Winye masks in Boromo area

The amazing church in the village of Boni (with entrace shaped like mask)

Group photo at home of French instructor Abu Diarra

Lizzie on a camel in northern Burkina Faso

Victor Deme from Burkina Faso....

Bazoule and the crocodiles

Nice posting from lefaso.net

Le village de Bazoulé est très célèbre grâce à ses crocodiles sacrés. Une fête baptisée "Koom lakré" est organisée chaque année pour honorer les sauriens.  Bazoulé, une déformation de "M’pa zolg yé (je ne suis pas idiot", est un vilage situé à une trentaine de kilomètres de Ouagadougou.. Le village est l’un des sites touristiques majeurs du Burkina Faso avec sa mare aux crocodiles sacrés. Les habitants du village entretiennent des relations étroites avec ces reptiles. Des enfants se baignent sans risque à longueur de journée dans la mare de ces animaux réputés dangereux. Valeur touristique pour les uns, la mare aux crocodiles est un lieu de culte pour la population de Bazoulé. Le chef de Bazoulé, Naaba Kiiba disait dans Sidwaya du 16 septembre dernier, que ces reptiles ont été pris comme totems par leurs ancêtres : "ils allaient implorer les crocodiles pour de bonnes récoltes, le bien-être de la famille, la santé"

Read the whole thing.

Photos of goats and the FAVL turtle, whose name is Rawiya

Three more photos from "opening" dinner at Paradisio

Photos from pre-program.... classes start tomorrow

Last posting before travel to Burkina...

I leave Wed. morning. Will look forward to seeing all students in Ouagadougou next week. When you land in Ouagadougou airport, look for someone with a sign with your name on it. You can make calls at kiosks just out the door of the baggage claim area- call Elisee at 78 01 17 52 or me at 76 40 89 23. It is often that case that a bag might be missing. Never fear! They often come on the next flight. But be sure to have the airline representative fill out a form, and leave them with the numbers above to contact. Be sure to get their contact info- cell phone!

National politics in Burkina Faso

More on local politics in Burkina Faso- from an interview with Etienne Traoré, Prof at Univeristy of Ouagadougou...

Les propositions de Salif Diallo synthétisent les arguments de l’opposition sur le sujet. Il y a juste ajouté son grain de sel. Pour convaincre le peuple de la véracité de ce qu’il dit, il aurait fallu que Salif Diallo fasse son autocritique. C’est lui qui a assis les bases de ce régime dans sa composante civile. Il a contribué obstinément à détruire toute forme d’opposition. C’est aussi lui, le spécialiste qui provoquait les scissions au sein des partis de l’opposition. C’est lui qui a assis les bases de ce régime, si aujourd’hui il reconnait qu’il y a un échec, il devrait aussi accepter de faire sa propre autocritique. D’autre part, vu que ses propositions n’ont pas rencontré l’assentiment de ses camarades de parti, il aurait dû démissionner du parti et créer son propre parti. Il ne l’a pas fait. Il n’est donc pas allé au bout de son raisonnement. Enfin, Blaise Compaoré est le principal responsable de tout ce que Salif Diallo dénonce. C’est lui le chef de ce système, le véritable responsable du parti. Dans sa logique, Salif Diallo aurait dû demander sa démission. Là encore, il ne l’a pas fait. Cela étant, de façon globale, on ne peut pas donner une réponse à l’échec de ce régime en appelant à une cinquième république. Il aurait fallu appeler les acteurs de la classe politique, ceux du Congrès pour la démocratie et le progrès (CDP) à changer leurs mœurs politiques.

Que pensez-vous qu’on puisse changer en passant à une autre république? Ce sont les mêmes acteurs qui vont animer cette nouvelle république, avec leurs mêmes mœurs politiques qui n’auraient pas changés. Les textes actuels sont bons, c’est l’application et les hommes qui posent problème. Je ne vois pas la nécessité de changer de régime. On change de régime lorsqu’il y a une crise des institutions, or, il n’y a pas de crise d’institutions au Burkina Faso. Aujourd’hui, les pouvoirs législatif, exécutif, judiciaire et les institutions sont monopolisées par le régime en place. Avec la Constitution consensuelle de 1991, les propositions du Collège de sages suite à l’assassinat de Norbert Zongo et les différentes revendications de l’opposition, le jeu politique devait être clair au Burkina Faso. Là où je suis d’accord avec Salif Diallo, c’est le constat d’échec. La seule alternative pour un débat démocratique franc dans notre pays, est que l’opposition utilise les échecs du régime pour en faire des succès politiques. Il faut que l’opposition s’organise. Tous les acquis démocratiques dans notre pays l’ont été à la faveur de mouvements populaires.

Read the article here...

Dogon tour

Our tour operator for Dogon Country has the following...

Here is the itinerary I suggest for you:

Day1 (23-11-09) Ouaga-Dogon country.
Depart from Ouaga early in the morning after breakfast, drive trough
Ouhigouya,Koro,Bankass, and arrive to Kani Kanikomolè for lunch,
arrange the luggage and visit Kanikolè, in the afernoon trek to Tely 3
km visit Tely on the escarpement, the most picturesque dogon villags -
a lot to see and experience about dogon culture, tradition, and
architectural, met with the local chef then overnight after dinner on
the rooftop under stars.

Day2 (24-11-09) Teli-And-Yabatalou-Begnemato.10 km
Depart from Tely early after breakfast, a stop in Andé to experience
the indigo dyeing, the wood sculptures, and the mud-cloth making
cooperative, and visit the old town. Then walk to Yabatalou for lunch,
sieste in the afternoon trek up to Begnemato for overnight- this is
one of the prettiest cliff villages visit, dinner and have a cultural
exchange for volunteers, then overnight on the rooftop.

Day3 (25-11-09) Begnemato-Dourou-Nombori.14 km
Depart early in the morning after breakfast, trek on the cliffs to
Dourou, visit the guina where the oldest member of the community
leave, the Togouna where the local decisions are discussed, get lunch
at Dourou siesta, in the afternoon trek down the cliff with the
beautiful panorama on the plains, get to Nombori and visit the Tellem
tombs and learn about the mythology and special culture of the dogon
animist traditions. Then overnight on the rooftop.

Day4 (26-11-09 Nombori-Komokani-Terely 9km
Depart from Nombori early in the morning, walk to Komokani stop for
visit, then continue to Terely for lunch siesta, in the afternoon Mali
Experience Tours will provide a mask dancing ceremony which will be
very special in your memories, then go to the school yard and
volunteers are welcome to plant trees which will be provided by Mali
Experience Tours. Eat dinner and overnight on the rooftop.

Day5 (27-11-09) Terely-Amani-Irely-Neni.14km
Depart from Terely early in the morning walk to Amani, with a stop and
visit at the sacred crocodile pool, then continue to Irely and visit
Irely a rupestre painting on the wall, all about tradition and
history. Lunch and siesta; in the afternoon walk to Neni for overnight
on the rooftop.

