Ziou (Burkina Faso), Dec. 10, GNA - The people of Bongo District and Ziou District in Northern Burkina Faso said they would use their similar cultures to build friendly relationship. They said this at the end of a weeklong celebration of the Naatifoli Festival at Ziou in Burkina Faso and the chiefs and people of Bongo were invited to participate.

The Ziou District under the Nawori Province is about 10 kilometres away from the Ghana/Burkina Faso border from the side of the Bongo District. The people speak the same dialect as the people of Bongo District and parts of the Kassena Nankana District. The Mayor of Ziou District, Mr. Cyrille Talato Karfo, said the Naatifoli Festival was an old festival that the people had readopted to enhance development, promote unity and build friendly relationship with their neighbours.

He said the word Naartifoli was derived from the early millet crop that is called Naara by the people of Ziuo and Grunee speaking people in the Upper East Region.

"The Naara or early millet is said to be the life saving crop, one that brings happiness, hope and security as it is the first crop to be harvested during the farming season and thus comes to chase away hunger and bring life," the Mayor said.

He said Naara was also a crop that accepted other crops well when inter cropped and that, for the people, meant that they had to be tolerant and court the friendship of neighbours.

Mr. Francis Asampana, Bongo District Chief Executive who led the Upper East Regional Delegation, said the invitation impressed him as well as the willingness of the people to make friends with the people of Bongo District. He told them they would be officially invited to take part in the Fire Festival of the Bongo people and urged them to visit tourist sites in the region, including the crocodile pond, Tongo hills and the Tenzuk Shrine.

The one-week festival was characterized by competitions in music and dance and exhibition of artefacts, local medicines and local woven textiles.