Africartmodern, Katako: My favorite village

Here, to the Catholic mission of Katako I executed my project of decorating the church of the village. As I had the habit to visit the village, I had the idea to make the wall decoration of this small church. I spoke with Father Raymond that, after listening me said " Madame, it is God who has bring you to us". I began to mobilise people and with the help of expatriates of Kamsar and CBG I bought the painting. My chosen idea was to decorate the walls with the tree of life. One day, while I was working, a small child of Katako confided me very seriously that although he looks all day long at the painting, he does not feel tired. That was the most beautiful compliment that I received in my whole life... During the time that I worked in the church, children of the village kept me " company", looking at me by the small windows of the church and them asking me all the time " Foté (the white one), you all right? Fote, you OK?" The photos from the top of page are the photos of my little friends of Katako, which were also my first art critics by telling me "Excellent work!"...

Katako is a quiet village, often called " the heart of Bagatai ". The Bagases come from the Fouta Djallon. The collective memory keeps the remembering of a migration that should have taken place there are three or 400 years. The Peuls were conquerors and tribes defeated converted to Islam and reduced in slavery. The Bagases escaped these two dangers, wanting to lose neither their identities nor their liberty. They remember of stages and the different groups that browsed them. They especially remember of their arrival and their progressive installation in this country of mangrove and of «poto-poto». The Bagases occupied the whole coast starting from Boké, with the Bagases «Mandori» (to the north of Boké) until what became thereafter Conakry (bagases of the Kaloum). To the height of Boffa there was, common of the Sussuses of the Kolisokho, bagases «Sobané» then the Bagases «Monchon». The Bagases «Sitemu» (Tsemtsem) occupied the land that today is known as «Bagatai land». They have resisted better to the assimilation with "Sussu's" world and have best kept their identity, their language and unity. It is the same territory of the mission of Katako. The population is around 15 000 - 20 000 inhabitants, among which one counts 3000 to 4000 Christians of which 900 to same Katako. Villages are in general large ones consisting of 1000 1500 inhabitants'. Kakilensis, Katongoro, Kawass and Bogonia are to the north of the Kapatchez stream that makes to the south a turn around Katako. Taigbé, Kuffen, Binari-N'bottinis are taken in meanders of the Sussudé, hardback sea arm to the Kapatchez. This is the result of a channel dug in 1957 by a Dutch dragnet to remedy the flooding of rice fields owed to the silting up of the mouth of the Kapatchez. The large village of Mareh is to the south of Kataco (to 3 km about by rice fields). More to the south, it lies Kalexé on the side of the Kitali, affluent of the Kapatchez, then Dansi and Bigori-Yamponi. The village of Katako it is a relatively welcoming and friendly village but as well very load with mysticism. The village is remarkable regarding the rice, the oil of palm made by the habitants and more again, by the inclination toward arts - paintings and sculptures full of richness as artistic message. Until beginning of fifties, before the unforgettable «jihad» of Sayon Asekou, that has severely damaged their core, they were the keepers of traditional religion. It was filled of ancestral mysticism and people that possessed «the art to know to do and to undo»… To ignore «the ritual powers» of women has been equal to assume big risks. Although they were much attached to traditional practices, you could find enough Christians among them. The Catholic priests of Boké start to visit them occasionally and after 1951, they began to stay among them. The stroke of Sayon Asketon brought the Islamic religion to Katako. The road toward Katako is punctuated by some small "wonders" - to start with cascades of D'jonkoya. Before reaching Katako you are crossing an enormous palm trees plantation, ancient remaining of the colonial time, abandoned today… You will discover a magic light, filtered by the crown of palms, whose shade brings a substantial freshness. The houses of Katako are made of earth bricks. When one comes out of the village to join Kamsar, the road clears on an enormous plain entirely vowed to the rice culture. On several square kilometres, the water of rice fields sparkles under the sun. Here you can find the water lilies; all over, in the rice fields water… Now, the mixture of the Moslem, Christian and traditionalists are giving to Katako its originality. Here you will find today a convent, a maternal school, a mosque and a Catholic Church that celebrated the Golden Jubilee on January 6, 2002. There is also a house for the missionaries' brothers who are taking care of the primary school attached to the church.