Day6 (28-11-09) Neni-Banani-Sangha-Bandiagara.50km
Depart from Neni early in the morning trek to Banani,visite, and trek
up to Sangha, visit the Hogon the animist religious leader and the
oldest member who is related with the community fetish. Eat lunch,
then drive with minibus to Bandiagra check in at the Hotel Lafalaise,
room with A/C or fan availble, siesta, in the afternoon drive to
Songho to visit the grotto which is one of the hightlights in dogon
country, where the rock paitings are displayed, in the places where
they have circumcision ceremony every 3 years for the young boys
initiation then drive back to Bandiagara for overnight.

Day7 (29-11-09) Bandiagara-Ouaga.
Depart from Bandiagara early in the morning, drive to Ougadougou and
get there around 3 or 4 pm.

So please tell us your suggestion about this iteneraries or if you
have a special village where you want to see for any reason then we
will be able to design the program to suit your wishes, then we can
send you the complete program and price.
If you want some references please see the letter below from one of
our clients who did their tour with us. You can also contact another
American tourist who also sponsors children for my dogon education
project, her email is sylvia_h@comcast.net and another tourist who
recently took their tour with Mali Experience Tours, his email is
yonifriedman@gmail

Many thanks,
Mikael Djiguiba
Mali Experience Tours

masks dancing in Bobo-Dioulasso

A meal at Chez Zion in Bobo-Dioulasso... you will probably stay there in October!

Hermann Yameogo discusses political situation in Burkina

Yameogo is son of first president, and a ferocious opponent (though with slim popular support, apparently) of President Blaise Compaore. He responds directly to this latter issue of why he seems to not have much support...

INTERVIEW - Hermann YAMEOGO - Burkina Faso
Uploaded by AFRICA24. - Watch the latest news videos.

Nice introductory video on karite in Burkina

Excerpt from Proust and the Squid

Proust and the Squid

The Story and Science of the Reading Brain

By Maryanne Wolf

We were never born to read. Human beings invented reading only a few thousand years ago. And with this invention, we rearranged the very organization of our brain, which in turn expanded the ways we were able to think, which altered the intellectual evolution of our species. Reading is one of the single most remarkable inventions in history; the ability to record history is one of its consequences. Our ancestors' invention could come about only because of the human brain's extraordinary ability to make new connections among its existing structures, a process made possible by the brain's ability to be shaped by experience. This plasticity at the heart of the brain's design forms the basis for much of who we are, and who we might become.

This book tells the story of the reading brain, in the context of our unfolding intellectual evolution. That story is changing before our eyes and under the tips of our fingers. The next few decades will witness transformations in our ability to communicate, as we recruit new connections in the brain that will propel our intellectual development in new and different ways. Knowing what reading demands of our brain and knowing how it contributes to our capacity to think, to feel, to infer, and to understand other human beings is especially important today as we make the transition from a reading brain to an increasingly digital one. By coming to understand how reading evolved historically, how it is acquired by a child, and how it restructured its biological underpinnings in the brain, we can shed new light on our wondrous complexity as a literate species. This places in sharp relief what may happen next in the evolution of human intelligence, and the choices we might face in shaping that future.

Who controls African Literature

FAVL friend Chelby Daigle send us this editorial by Tolu Ogunlesi:

LAGOS: The literary world is once again shining a spotlight on Africa. There are new prizes: the South Africa-based PEN Studzinski Literary Award for short stories, and the Penguin Prize for African Writing, a pan-African prize covering both fiction and non-fiction genres. There’s a new book series, the “Penguin African Writers Series,” which will include not only new books from emerging writers, but also classics taken over from the defunct Heinemann African Writers Series. And next year South Africa will be featured as the “Market Focus country” at the 2010 London Book Fair and African writing will be showcased at the Gothenburg Book Fair.

The African ‘Greats’–Ngugi, Soyinka, Gordimer, Okot p’Bitek– have given way to a new roster of names — Chimamanda Adichie, Chris Abani, Helon Habila, Binyavanga Wainaina, Sefi Atta, Monica Arac de Nyeko, Chika Unigwe, Brian Chikwava — who have become the new faces of contemporary African writing.

This explosion of literary talent and publishing opportunities might be likened to a similar one that accompanied the heady post-independence days of the 1960s. But in spite of all the inspiring and exciting happenings of recent years, there still remain nagging questions regarding who exactly are the proper ‘gatekeepers’ of African literary tradition and production.

Read the fill article "Who Controls African Literature" here.

Why read when you can twitter?

A hilarious (to me) posting from ugandan insomniac on "what if" Museveni were twittering...

Had a rough nite. Mbwenu journalists are giving me grief 4 ordering the arrest of errant policemen in Nateete. They say it’s an attempt @ cheap popularity. As if!

Youtube soap opera from Burkina Faso

Great new song from Floby, addictive!

One of the student houses... just to give everyone an idea...

Grading Obama's speech

This from Leonard Wantchekon, guest blogging at Aid Watch:

Africans already got the idea: “Africa does not need strong men, it needs strong institutions”

A reaction to President Obama’s speech in Ghana by guest blogger Leonard Wantchekon, NYU Professor of Politics

Overall, I like the theme of the President Obama’s speech in Ghana. Africans must own their future by strengthening democratic institutions and the rule of law in their countries, and by becoming less reliant on assistance. I also like the idea of a real partnership between Africa and other developed countries based on trade. It is very much in line with what most of us would think. He said:

America can also do more to promote trade and investment. Wealthy nations must open our doors to goods and services from Africa in a meaningful way.

As Africans reach for this promise, America will be more responsible in extending our hand. By cutting costs that go to Western consultants and administration, we want to put more resources in the hands of those who need it, while training people to do more for themselves.

What I find a bit questionable is this:

Africa is not the crude caricature of a continent at perpetual war. But if we are honest, for far too many Africans, conflict is a part of life, as constant as the sun ... These conflicts are a millstone around Africa's neck.

My sense is that in saying this he has helped to perpetuate, perhaps unwittingly, the very caricature that he questions. Conflict is NOT as constant as the sun in Africa. While this may have been the reality of the 1970s and the 1980s, it is certainly no longer the case. He forgot to add that many of these conflicts were proxy wars between the US and the former Soviet Union (such as that in Angola), or were manufactured by France (such as that in Congo Brazzaville).

less expensive rountrips...

Almost everyone for the program has booked their flight, but one or two have not, and I just thought i would suggest that if you want to save about $800, Emirates has flights from SFO-Accra (in Ghana) for about $1800 (leaving August 31, returning Dec. 11). The downside is you would have to spend a night in Accra (about $100 for a nice hotel, which you want after a flight that long) and then take a very long (sometimes 24 hours) bus ride to Ouagadougou...costing about $50, and then also a Ghana visa (costing $100) so in the end it probably is about the same price (especially if you count the vlaue of your time sitting on a crowded bus for 24 hours!).

