Countries · Ouagadougou
Burkina Faso
Sahelian craft, mask festivals and one of the continent's great film and storytelling capitals.
Burkina Faso's cultural life is built around performance: masks, bronze casting, weaving and a film festival that made Ouagadougou a centre of African storytelling.
We are collecting with mask societies, weavers and elders in Mossi, Bobo and Senufo communities.
Main languages
Mooré · Dioula · Fula · Gourmanchéma
Places in focus
Ouagadougou · Bobo-Dioulasso · Dédougou
General cultural context; verified records are added community by community.
Balafon of the Senufo
Shared with Mali and Côte d'Ivoire and inscribed by UNESCO, the balafon accompanies work, ceremony and celebration.
Mask societies
Fibre and wood masks appear at funerals and harvests, and their carving and care follow strict community rules.
Storytelling on screen
Ouagadougou's film tradition gives oral narrative a second life in cinema.
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Burkina Faso
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Short facts, objects and traditions from the archive. Tap a card to read the full entry and its source.