The Bissa (or Bisa (singular), Bisan, Bissanno (plural)) are a Mande ethnic group of south-central

Burkina Faso Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Ivory Coast to the southwest. It covers an area of 274,223 km2 (105,87 ...

, northeastern

Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...

and the northernmost tip of

Togo Togo, officially the Togolese Republic, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to Ghana–Togo border, the west, Benin to Benin–Togo border, the east and Burkina Faso to Burkina Faso–Togo border, the north. It is one of the le ...

. Their language, Bissa, is a Mande language that is related to, but not the same as, a cluster of languages in the old

Borgu Borgu is a region and former country split between north-west Nigeria and the northern Republic of Benin. It was partitioned between British Empire, Great Britain and France by the Anglo-French Convention of 1898. People of Borgu are known as B ...

Kingdom area of Northeast

Benin Benin, officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It was formerly known as Dahomey. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, and Niger to the north-east. The majority of its po ...

and Northwest

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

, including Busa, Boko, and Kyenga. An alternate name for the Bissa is Busansi or Busanga which is used by the

Mossi people The Mossi or Mosi are a Gur languages, Gur ethnic group native to modern Burkina Faso, primarily the Volta River basin. The Mossi are the largest ethnic group in Burkina Faso, constituting 52% of the population, or about 11.1 million people. The ...

. Daniel McFarland's ''Historical Dictionary of Upper Volta'' refers to them as "intrusive Mande who settled the area along the White Volta below Tenkodogo by 1300. Some live across the border in modern northern Ghana and Togo. According to some traditions, Rialle, progenitor of the Nakomse line of Mossi rulers was Busansi." They are known for their cultivation of peanuts. Traditionally, a Bissa man who wants to court a Bissa girl must work in her mother's peanut field, and be able to provide the girl with her own peanut field if they get married. The Bissa are divided in three language groups, that is the Barka, the Lebir and the Lere. They are further divided into several clans. Each clan has a name and an appellation normally called ''dedaa'' by the Bissa. The appellation is now used as a surname in Burkina Faso. Bissa make up 2/5th of the Burkina Faso population. Some Bissa live in

Ivory Coast Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest List of ci ...

The Busa and Boko peoples of Benin and Nigeria

The Busa and Boko peoples, two subgroups of the Bissa people, live in Northwestern

and Northern

near

in the Nigerian States of

Niger Niger, officially the Republic of the Niger, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is a unitary state Geography of Niger#Political geography, bordered by Libya to the Libya–Niger border, north-east, Chad to the Chad–Niger border, east ...

, Kebbi and Kwara (mostly Bokobaru subgroup) and in the Beninese Departments of Alibori and Borgou. They speak Busa (also known as Bisã) and Boko (also known as Boo). This peoples are referred to as Bussawa in Hausa.

Notable clans and appellations

The Bissa people are divided into numerous clans. Their primary

dialect A dialect is a Variety (linguistics), variety of language spoken by a particular group of people. This may include dominant and standard language, standardized varieties as well as Vernacular language, vernacular, unwritten, or non-standardize ...

s include Barka, Lere and Lebir, each with slight variations. Most Bissa people are

Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

. The Bissa of the Garango Circle are among the most representative of the northern group. The township of Garango, which serves as the center of the northern Bissa population, remained independent, while the northwestern districts fell under the influence of the Mossi Kingdom of Ouagadougou and the northeastern townships under the supervision of the Mossi Kingdom of Tenkodogo. In

Accra Accra (; or ''Gaga''; ; Ewe: Gɛ; ) is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , had a population of ...

, Ghana, several towns are notable for their Bissa populations. These include Busanga Line in the North Kaneshie area of the Okai Koi constituency, as well as Town Council Line ( Lartebiokorshie) and Shukura in the Ablekuma Central constituency. Nima, located in the Ayawaso Central constituency, is another significant Bissa settlement. Within Bissa society, the Lingani clan holds both political and mystical power. The authority does not rest with the individual who wears the crown, but rather with the one who bestows it. No one can assume power or wear the crown without first undergoing mystical preparation by the Lingani clan in Tangaré (a village in Garango,

Boulgou Province Boulgou is one of the 45 provinces of Burkina Faso and is in Centre-Est Region. The capital of Boulgou is Tenkodogo. The population of Boulgou in 2019 was 737,843. Demographics As of 2019, 54.2% of the population is female and 45.8% is male. 46. ...

). The Lingani are traditionally hunters, and a ceremonial fig tree, along with an ancestral hunting spear dating back centuries, remains near Tangaré Mountain, facing the Lingani family residence. Bissa burial practices reflect a deep connection to their ancestors. Deceased family members are buried in front of their homes as a means of honoring them. Bissa graves are constructed in the shape of traditional dwellings but are built underground, with a small opening for the body's entry. A designated individual receives the body and lays it to rest inside. Multiple family members may be interred in the same grave, and the entrance is sealed with a clay vessel, which can be removed when needed for future burials. According to Bissa tradition, their ancestor Barso was a hunter.

The Busa and Boko peoples of Benin and Nigeria

Notable clans and appellations

References

Further reading