More travel tips

From WhiteAfrican....

15 Africa travel tips (not related to bandits, thugs and murder):

1. Take only one bag. “Suitcases are for suits, check-in for suckers” as my well-heeled friend Jan Chipchase points out. My choice is the Northface Heckler backpack (in black). It’s got a convenient sleeve for my computer, and plenty of room for the camera and other items – your mileage will vary.

2. Pack less. This is what makes #1 work. You’re going to be tempted to pack for every eventuality. Don’t. only to find out when you get there that you only need 1/3 of what you brought.

3. Carry a power bar. Usually you can find food wherever you are, however for the small cost in space having something handy that gives you some energy and that you can trust to not get a stomach bug over, this is my first choice.

4. For the techies… USB devices are great for transferring information, applications and pictures use one. However, remember that there are no condoms for USB devices and that every PC and internet cafe device should be treated as a pox-ridden carrier of digital STDs for your virgin device. Keep it faithful to only your computer (and vice versa).

5. Paperbacks trump hardbacks. There’s a lot of waiting around when traveling, which makes it nice to have a book handy.

6. On mobile phones. You have two choices on your phone. a) buy a cheap one when you get there ($20-40) and get a local SIM card. b) get an unlocked phone before you leave and just buy a SIM card when you hit the ground. For multi-country travel I suggest going with “b”, which is what I do. If you lose a lot of phones, or are terrified of being robbed, go with “a”.

7. Bargain for everything. Have a great conversation with the first seller of whatever service or product you’re interested in. Never buy from that person. Instead, figure out exactly where the line is and then haggle harder with the next vendor, tout or merchant. (How can I state this delicately…? If you’re paying 25% of the asking price, you’re still being ripped off.)

8. On Cameras. A lot could be written about this, but suffice it to say that smaller is better unless you really like to take good pictures. I would suggest something that is waterproof. My personal favorite is the Sanyo Xacti – I love this thing. However, I could equally suggest getting something that runs off just a couple AA batteries. (Pros and Prosumers who, like me, carry a larger body DSLR ignore this one. You have your own rules to live by).

9. Spread your money out. Never carry all your money in one place. This isn’t just for security reasons, its for bargaining as well. I suggest carrying varying amounts of cash in 3 different spots and knowing what the amounts are so that you never pull out too much.

10. Eat local. This is especially true if you’re going on the cheap, don’t be afraid to eat the cooked foods at the road-side kiosks. You’ll see me regularly eating beans and chapatis on the streets of Nairobi for lunch. At $.50 I’m getting a good full meal and I can do it in a hurry if need be. If that’s too adventurous for you, you can choose other local spots, just don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you have to eat at the “westernized” establishments.

11. Mosquitos are made in hell and must be killed. I could write a whole post on the epic battles I’ve had with these satanic insects. Buy a can of Doom (insect spray), get insect repellent, sit on the smoky side of the fire, use a mosquito net – whatever it takes. My favorite way to kill them is a wadded up t-shirt as it has a wide area of impact – if you’re good you can smash them up against the wall/ceiling from a good distance away.

12. Remember your power adapter. Know what the outlets are going to be like where you’re going so you can recharge your computer and/or camera. Not knowing where you’re going, I would suggest this one – though a little big, it does fit almost everywhere you’re likely to travel.

13. Watches are overrated. It’s just one more thing to carry, use your cell phone for the time. Time doesn’t matter as much anyway to be honest… I haven’t worn one for years, but it could be I’m missing something here.

14. Drink a lot. I’m not going to get into it on whether you drink bottled water, sodas, beer or tap water – just make sure you’re drinking. You’ll end up sweating more, walking more and not realizing just how dehydrated you are until you notice that you haven’t gone to the restroom all day.

15. Toss out your expectations, embrace the differences. It’s not all going to fit the “standard” (as I reminded myself when I nearly bashed my skull in) that you think it should be. Just roll with it and keep a light-approach to life. When something goes wrong, which it will, remember that a smile, a shake of your head and a laugh will take you a lot further than the angry, frustrated and shouting “white person in Africa act” will.

The bonus tip is this: make friends locally and listen to them. They know the area and can point you towards people and places that you’ll get a lot out of. They also know most of the dangerous and dark corners of the region that you should stay away from, which Kristof talks of. People, at the end of the day, are your greatest assets when traveling, not your gear, knowledge or prior experience in the region.

Have tips of your own to add?

The best ones in the comments will be added here (so leave a link so I can attribute it to you).

From Ethan Zuckerman:

• Bring a hat. One you don’t mind wearing all the time, one you can wash in the sink or a bucket every night, one that keeps the sun from frying your brain. Or buy one. But this is a “don’t leave home without it” item for me.
• Undershirts keep you cooler. I rarely wear one in the States, but they’re essential equipment in tropical climes, and one of the few ways to remain presentable if you’ve got to do a business meeting.
• And an urban Africa tip – a cheap flashlight/torch is your friend when the power goes out and you’re staggering home from the bar at 2am. We refer to them in Ghana as “sewer avoidance systems” – trust me, fall into one open sewer and you’ll carry a torch with you for the rest of your life.

Sorcery and social exclusion / banishment of women in Burkina Faso

When we read about Ted Miguel's study of witch-killing in Tanzania, remember this article from lefaso.net...

L’Afrique a ses mythes et ses mystères. La pratique supposée ou vraie de la sorcellerie donne lieu à des pendaisons multiples dans la région du Nord du Burkina Faso. Dans la province du Passoré, le phénomène est entier. Le silence des uns rend atroce la souffrance des autres.

Au Burkina Faso, la sorcellerie a arbitrairement un visage féminin bien observable au centre “ Delwendé ” de Tanghin au secteur n°23 de Ouagadougou où une centaine de pauvres vieilles femmes rejetées à tort par la société y survivent, grâce aux religieuses catholiques dans une sorte de “ prison de la liberté ”. Bien que cette injustice soit l’apanage du Plateau mossi, elle est plus manifeste et pernicieuse dans la région Nord du pays. Le phénomène des mangeuses d’âmes crée une psychose dans la province du Passoré en général et dans son chef-lieu Yako en particulier. Tel un serpent de mer et sur fond de mysticisme, la sorcellerie réelle ou imaginaire a un impact considérable sur le vécu des populations de cette partie du Burkina Faso. Pendaisons et exclusions sociales, sont autant de graves conséquences qu’elle engendre. Les accusées de mangeuses d’âmes sont publiquement violentées et subissent les sévices les plus inhumains. Lynchage, déchéance et bannissement de l’accusé conduisent à une mort sociale certaine de l’individu transformé en un zombi, voire un “animal” condamné à l’errance et à la mort.

