N’Doram’s experiences in Burkina Faso have left a lasting impression on him, particularly the close connection between his country of origin and his adopted homeland. Historically, the Gourmatché people and those from southwestern Burkina Faso are said to have originated in Chad. There are also strong cultural and culinary similarities. “So, when people learn that I am Chadian, they affectionately call me ‘grandfather’, which makes me very happy,” he says enthusiastically.
He recounts one memorable experience: “One day, when I was in Gaoua, a town in the southwest, a man approached me and started speaking to me in Gourmatchéma. I explained that I didn’t understand the language. He was incredulous, convinced that I must be Gourmatché and therefore speak the language. Surprised by my ignorance, he admitted that I looked very much like a native Gourmatché speaker. I smiled and told him that this was normal, as I am Chadian and therefore the ‘grandfather’ of the Gourmatché people. He found this remark very amusing, and so did I.”
N’Doram is particularly fond of African hospitality, a tradition widely practised throughout the Greater Sahel. He contrasts this with the attitudes he has observed in other parts of the world, which he disapproves of.
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