Caractéristiques végétales, typologie et fonctions des bois sacrés au Burkina Faso

Au Burkina Faso, les bois sacres sont des ilots de vegetations conserves et geres par les autorites coutumieres. Pour comprendre les caracteristiques vegetales, la typologie et les fonctions de ces bois sacres, une etude a ete realisee a l’aide  d’enquetes ethnobotaniques aupres de 32 groupes ethniques suivie de releves botaniques sur le terrain. Ces etudes montrent qu’au Burkina Faso: selon  l’incarnation du bois, il y a les bois fetiches, les bois cimetieres, les bois fetiches-cimetieres, les bois de divinites et les bois hantes ; suivant la propriete, on distingue les bois personnels, les bois familiaux, les bois de quartier, les bois communautaires et les bois de societes secretes. Ils sont domines par des especes telles que Acacia erythrocalyx Brenan, Anogeissus leiocarpa (DC.) Guill. & Perr., Combretum micranthum G. Don, Combretum nigricans Lepr. ex Guill. & Perr.,  Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del., Khaya senegalensis (Desv.) A. Juss., Isoberlinia doka Craib & Stapf, Maranthes polyandra (Benth.) Prance, Daniellia oliveri (Rolfe) Hutch. & Dalz ., Burkea africana Hook., Monotes kerstingii Gilg . Les bois sacres assurent aux populations, plusieurs fonctions: ecologique, cultuelle, socio-culturelle, magique et mixte. Parmi les bois sacres, seuls ceux qui suscitent la crainte a l’endroit de la population sont integralement proteges. Mots cles : Bois sacre, enquete ethnobotanique, caracteristiques vegetales, fonctions, typologie, Burkina Faso English Title: Plant characteristics, typology and functions of sacred woodlands in Burkina Faso English Abstract In Burkina Faso, sacred woodlands are islands of vegetation preserved and managed by the customary authorities. To understand the plant characteristics, the typology and the functions of these sacred woodlands, a study has been carried out using ethnobotanical investigation along 32 ethnic groups and floristic surveys. Surveys show that in Burkina Faso: According to the incarnation of the sacred woodland, there are the fetish sacred woodlands, the cemetery sacred woodlands, the fetish-cemeteries sacred woodlands, the sacred woodlands of deities and the haunted sacred woodlands; Depending on the property, we can distinguish personal sacred woods, family sacred woodlands, neighborhood sacred woodlands, community sacred woodlands and woodlands of secret societies. They are dominated by the species such as Acacia erythrocalyx Brenan, Anogeissus leiocarpa (DC.) Guill. & Perr., Combretum micranthum G. Don, Combretum nigricans Lepr. ex Guill. & Perr., Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del., Khaya senegalensis (Desv.) A. Juss., Isoberlinia doka Craib & Stapf, Maranthes polyandra (Benth.) Prance, Daniellia oliveri (Rolfe) Hutch. & Dalz., Burkea africana Hook., Monotes kerstingii Gilg. The sacred woodlands provide to the populations several functions: ecological, religious, socio-cultural, magical and mixed. Among the sacred woodlands, only those which arouse fear among the population are well protected. © 2017 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved. Keywords: Sacred woodland, ethnobotanical investigation, plant characteristics, functions, typology, Burkina Faso