“Lorsqu’on m’a accusée de sorcellerie et procédé à mon exclusion, j’ai vécu huit jours dans la brousse, dans la faim et la soif. Ma seule compagnie était les chants des oiseaux. N’ayant plus envie de vivre, j’ai tenté de mettre fin à ma vie en consommant les raticides. J’ai vomi durant trois jours ”, témoigne Sibidou Bassyam, la cinquantaine dépassée. Chassées de chez elles, les femmes accusées de sorcellerie sont interdites de séjour aussi bien dans leurs foyers que dans leurs familles. Considérées comme des pestiférées, il leur est réfusé la moindre assistance et le moindre geste de solidarité. “N’eut été l’existence de nos centres d’accueil, ces personnes seraient vouées à une mort certaine”, a confié la sœur Rita Tankoano, responsable du centre accueillant les femmes accusées de sorcellerie à Tema Bokin, une commune rurale du Passoré.

Read more...

Obama's speech in Accra, July 10, 2009

The following is the full prepared statement of President Obama's speech in Accra, Ghana on July 11, 2009 as presented by the White House, according to the Associated Press.

------

Good morning. It is an honor for me to be in Accra, and to speak to the representatives of the people of Ghana. I am deeply grateful for the welcome that I've received, as are Michelle, Malia, and Sasha Obama. Ghana's history is rich, the ties between our two countries are strong, and I am proud that this is my first visit to sub-Saharan Africa as President of the United States.

I am speaking to you at the end of a long trip. I began in Russia, for a Summit between two great powers. I traveled to Italy, for a meeting of the world's leading economies. And I have come here, to Ghana, for a simple reason: the 21st century will be shaped by what happens not just in Rome or Moscow or Washington, but by what happens in Accra as well.

This is the simple truth of a time when the boundaries between people are overwhelmed by our connections. Your prosperity can expand America's. Your health and security can contribute to the world's. And the strength of your democracy can help advance human rights for people everywhere.

So I do not see the countries and peoples of Africa as a world apart; I see Africa as a fundamental part of our interconnected world – as partners with America on behalf of the future that we want for all our children. That partnership must be grounded in mutual responsibility, and that is what I want to speak with you about today.

We must start from the simple premise that Africa's future is up to Africans.

I say this knowing full well the tragic past that has sometimes haunted this part of the world. I have the blood of Africa within me, and my family's own story encompasses both the tragedies and triumphs of the larger African story.

My grandfather was a cook for the British in Kenya, and though he was a respected elder in his village, his employers called him "boy" for much of his life. He was on the periphery of Kenya's liberation struggles, but he was still imprisoned briefly during repressive times. In his life, colonialism wasn't simply the creation of unnatural borders or unfair terms of trade – it was something experienced personally, day after day, year after year.

My father grew up herding goats in a tiny village, an impossible distance away from the American universities where he would come to get an education. He came of age at an extraordinary moment of promise for Africa. The struggles of his own father's generation were giving birth to new nations, beginning right here in Ghana. Africans were educating and asserting themselves in new ways. History was on the move.

But despite the progress that has been made – and there has been considerable progress in parts of Africa – we also know that much of that promise has yet to be fulfilled. Countries like Kenya, which had a per capita economy larger than South Korea's when I was born, have been badly outpaced. Disease and conflict have ravaged parts of the African continent. In many places, the hope of my father's generation gave way to cynicism, even despair.

It is easy to point fingers, and to pin the blame for these problems on others. Yes, a colonial map that made little sense bred conflict, and the West has often approached Africa as a patron, rather than a partner. But the West is not responsible for the destruction of the Zimbabwean economy over the last decade, or wars in which children are enlisted as combatants. In my father's life, it was partly tribalism and patronage in an independent Kenya that for a long stretch derailed his career, and we know that this kind of corruption is a daily fact of life for far too many.

Of course, we also know that is not the whole story. Here in Ghana, you show us a face of Africa that is too often overlooked by a world that sees only tragedy or the need for charity. The people of Ghana have worked hard to put democracy on a firmer footing, with peaceful transfers of power even in the wake of closely contested elections. And with improved governance and an emerging civil society, Ghana's economy has shown impressive rates of growth.

This progress may lack the drama of the 20th century's liberation struggles, but make no mistake: it will ultimately be more significant. For just as it is important to emerge from the control of another nation, it is even more important to build one's own.

So I believe that this moment is just as promising for Ghana – and for Africa – as the moment when my father came of age and new nations were being born. This is a new moment of promise. Only this time, we have learned that it will not be giants like Nkrumah and Kenyatta who will determine Africa's future. Instead, it will be you – the men and women in Ghana's Parliament, and the people you represent. Above all, it will be the young people – brimming with talent and energy and hope – who can claim the future that so many in my father's generation never found.

To realize that promise, we must first recognize a fundamental truth that you have given life to in Ghana: development depends upon good governance. That is the ingredient which has been missing in far too many places, for far too long. That is the change that can unlock Africa's potential. And that is a responsibility that can only be met by Africans.

As for America and the West, our commitment must be measured by more than just the dollars we spend. I have pledged substantial increases in our foreign assistance, which is in Africa's interest and America's. But the true sign of success is not whether we are a source of aid that helps people scrape by – it is whether we are partners in building the capacity for transformational change.

This mutual responsibility must be the foundation of our partnership. And today, I will focus on four areas that are critical to the future of Africa and the entire developing world: democracy; opportunity; health; and the peaceful resolution of conflict.
First, we must support strong and sustainable democratic governments.

As I said in Cairo, each nation gives life to democracy in its own way, and in line with its own traditions. But history offers a clear verdict: governments that respect the will of their own people are more prosperous, more stable, and more successful than governments that do not.

This is about more than holding elections – it's also about what happens between them.

Repression takes many forms, and too many nations are plagued by problems that condemn their people to poverty. No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves, or police can be bought off by drug traffickers. No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top, or the head of the Port Authority is corrupt. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. That is not democracy, that is tyranny, and now is the time for it to end.

In the 21st century, capable, reliable and transparent institutions are the key to success – strong parliaments and honest police forces; independent judges and journalists; a vibrant private sector and civil society. Those are the things that give life to democracy, because that is what matters in peoples' lives.

Time and again, Ghanaians have chosen Constitutional rule over autocracy, and shown a democratic spirit that allows the energy of your people to break through. We see that in leaders who accept defeat graciously, and victors who resist calls to wield power against the opposition. We see that spirit in courageous journalists like Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who risked his life to report the truth. We see it in police like Patience Quaye, who helped prosecute the first human trafficker in Ghana. We see it in the young people who are speaking up against patronage, and participating in the political process.

Across Africa, we have seen countless examples of people taking control of their destiny, and making change from the bottom up. We saw it in Kenya, where civil society and business came together to help stop post-election violence. We saw it in South Africa, where over three quarters of the country voted in the recent election – the fourth since the end of Apartheid. We saw it in Zimbabwe, where the Election Support Network braved brutal repression to stand up for the principle that a person's vote is their sacred right.

