Odienné

Odienné lies in the wooded savanna of the southern Manding country, between the forest lands to the south and the upper Niger basin. Muslim Mande communities established settlements in the region, and merchants travelled through it carrying kola nuts and other goods. Local accounts attribute the foundation of the original village of Odienné to the Kamaté family. During the eighteenth century the surrounding Nafana kingdom was established by warriors of the Diarrassouba lineage, adding another centre of power to this diverse region.