Gaoua
{{Infobox settlement
|name = Gaoua
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|image_skyline = Market Scene - Gaoua - Burkina Faso.jpg
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|image_caption = Market Scene in Gaoua
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|pushpin_map =Burkina Faso
|pushpin_label_position =top
|pushpin_map_caption =Location within Burkina Faso, French West Africa
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|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = {{BFA}}
|subdivision_type1 = Region
|subdivision_name1 = Sud-Ouest Region
|subdivision_type2 = Province
|subdivision_name2 = Poni Province
|subdivision_type3 = Department
|subdivision_name3 = Gaoua Department
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|elevation_m = 339
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|population_as_of =2019 census
|population_footnotes = [https://www.citypopulation.de/en/burkinafaso/cities/ Citypopulation.de] Population of cities & localities in Burkina Faso
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|population_total = 45284
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Gaoua is a market town in southern Burkina Faso known for its superstitious values and customs.{{Citation needed|date=February 2010}}
The population, rested at 45,284. (2019 census)
Located in the red earth, green hills, and fast flowing streams of southwestern Burkina Faso, Gaoua is the capital of Poni Province and forms a sort of capital for the sacred rites and bush lore of the Lobi peoples. According to local myth, Gaoua was founded when the Lobi migrated across from northern Ghana where they found the Gan people occupying the territory. As a result, they named the trek across to Gaoua Gan-houo meaning "route of the Gan people".Manson, K., Knight, J. (2006), Burkina Faso, p.226, Bradt Travel Guides, The Globe Pequot Press Inc., Retrieved on June 17, 2008
{{multiple image
|image1 = 2016.05-441-104ap Musée du Poni@Gaoua(Poni Prv.),BF sun15may2016-0847h.jpg
|image2 = 2016.05-441-102ap Musée du Poni@Gaoua(Poni Prv.),BF sun15may2016-0845h.jpg
|footer = Entrance (left) and front (right) of the Musée du Poni (May 2016)
|total_width = 400
}}
Attractions in the town include a sacred grove of trees, the Poni Museum (Musée des Civilisations des Peuples du Sud-Ouest or Musée du Poni) and caves. There is also a mosque on elevated ground near the centre. The Gaoua Catholic parish Church of the Sacred Heart will be the cathedral for the newly erected Catholic Diocese of Gaoua.[https://archive.today/20120723004348/http://press.catholica.va/news_services/bulletin/news/28470.php?index=28470&lang=en]
Lobi Goldfields
Though their ancient home was considered to be Takyiman in Ghana, the Lobi migrated across the Mouhoun River as a result of the Dagomba Wars in the 1770s. Thirty years later, the Lobi displaced the Gan at Gaoua. The French occupied southwest Burkina Faso in 1879, based on the region's reputation for gold, dating back to the era of Mossi and Dyula gold traders. Although primarily farmers, the Lobi did partake of gold panning around Gaoua, besides Gaoua being on a trade route to the Poura gold mines further north.{{cite thesis|last=Gundlach |first=Cory |title=The river and the shrine: Lobi art and sense of place |degree=MA |publisher=University of Iowa |url=https://doi.org/10.17077/etd.a95cyuqx |accessdate=8 November 2018 |pages=56,64–65,98,131 |date=2012|doi=10.17077/etd.a95cyuqx |url-access=subscription }}{{cite book |last1=Wright |first1=J.B. |last2=Hastings |first2=D.A. |last3=Jones |first3=W.B. |last4=Williams |first4=H.R. |editor1-last=Wright |editor1-first=J.B. |title=Geology and Mineral Resources of West Africa |date=1985 |publisher=George Allen & UNWIN |location=London |isbn=9780045560011 |pages=45–47 |ref=gold}}
Climate
Gaoua has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw), typical of the Sudan region of West Africa. The weather is hot year-round, and sweltering in the period before the rainy season begins from February to May. In the rainy season itself temperatures are less extreme due to increased cloud cover, but high humidity means this period is no less uncomfortable. At the height of the dry season in December and January temperatures remain hot to sweltering by afternoon, but humidity is at its lowest and mornings fall to pleasant temperatures.
