the way to do this respectfully is to arrange a local guide, ask before photographing, and bring small gifts (kola nuts, or a contribution to the family's beer pot) for any household that hosts you.

things to do sight