Bla

Bla lies south of Ségou in the savanna country of the middle Niger. Its name is linked to the Bamana word for leaving something behind: according to local tradition the place served as a store where the armies of Ségou left grain and weapons for later use. The surrounding villages cultivated the land south of the river, while the kingdom based at Ségou drew upon the resources and labour of the wider region to maintain its warriors.