{{Weather box
| width = auto
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| location = Gaoua (1991–2020)
| Jan record high C = 40.0
| Feb record high C = 42.2
| Mar record high C = 42.6
| Apr record high C = 42.0
| May record high C = 40.1
| Jun record high C = 38.9
| Jul record high C = 36.0
| Aug record high C = 34.8
| Sep record high C = 36.2
| Oct record high C = 37.5
| Nov record high C = 39.0
| Dec record high C = 38.4
| year record high C =
| Jan high C = 34.5
| Feb high C = 36.8
| Mar high C = 38.1
| Apr high C = 36.8
| May high C = 34.9
| Jun high C = 32.5
| Jul high C = 30.8
| Aug high C = 30.0
| Sep high C = 31.2
| Oct high C = 33.8
| Nov high C = 35.7
| Dec high C = 35.0
| year high C = 34.2
| Jan mean C = 25.5
| Feb mean C = 28.4
| Mar mean C = 30.8
| Apr mean C = 30.6
| May mean C = 29.3
| Jun mean C = 27.6
| Jul mean C = 26.2
| Aug mean C = 25.6
| Sep mean C = 26.0
| Oct mean C = 27.1
| Nov mean C = 26.9
| Dec mean C = 25.4
| year mean C = 27.4
| Jan low C = 16.3
| Feb low C = 19.8
| Mar low C = 24.0
| Apr low C = 25.5
| May low C = 24.7
| Jun low C = 23.4
| Jul low C = 22.7
| Aug low C = 22.3
| Sep low C = 22.2
| Oct low C = 22.2
| Nov low C = 19.5
| Dec low C = 16.1
| year low C = 21.6
| Jan record low C = 10.6
| Feb record low C = 12.6
| Mar record low C = 15.5
| Apr record low C = 18.4
| May record low C = 17.0
| Jun record low C = 17.9
| Jul record low C = 18.1
| Aug record low C = 16.0
| Sep record low C = 16.2
| Oct record low C = 15.5
| Nov record low C = 12.1
| Dec record low C = 9.5
| year record low C = 9.5
| rain colour = green
| Jan rain mm = 2.6
| Feb rain mm = 9.4
| Mar rain mm = 28.8
| Apr rain mm = 79.8
| May rain mm = 122.9
| Jun rain mm = 134.3
| Jul rain mm = 186.1
| Aug rain mm = 235.9
| Sep rain mm = 191.7
| Oct rain mm = 92.5
| Nov rain mm = 13.4
| Dec rain mm = 0.1
| year rain mm = 1097.5
| unit rain days = 1.0 mm
| Jan rain days = 0.1
| Feb rain days = 0.7
| Mar rain days = 2.1
| Apr rain days = 5.1
| May rain days = 8.1
| Jun rain days = 9.2
| Jul rain days = 11.2
| Aug rain days = 13.2
| Sep rain days = 14.0
| Oct rain days = 7.9
| Nov rain days = 1.1
| Dec rain days = 0.1
| year rain days = 72.8
| Jan sun = 271.1
| Feb sun = 242.9
| Mar sun = 246.4
| Apr sun = 235.8
| May sun = 252.7
| Jun sun = 234.6
| Jul sun = 206.0
| Aug sun = 171.9
| Sep sun = 194.1
| Oct sun = 253.0
| Nov sun = 268.8
| Dec sun = 278.8
| year sun = 2856.1
| source = NOAA{{cite web
|url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/BurkinaFaso/CSV/GAOUA_65522.csv
|title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Gaoua
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = January 4, 2024}}
}}
{{Coord|10|19|N|3|10|W|display=title}}
See also
References
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External links
{{wikivoyage-inline|Gaoua}}
File:The Mali Empire.jpg in 1337, including the location of the Bambuk, Bure, Lobi and Akan Goldfields]]
{{Poni}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Populated places in the Sud-Ouest Region (Burkina Faso)