Make no mistake: history is on the side of these brave Africans, and not with those who use coups or change Constitutions to stay in power. Africa doesn't need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.

America will not seek to impose any system of government on any other nation – the essential truth of democracy is that each nation determines its own destiny. What we will do is increase assistance for responsible individuals and institutions, with a focus on supporting good governance – on parliaments, which check abuses of power and ensure that opposition voices are heard; on the rule of law, which ensures the equal administration of justice; on civic participation, so that young people get involved; and on concrete solutions to corruption like forensic accounting, automating services, strengthening hot lines, and protecting whistle-blowers to advance transparency and accountability.

As we provide this support, I have directed my Administration to give greater attention to corruption in our Human Rights report. People everywhere should have the right to start a business or get an education without paying a bribe. We have a responsibility to support those who act responsibly and to isolate those who don't, and that is exactly what America will do.

This leads directly to our second area of partnership – supporting development that provides opportunity for more people.

With better governance, I have no doubt that Africa holds the promise of a broader base for prosperity. The continent is rich in natural resources. And from cell phone entrepreneurs to small farmers, Africans have shown the capacity and commitment to create their own opportunities.

But old habits must also be broken. Dependence on commodities – or on a single export – concentrates wealth in the hands of the few, and leaves people too vulnerable to downturns.

In Ghana, for instance, oil brings great opportunities, and you have been responsible in preparing for new revenue. But as so many Ghanaians know, oil cannot simply become the new cocoa.

From South Korea to Singapore, history shows that countries thrive when they invest in their people and infrastructure; when they promote multiple export industries, develop a skilled work force, and create space for small and medium-sized businesses that create jobs.

As Africans reach for this promise, America will be more responsible in extending our hand. By cutting costs that go to Western consultants and administration, we will put more resources in the hands of those who need it, while training people to do more for themselves. That is why our $3.5 billion food security initiative is focused on new methods and technologies for farmers – not simply sending American producers or goods to Africa. Aid is not an end in itself. The purpose of foreign assistance must be creating the conditions where it is no longer needed.

America can also do more to promote trade and investment. Wealthy nations must open our doors to goods and services from Africa in a meaningful way. And where there is good governance, we can broaden prosperity through public-private partnerships that invest in better roads and electricity; capacity-building that trains people to grow a business; and financial services that reach poor and rural areas. This is also in our own interest – for if people are lifted out of poverty and wealth is created in Africa, new markets will open for our own goods.

One area that holds out both undeniable peril and extraordinary promise is energy. Africa gives off less greenhouse gas than any other part of the world, but it is the most threatened by climate change. A warming planet will spread disease, shrink water resources, and deplete crops, creating conditions that produce more famine and conflict. All of us – particularly the developed world – have a responsibility to slow these trends – through mitigation, and by changing the way that we use energy. But we can also work with Africans to turn this crisis into opportunity.

Together, we can partner on behalf of our planet and prosperity, and help countries increase access to power while skipping the dirtier phase of development. Across Africa, there is bountiful wind and solar power; geothermal energy and bio-fuels. From the Rift Valley to the North African deserts; from the Western coast to South Africa's crops –Africa's boundless natural gifts can generate its own power, while exporting profitable, clean energy abroad.

These steps are about more than growth numbers on a balance sheet. They're about whether a young person with an education can get a job that supports a family; a farmer can transfer their goods to the market; or an entrepreneur with a good idea can start a business. It's about the dignity of work. It's about the opportunity that must exist for Africans in the 21st century.

Just as governance is vital to opportunity, it is also critical to the third area that I will talk about – strengthening public health.

In recent years, enormous progress has been made in parts of Africa. Far more people are living productively with HIV/AIDS, and getting the drugs they need. But too many still die from diseases that shouldn't kill them. When children are being killed because of a mosquito bite, and mothers are dying in childbirth, then we know that more progress must be made.

Yet because of incentives – often provided by donor nations – many African doctors and nurses understandably go overseas, or work for programs that focus on a single disease. This creates gaps in primary care and basic prevention. Meanwhile, individual Africans also have to make responsible choices that prevent the spread of disease, while promoting public health in their communities and countries.

Across Africa, we see examples of people tackling these problems. In Nigeria, an Interfaith effort of Christians and Muslims has set an example of cooperation to confront malaria. Here in Ghana and across Africa, we see innovative ideas for filling gaps in care – for instance, through E-Health initiatives that allow doctors in big cities to support those in small towns.

America will support these efforts through a comprehensive, global health strategy. Because in the 21st century, we are called to act by our conscience and our common interest. When a child dies of a preventable illness in Accra, that diminishes us everywhere. And when disease goes unchecked in any corner of the world, we know that it can spread across oceans and continents.

That is why my Administration has committed $63 billion to meet these challenges. Building on the strong efforts of President Bush, we will carry forward the fight against HIV/AIDS. We will pursue the goal of ending deaths from malaria and tuberculosis, and eradicating polio. We will fight neglected tropical disease. And we won't confront illnesses in isolation – we will invest in public health systems that promote wellness, and focus on the health of mothers and children.

As we partner on behalf of a healthier future, we must also stop the destruction that comes not from illness, but from human beings – and so the final area that I will address is conflict.

Now let me be clear: Africa is not the crude caricature of a continent at war. But for far too many Africans, conflict is a part of life, as constant as the sun. There are wars over land and wars over resources. And it is still far too easy for those without conscience to manipulate whole communities into fighting among faiths and tribes.

These conflicts are a millstone around Africa's neck. We all have many identities – of tribe and ethnicity; of religion and nationality. But defining oneself in opposition to someone who belongs to a different tribe, or who worships a different prophet, has no place in the 21st century. Africa's diversity should be a source of strength, not a cause for division. We are all God's children. We all share common aspirations – to live in peace and security; to access education and opportunity; to love our families, our communities, and our faith. That is our common humanity.

That is why we must stand up to inhumanity in our midst. It is never justifiable to target innocents in the name of ideology. It is the death sentence of a society to force children to kill in wars. It is the ultimate mark of criminality and cowardice to condemn women to relentless and systematic rape. We must bear witness to the value of every child in Darfur and the dignity of every woman in Congo. No faith or culture should condone the outrages against them. All of us must strive for the peace and security necessary for progress.

Africans are standing up for this future. Here, too, Ghana is helping to point the way forward. Ghanaians should take pride in your contributions to peacekeeping from Congo to Liberia to Lebanon, and in your efforts to resist the scourge of the drug trade. We welcome the steps that are being taken by organizations like the African Union and ECOWAS to better resolve conflicts, keep the peace, and support those in need. And we encourage the vision of a strong, regional security architecture that can bring effective, transnational force to bear when needed.

