Many of the foods eaten by the Senufo must be pounded and ground as part of food preparation. Pounding is done in a large wooden container called a mortar with a stick called a pestle. There are three different kinds of mortars. The flat-bottomed mortar is used to grind many cereal crops, like corn or millet. A small mortar is used for condiments or seasonings. Fonio, an important cereal crop, is ground in a special mortar with a depression in the bottom.

The girl on the left side adds fun to the tedium of pounding by clapping while the pestle is in the air.

Tô:A Staple Food

Ground cereal flours serve as the main ingredient in tô(pronounced toe), the staple food of the Senufo. To make tô,the flour (besides ground fonio, wheat flour, corn flour, or yam flour can be used) is first mixed with hot water to make a porridge. As the porridge boils on the fire, more flour is added and mixed in with a spatula. This results in a thick paste that thickens as it cools. Tôis served with sauces. The sauces are usually made from vegetables, though meat may be added when available. The food will be served in two dishes, the tôin one and the sauce in another.

Bowls of tô in a kitchen.