A Homecoming to Guarango: Returning to Our Bissa Homeland in Burkina Faso
- Markita Williams
- Jun 22
- 6 min read
There are journeys that take you across borders. And there are journeys that take you back through time, through blood memory, ancestral truth, an
d the sacred responsibility of return.
Our recent visit to the Bissa village of Guarango in Burkina Faso was more than a trip. It was a homecoming.
As board members of The Bissa History & Genealogy Society in America, we have committed ourselves to reconnecting people of Bissa descent in the diaspora with our ancestral homeland, preserving our history, and supporting the future of Bissa communities. This journey deepened that mission in ways we will carry for the rest of our lives.
Learning the Path of Our Ancestors
Through research, oral tradition, and ancestral discovery, we continue to learn more about the long migration and history of the Bissa people.
The Bissa are descended from the Mandé people. Before the name “Bissa” became associated with our people, early ancestral groups were known as the Soninke, descended from an ancestor named Dinga, who is said to have come from Aswan, Egypt (Kemet), which is also the current home of the Nubian People.
From Egypt (Kemet), our ancestors migrated westward and became part of the formation of the Ghana Empire. After the fall of Ghana, groups moved toward Senegal. From there, a segment known as the Mandinka moved into the Mandé region, present day Mali, and contributed to the rise of the Mali Empire.
Over time, the Mandinka and related Mandé peoples formed distinct branches and communities. The Bissa emerged within this larger Mandé family and eventually settled in what is now south-central Burkina Faso, where Bissa communities continue to live, lead, farm, worship, and preserve their traditions today.
To stand on Bissa land with this knowledge was humbling. It reminded us that our history did not begin in displacement. It began in civilization, movement, resilience, and identity.
The Road to Guarango
Our journey began in Ouagadougou,
the capital of Burkina Faso. We traveled to the Bissa village of Guarango accompanied by a beloved Bissa Sister, Bissa Brother, and our translator. Because of our beloved brother and sister being as police officers, our passage through local checkpoints was smooth and efficient.
After approximately four hours on the road, we arrived in Guarango.
There, we were formally received by the village elders and a Bissa Auntie. Before entering the village they did a ritual entrance ceremony at the gate of the village to show homage and receive us back into the village. Once the entrance ceremony was completed, we were formally received by the village chief, Chief Naan Koom.
From the moment we stepped onto the land, we felt something shift. The welcome was warm, sincere, and immediate. Any feeling of being visitors disappeared quickly. We did not feel like outsiders. We felt like family returning after a long absence.
That feeling was especially powerful because we had both traced our lineage back to the Bissa people of Burkina Faso. We were not only visiting a village, we were reconnecting with a people, a place, and a legacy that had been waiting for us.
Standing in a Place of Living History
Chief Naan Koom’s compound is a place of profound history and cultural meaning.
During our visit, we toured the grounds and saw impressive sculptures representing the wildlife of the region.
lions, snakes, buffalo, and other animals connected to the surrounding land. These works were not merely decorative. They reminded us that the village exists in relationship with the natural world, with animals, land, spirit, and memory all forming part of the community’s identity.
We were also honored to visit the sacred burial grounds where previous chiefs and members of their families are laid to rest.
To stand there was to feel the weight of generations. We learned that Chief Naan Koom is believed to be the 10th or 11th chief in his lineage, a powerful testament to continuity, leadership, and cultural preservation.
The elders and leaders of Guarango hold their traditions with seriousness and dignity. Their history is not treated as something distant or forgotten. It is present. It is practiced. It is protected.
Meeting Chief Naan Koom
One of the great honors of our journey was sitting with Chief Naan Koom.
The Chief oversees approximately 60 villages, a responsibility he carries with sincerity, strength, and a clear vision for our people. During our conversation, we discussed the work we are committed to through our community and business efforts, including the mission of The 400 Fund and our pledge to donate 1% of all company profits to Faso Mebo initiative.
The Chief was deeply moved by this commitment. He shared that this level of corporate social investment is not something he often sees, and he received our pledge with appreciation.
We also participated in a traditional ritual, sharing a drink dedicated to our journey, our long term success, and the work ahead. It was a sacred and meaningful moment one that affirmed that our connection must be more than symbolic. It must become service.
When we asked about the needs of the villages, the Chief was clear: fresh water is the number one priority.
That answer has stayed with us.
Water is life. Water is health. Water is dignity. Water is development. If we are serious about reconnecting to our ancestral homeland, we must also be serious about helping meet the real needs of the people who live there today.
DNA, Embrace, and the Power of Return
The most impactful moment of the day came when we shared our African Ancestry DNA results, confirming our Bissa descent.
Chief Naan Koom’s reaction was one of pure joy.
He embraced us both and reaffirmed what we had already begun to feel in our spirits: this village is our home.
We were also offered the opportunity to return for a traditional renaming ceremony at a later date. This invitation was deeply meaningful to us. A name is not just a word, it is identity, belonging, and spiritual connection.
As part of the ancestral traditions of the village, an offering was also arranged. Because we are vegan, we respectfully entrusted the Chief and elders to complete the sacrificial offering after our departure. We honored the tradition with deep respect and gratitude.
We left Guarango changed.
Our Responsibility Going Forward
This visit renewed our sense of purpose.
The work ahead is significant, but we are confident that we are on the right path. We promised Chief Naan Koom that we would return. More importantly, we promised that our return would not be empty.
The Bissa History & Genealogy Society in America exists to help reconnect Bissa descendants throughout the diaspora with their history, genealogy, culture, and ancestral homeland. But reconnection must also include responsibility.
We are calling on those of Bissa descent, those connected to Mandé history, and all people who believe in restoration, heritage, and community development to join us.
Help Us Build the Bissa Villages
The needs are real. The opportunity is sacred.
Fresh water access, cultural preservation, village development, educational support, and ancestral reconnection are all part of the work before us. We believe that together, we can help strengthen the Bissa villages while honoring the people, elders, and traditions that have preserved this heritage for generations.
If you feel called to reconnect, serve, give, research, volunteer, or learn more, we invite you to connect with The Bissa History & Genealogy Society in America.
This is more than genealogy.
This is more than history.
This is the work of return.
Join us, Support the Water Initiative & become a member as we reconnect with our ancestral homeland and help build the future of the Bissa villages. Reconnect. Preserve. Build.
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