America has a responsibility to advance this vision, not just with words, but with support that strengthens African capacity. When there is genocide in Darfur or terrorists in Somalia, these are not simply African problems – they are global security challenges, and they demand a global response. That is why we stand ready to partner through diplomacy, technical assistance, and logistical support, and will stand behind efforts to hold war criminals accountable. And let me be clear: our Africa Command is focused not on establishing a foothold in the continent, but on confronting these common challenges to advance the security of America, Africa and the world.

In Moscow, I spoke of the need for an international system where the universal rights of human beings are respected, and violations of those rights are opposed. That must include a commitment to support those who resolve conflicts peacefully, to sanction and stop those who don't, and to help those who have suffered. But ultimately, it will be vibrant democracies like Botswana and Ghana which roll back the causes of conflict, and advance the frontiers of peace and prosperity.

As I said earlier, Africa's future is up to Africans.

The people of Africa are ready to claim that future. In my country, African-Americans – including so many recent immigrants – have thrived in every sector of society. We have done so despite a difficult past, and we have drawn strength from our African heritage. With strong institutions and a strong will, I know that Africans can live their dreams in Nairobi and Lagos; in Kigali and Kinshasa; in Harare and right here in Accra.

Fifty-two years ago, the eyes of the world were on Ghana. And a young preacher named Martin Luther King traveled here, to Accra, to watch the Union Jack come down and the Ghanaian flag go up. This was before the march on Washington or the success of the civil rights movement in my country. Dr. King was asked how he felt while watching the birth of a nation. And he said: "It renews my conviction in the ultimate triumph of justice."

Now, that triumph must be won once more, and it must be won by you. And I am particularly speaking to the young people. In places like Ghana, you make up over half of the population. Here is what you must know: the world will be what you make of it.

You have the power to hold your leaders accountable, and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in your communities, and harness your energy and education to create new wealth and build new connections to the world. You can conquer disease, end conflicts, and make change from the bottom up. You can do that. Yes you can. Because in this moment, history is on the move.

But these things can only be done if you take responsibility for your future. It won't be easy. It will take time and effort. There will be suffering and setbacks. But I can promise you this: America will be with you. As a partner. As a friend. Opportunity won't come from any other place, though – it must come from the decisions that you make, the things that you do, and the hope that you hold in your hearts.

Freedom is your inheritance. Now, it is your responsibility to build upon freedom's foundation. And if you do, we will look back years from now to places like Accra and say that this was the time when the promise was realized – this was the moment when prosperity was forged; pain was overcome; and a new era of progress began. This can be the time when we witness the triumph of justice once more. Thank you.

Why is so little given...

Nicholas Kristof has a nice essay of charitable giving to the developing countries...

It’s the Group of 8 summit in Italy, and world leaders are strolling along when they spot a girl floundering in a pond, crying out and then dipping beneath the surface. There are no cameras around. The leaders could safely rescue the girl, but they would get drenched and risk damaging their $600 shoes. A rescue would also delay the group’s discussion of Very Important Issues. In that situation, I’m convinced, the presidents and prime ministers would leap into the water to save the girl. So would you or I. (The difference is that the G-8 leaders would then hold a televised press conference to spotlight their compassion, perhaps canceling their session on humanitarian aid to do so.)

Read more...

Civic engagement workshop in Africa

Great discussion of complex issue of poverty tourism

From Glenna Gordon... in her Context Africa series... an excerpt...

The debate about "poverty tourism" rages on the blogosphere on the pages of the HuffPo, Bill Eastery's blog, and elsewhere. But, as Jina Moore (previous Context Africa feature), who wrote a great, nuanced piece about this for Christian Science Monitor, says,

If it’s that easy to be flip, you’re probably missing something.

Part of my goal in Context Africa is to look at projects that aren't interested in easy answers. There are people out there asking difficult questions, and coming back with stories, photos, and other works that don't provide straight answers. There's a lot of daily news out there that is factually incorrect, slanted, or stereotyped. But, there are also a lot of journalists committed to telling a different kind of story.

Today, I'm happy to highlight the work of Samantha Reinders, who is currently based in Cape Town, South Africa. Her take on Township Tourism shows that nothing is as straightforward as it might seem and even something as divisive as "poverty tourism" can be looked at with nuance.

Former SCU student now PC volunteer in Mali

Daniel Evans... he has a great blog here. An extract...

There's always more to say than there is time to say it, and especially so this time. This trip to Bamako was almost entirely business, but I couldn't leave without sharing this story:

So the other night, like many nights, I'm hanging around and chatting with my host family after dinner. With no television, internet, or electricity, it's not like there's much else to do.

I don't recall exactly, but somehow we get on the subject of NASA. My 28-year-old host mom, Sayon, who is the least educated adult in the family, asks what it is. I pondered for a minute how I might explain space explanation, satellites, and other NASA creations. I don't have words for those things in Bambara, and I suspect she doesn't either. So I tell her that they make things that fly. They can fly really, really high, and go really far. Yes, higher than airplanes. Yes, sometimes they put people in them.

She nods, and immediately I know that my first attempt didn't quite deliver the impact of "exploring outer space". So I tell her that one time, they made an airplane that flew to the moon, and that a man got out and walked around.

She looks up, ponders it for just a moment, and then looks back at me and asks, "Like at night?"

* * *

... I know its good for a laugh. Hell, I laugh every time I think about it. But I hesitated to post that story. In America, if I had that exchange with a non-child, I would consider them incredibly, hopelessly stupid. I know that in releasing this story into the wild, I risk caricaturing Malians in a way that mocks them.

In approaching Malians in their own environment, and on their own terms, I can appreciate the ways that they are smarter than me. Indeed, nine times out of ten it is "this guy" who asks the juvenile questions. When I go to work in the garden, I am usually assigned a seven-year-old, who makes sure I am pulling the right plants, and then adds insult to injury by working circles around me.

But after months of wondering what they see when they look at the stars, I'm finally starting to get it.

Notes de Lecture: Aya de Yopougon

J’ai passé tout le week-end dernier en compagnie d’Aya de Yopougon! J’ai lu le premier album de cette bande dessinée vendredi soir et dès le lendemain matin je suis allée chercher les trois autres (toute la série est maintenant disponible à la bibliothèque de l’université Santa Clara) . L’histoire se passe en Côte d’Ivoire dans les années soixante-dix, à une époque ou la situation politique était calme et la vie plus facile. Comme l’explique l’auteur, Marguerite Abouet, elle a choisi de depeindre la vie quotidienne, les relations familiales, les amours des jeunes, bref « une Afrique sans les clichés de la guerre et de la famine". Dans Yopougon, quartier de la capitale ivoirienne, on suit les aventures de la sérieuse Aya et de ses copines (beaucoup moins sérieuses). L’ambiance est généralement à la fête et les dessins très colorés de Clément Oubrerie arrivent à récréer parfaitement cette ambiance. La langue utiliséé par Marguerite Abouet est aussi haute en couleur, avec des expressions tirées de l’argot ivoirien et des proverbes locaux tout à fait hilarants. Quelques exemples: " "Meme si un bouc veut une femme, il n'ira pas pleurer devant une hyène". "Quand y a foudre, chacun attrape sa tête." "Si tu es au milieu des crapauds, accroupis-toi, ne demande pas une chaise." Malgré l’humour et le ton léger du récit, l’auteur n’hésite pas à aborder certains problemes sociaux comme les mariages arrangés, la polygamie et l’homosexualité. Chaque épisode s’acheve sur un coup de théâtre, ce qui nous incite bien sûr à sauter sur l’album suivant. J’attends déjà impatiemment la parution du cinquième tome ....

