Hidden Oaks Nature Center has a connection to an African chief

Alex and Lassine Doumbia

By Suzanne Holland 

Annandale residents Alex Doumbia, a naturalist at the Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale and a member of the Fairfax County Park Authority’s Work Force Council, and his father, Lassine Doumbia, share a common passion for education, nature, and parks. 

Lassine has volunteered to lead the Spotlight by Starlight summer concert series at Ossian Hall Park since 2007. Alex volunteered along with his dad and then in 2017 started volunteering at Hidden Oaks. Within a year he joined the staff.

Last year Lassine, following his family’s noble lineage, was inducted as the chief of the village of Koungodjah in the sub-Saharan country of Mali. The two-month planned family trip turned into a four-month solo trip for Lassine due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. This African farming community is about the size of Fairfax County, with 10,000 residents. Lassine’s father and uncles had previously served as chief.

During his own father’s tenure in the 1980s, Lassine arranged to have school rooms and a health center built in the village. Until that time, village children had to bicycle to the nearest school, 16 miles distant. However, the school system still only provided education through the fifth grade. 

The desire for his children to have an easier experience getting a higher education was a prime motivator for Lassine to move his family to the United States. Students in the village can now attend school through the seventh grade, and Lassine hopes to build a college and an adult education center. 

Lassine, who works at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, uses FaceTime and Zoom to conduct his duties with his brother, who is serving as acting chief in the village.

Related story: Ossian Hall Park shows are overseen by Annandale activist Lassine Doumbia

Alex grew up in the Washington, D.C., area but has visited his ancestral village. He describes the role of chief as being like a father to the entire village. His father sits under a large tree and the villagers join him in the shade to seek his counsel. The chief finds a way to keep the village happy through active listening. He resolves conflicts through mediation and guides the future of the village. Getting a cell tower for the village was a big step to be able to connect the village to the world.

After graduating from Annandale High School, Alex earned a degree in oceanography from Old Dominion University. He appreciates the benefit of having educational opportunities easily accessible. 

Lassine admires Alex’s dedication to teaching about the natural world and is proud of his son’s educational achievements. Lassine noted that his sons bring “honor to the family by being true to themselves.”

Both father and son have brought honor to their extended family. Lassine was presented with a 2013 Special Recognition Award for outstanding volunteer service at the Elly Doyle Park Service Awards, and Alex received the 2020 Trailblazers’ Customer Service Award. He was also part of the farmers’ market team that won the Quality of Life Award. Both men continue to make lasting impacts on their village in Mali, as well as their village here in Fairfax County.

Suzanne Holland is the visitor services manager at Hidden Oaks Nature Center. This article originally appeared in the Our Stories and Perspectives blog published by the Fairfax County Park Authority.