Bolon in Burkina Faso


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Bolon people of Burkina Faso belong to the greater Malinke people group cluster. The Bolon live in western Burkina Faso in a land of savannah, small forests, and wet season marshes.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Bolon people spend their lives farming and managing small herds of cattle, goats and sheep. Daily food includes millet, corn, sesame, and ground-nuts. They grow tobacco as a cash crop. Villagers use wood and charcoal for fuel and live in mud houses built around a central courtyard.

Extended families live close together, and the male head of the family has almost unlimited power over the other members. They organize each village in a strict hierarchy according to sections, families and age classes. Each clan interprets customs differently, and thus dances and other ceremonies vary from one village to another.

The people are known for their complex masks, which are respected and feared by neighboring groups. The Bolon coexist with neighbors out of necessity, but prohibit intermarriage with the Senoufo, and will not tolerate Senoufo living in Bolon areas. The Bolon have kept their heritage and character despite years of outside contact.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Most of them are of the Sunni Muslim tradition, though they often also practice spiritism and ancestor worship. Some believe the supreme god is too far away to hear their worship, so they worship things they think contain spirits. They believe the spirits pass the worship on to the supreme god.


What Are Their Needs?

Like most people in this region, the Bolon people need more schools and medical clinics.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to give the Bolon people an abundant crop this year as a testimony of his power and love.
Pray for Holy Spirit sent workers to the Bolon people.
Pray for Bolon elders to embrace the gospel and allow it to penetrate their society.
Pray for Bolon disciples to make other disciples who will make even more disciples.


Scripture Prayers for the Bolon in Burkina Faso.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Bolon
People Name in Country Bolon
Alternate Names
Population this Country 38,000
Population all Countries 52,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 10920
ROP3 Code 101573
Country Burkina Faso
Region Africa, West and Central
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 20  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Hauts-Bassins region: Houet and Kenedougou provinces, N’Dorola and Samorogouan areas. 12 villages.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Burkina Faso
Region Africa, West and Central
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 20  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Hauts-Bassins region: Houet and Kenedougou provinces, N’Dorola and Samorogouan areas. 12 villages..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 1.45 %)
3.00 %
Ethnic Religions
7.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
90.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Bolon
Language Code bof   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Bolon
Language Code bof   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Bolon

Primary Language:  Bolon

Bible Translation Status:  Translation Needed

Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  GoWestAfrica  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source Anonymous  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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