Alpha Blondy singing about peace in Cote d'Ivoire

Bad news in neighboring Niger

From the BBC:

The president of Niger says he will assume sweeping emergency powers, after a court again said he could not extend his rule.

Mamadou Tandja, 71, made his announcement after Niger's top court ruled against a referendum that could give him three more years in office.

Mr Tandja has governed the West African nation since 1999, serving two terms.

His plans to remain in power have sparked domestic protests and been criticised by international donors.

More tips on getting visa to Burkina

Also, very very important to record the tracking number of the Fedex return envelope that you include in your application. Write it down separately, so then you can verify online that it has been sent.

On the application you might want to write, at the place where it says number of entries, "Please if possible issue 5 year visa with multiple entry".

Village of Dohoun school loses its roof

From lefaso.net, read the whole article here...

Catastrophe à l’école primaire de Dohoun : Des élèves sans abri
Le dimanche 17 mai 2009 dans la soirée, une forte pluie accompagnée d’un vent violent s’est abattue sur le village de Dohoun, localité située à 12 kilomètres de Houndé.

Cela ne fut pas sans dégâts. Outre les grands arbres déracinés ou qui ont perdu une partie de leur branchage qu’on peut apercevoir à l’entrée du village, c’est une école délabrée qu’ont laissée la pluie et le vent sur leur passage. Heureusement, ce fut en l’absence des maîtres et leurs élèves. Si cette catastrophe n’a fait ni de blessés ni de perte en vie humaine, elle a occasionné des dégâts matériels énormes. Le bâtiment abritant les salles de classe du CMI et CM2 a été décoiffé à moitié et fissuré de quelques côtés. Sous le poids de grosses pierres qui jouaient un certain rôle sur le toit, cinq tables bancs ont été mises hors d’usage, sans compter des cahiers et manuels scolaires qui ont été à la merci de la pluie.

How to get your visa for Burkina Faso

Here is the relevant website of the Government of Burkina Faso. There is a link on the first lines for the PDF of the application form. You should request the five year visa for $100 with multiple re-entry. Note- beware of websites that purport to be official that make you pay a fee for getting the visa!

Visa Information

To make your trip easier and enjoyable, please read carefully the following information. a

1. For visa, the following documents are required:

• a valid passport;
• two (2) application forms to be completed and available at the Embassy front desk or on the website;
• two (2) passport-size photos;
• $100 for 6 months multiple entries;
• $150 for one year multiple entries. Payment should be made by money order or company check only;
• Yellow fever certificate
• prepaid return self-addressed envelop with a tracing number;

- US citizen are eligible for up to 5 years multiple entries visa; the cost is $ 100

- Please note, paid fees are non refundable

2. Other useful information

• the expiry date of a visa ranges from 6 months to five years. Any visa extension must be arranged by the Head Office of the National Police in Ouagadougou.
• Requests are processed within 72 working hours, the processing time may be reduced to 24 hours provided that the Applicant pays rush fees: $ 50/per visa.

• Carefully complete the application forms. Any missing or incomplete information may delay your visa issuance.
• Vaccinations: immunization against yellow fever is required. A cholera immunization is recommended and may become compulsory in the event of chorea outbreak.

Gold mining accident in Dossi, province de Tuy

From lefaso.net, read here for full article.

La recherche du métal précieux dans des conditions quasi moyenâgeuses tourne souvent au drame pour de nombreux orpailleurs. Trois d’entre eux ont de nouveau trouvé la mort suite à un éboulement jeudi dernier dans le Tuy et plus précisément dans le village de Dossi.

C’est aux environs de 19 heures ce jeudi 26 juillet 2007 que nous avons appris qu’un drame venait de se produire dans la province du Tuy et plus précisément dans le département de Boni à environ 130 km de Bobo : trois personnes ont trouvé la mort dans un éboulement à Dossi, village situé à une trentaine de km de la ville de Houndé. Arrivée très tôt dans la matinée du vendredi 27 à Boni, notre équipe de reportage n’eut aucune peine à repérer le chemin qui mène à Dossi. Un véhicule des sapeurs-pompiers stationné à quelques mètres du bitume sur une piste rurale nous indiquait déjà la direction du site aurifère où le drame avait eu lieu la veille.

Nice article about Boni, province de Tuy

From lefaso.net. Read here for the full article.

Communalisation intégrale au Tuy : Les petits grands pas de Boni

Boni, situé à 15 km de Houndé, chef-lieu de la province du Tuy, est, comme les autres départements de la région des Hauts Bassins, concerné par la communalisation intégrale en cours dans le pays depuis 2006. Engagé dans ce processus, Boni essaie, bon an, mal an, de tirer son épingle du jeu grâce à l’engagement et à la volonté de réussir de ses premiers responsables et de ses habitants.

A 120 kilomètres de Bobo Dioulasso, capitale économique du Burkina, s’étend en pleine savane sur une superficie de 416 km2 une petite bourgade : Boni, ancien village de Houndé (chef-lieu de la province du Tuy) érigé en département en 1996. Au Tuy, Boni fait office du plus petit et du plus pauvre département. Sur cette terre déshéritée subdivisée en 10 villages (Bahoun, Bansié, Dossi, Boni, Minou, Mamboué, Yénou, Moukounien, Mambo et Saho) vivent, selon le recensement de 2006, plus de 16 500 âmes, essentiellement des Bwaba (70% de la population), des Mossi (20%), des Peulh (8%) et des minorités Dagara, Dafi, Samo, et Nounouma (2%). Les populations de Boni ont comme activités principales l’agriculture et l’élevage. Elles cultivent du coton, du soja, du maïs, du haricot, et élèvent des bovins, des ovins, des caprins, etc.

Lorsque nous sommes arrivés le 10 avril 2008 à Houndé et que nous avons fait savoir à nos interlocuteurs notre intention de nous rendre à Boni, situé seulement à 15 km du chef-lieu de la province, beaucoup étaient étonnés, se demandant qu’est-ce qui pouvait bien nous intéresser dans cette localité sans grand intérêt, mais érigée depuis 2006 en commune rurale, à la faveur de la communalisation intégrale en cours dans notre pays.

