Language Bankan Tey
("Walo language"). Spoken in a village cluster Walo (old French spelling Oualo, native name Bankan) at the eastern end of the very long Gandamiya inselberg, not far from Douentza. Walo is a well-known site for pottery-making (large globular water jars without feet). In the past, Walo and Beni had a single chief, alternating between the two villages.
- Oualo (lower) new, lower part of village with school and some houses, next to large seasonal pond; also some satellite housing clusters strung out along the base of the mountain; farming and herding, extensive rice fields at base of mountain, millet fields farther out; gardens (date palms, banana, cassava, sugar cane, African eggplant); doum palm groves; the major pottery center in the Douentza area (waterjars, ablution bowls) using black clay from nearby seasonal pond, usually carried on heads to Douentza market
- Oualo (upper) main village on irregular shelf on lower slope of mountain; farming and herding, fields on plains below and on summit and flat shelves of mountain; gardening; pottery (see lower Oualo), blacksmiths; this village (Dogon name bàŋkán) not to be confused with Banikani (Songhay name bàŋkân) on the other side of the same mountain
- Piriya village in a few separate sections hugging base of mountain; farming and herding; extensive rice fields nearby (between Piriya and Oualo)
- Kasa small village on mountain summit
- Ende small village on mountain summit