Le CDP et l’ADF-RDA représentés au conseil municipal

Boni, la plus petite et la moins nantie des sept communes de la province du Tuy, va bientôt entrer dans sa deuxième année d’expérience communale. Le maire de la commune, Patrick Bondé, a été installé dans ses fonctions le 15 juillet 2006. Son élection et celle de ses adjoints, à savoir Voandonou Y. Bonoussan (1er adjoint au maire) et Ouanibaouie Bondé (2e adjointe au maire), remonte au 31 mai 2006. Le maire Bondé n’étant toujours pas sur place (il réside actuellement à Ouagadougou mais avant il vivait à Bruxelles en Belgique), les activités courantes du conseil municipal, fort de 21 membres (20 conseillers issus du CDP et 1 conseiller de l’ADF-RDA), sont depuis lors dirigées par le premier adjoint Voandonou Y. Bonoussan, secondé par la 2e adjointe, Ouanibaouie Bondé. Mais le maire, à ce qu’on dit, a toujours été présent lors des grandes sessions du conseil municipal.

A new bishop in Ouagadougou

From lefaso.net, read here for the whole article. Sunday Mass at the Ouagadougou cathedral is well-worth the time...

Nommé par le pape Benoît XVI le 13 mai 2009 au siège métropolitain de l’archidiocèse de Ouagadougou, Mgr Philippe Ouédraogo a pris officiellement possession de son siège épiscopal le 13 juin 2009. C’était au cours d’une messe solennelle qui a duré un peu plus de 3h d’horloge en présence du Premier ministre Tertius Zongo (représentant le chef de l’Etat), de 11 ministres de son gouvernement, de présidents d’institutions, de gouverneurs de régions, de chefs coutumiers, des représentants des communautés protestante et musulmane. Un parterre de fidèles catholiques sont venus de Kaya et de Ouahigouya pour se joindre à la famille de l’archidiocèse de Ouagadougou. La cathédrale de Ouagadougou a tout simplement refusé du monde.

Politics in neighboring Niger....

The President of Niger is trying to change the constitution so that he can maintain his rule... meanwhile an opposition leader (who until recently was an ally of the president) died suddenly... after a protest march... rumors will be flying. The book he is reading seems to be entitle 15 avril 1976. I have not seen it, but presumably refers to the attempted coup against the regime of Seyni Kountche.

Décès de Moumouni Djermakoye

par RFI

Article publié le 14/06/2009 Dernière mise à jour le 14/06/2009 à 17:06 TU

Nouvelle disparition d’une figure politique africaine : le leader politique nigérien Moumouni Djermakoye, chef de l’ANDP (l’Alliance nigérienne pour la démocratie et le progrès) est décédé brutalement ce dimanche matin à Niamey à l’âge de 70 ans. Son décès est survenu alors qu’il participait à un grand rassemblement de l’opposition contre le projet de référendum constitutionnel du président Tandja. Des dizaines de milliers de Nigériens ont manifesté à Niamey contre le projet du président Mamadou Tandja d'organiser début août un référendum sur une nouvelle Constitution pour rester au pouvoir au-delà de son dernier quinquennat fin 2009. Cette manifestation intervient deux jours après un arrêt de la Cour constitutionnelle qui a annulé un décret présidentiel convoquant le corps électoral pour le référendum le 4 août.

Read whole article...

Notes de Lecture: Les Bouts de Bois de Dieu

Les Bouts de Bois de Dieu, de Sembene Ousmane est un roman qu’on lit d’une traite tant l’histoire est fascinante. L’auteur raconte la grève menée par les cheminots de la ligne ferroviaire Dakar-Bamako (railway workers’ strike) contre l’administration coloniale en 1947 et 1948, Ce fut une grève très dure qui dura cinq mois et qui se termina à l’avantage des grévistes . Le récit se déroule dans deux pays, le Sénegal et le Mali, et met en scène une multitude de personnages. C’est un peu difficile de s’y retrouver au début, mais à mesure qu’on lit, on s’identifie de plus en plus aux personnages, à leur lutte, et à leur vie quotidienne pendant la grève. Le rôle des femmes évolue de façon extraordinaire dans le roman. Bien qu’elles soient exclues des discussions politiques et qu’elles n’aient pas droit de parole, ce sont elles qui doivent assurer la survie de leur famille et trouver de quoi manger quand l’argent vient à manquer. Au fil des semaines, elles s’impliquent de plus en plus en organisant des manifestations et en affrontant les soldats à plusieurs reprises. Tout comme les hommes, elles sont prêtes à mourir pour leurs droits et leur dignité. A la fin du récit, c’est une victoire des grévistes contre l’administration coloniale, mais c’est aussi une victoire des femmes et un pas en avant vers leur émancipation.

A short dialogue in Dioula

For a full explanation see here.

Mamadou: I ni sogoma! (Good morning!)(Bonjour!)

Awa: N'sé. Hèrè sirawa? (Hmm. Did you sleep well?)(Tu as passé une nuit paisible?)

M: Hèrè dron. I ka kènè wa? (Very well. How are you?)(Très calme. Comment ça va?)

A: N'ka kènè dooni, dooni. Ilé don? (Not bad, and you?)(Comme ci, comme ça. Et toi?)

M: N'ka kènè kosobè! I bè taa min? (I'm fantastic. Where are you going?)(Ça va très bien. Où vas-tu?)

A: N'be taa logofela. I ni baara! (I'm going to market. Keep up the good work!)(Je vais au marché. Merci pour ton bon travail.)

M: I ni chè. An bè sini. (Thanks. See you tomorrow.)(Merci. A demain.)

A: An bè sini. So mogo fo! (See you tomorrow. Say hi to the family.)(See you tomorrow. Salue la famille pour moi.)

Tertius Zongo, PM of Burkina Faso, in press conference

Maybe Helene you can help us understand the meaning of: "Le tout dans un langage cru, dépouillé de toute langue de bois."

Le Premier ministre Tertius Zongo a animé une conférence de presse le 11 juin 2009 à Ouagadougou. Et cela pour faire son bilan de 2 ans et celui du gouvernement qu’il dirige depuis le 10 juin 2007. L’exercice d’échanges que le chef du gouvernement a voulu francs a duré plus de 3 heures d’horloge et a été l’occasion pour Tertius Zongo d’asséner ses vérités, de dire ses convictions et ses projets pour le Burkina. Le tout dans un langage cru, dépouillé de toute langue de bois.

La date du 6 juin commence à ne plus passer inaperçue chaque année au Burkina, en tout cas tant que Tertius Zongo sera à la primature. Depuis 2008, le Premier ministre marque l’anniversaire de sa nomination à la tête du gouvernement le 6 juin 2007. C’est ainsi que depuis le début de ce mois de juin, les petits plats sont mis dans les grands pour célébrer le 2e anniversaire de l’arrivée de Tertius Zongo à la barre du gouvernement. Et l’accent a été mis sur des activités médiatiques qui vont se dérouler tout le mois pour en parler. Après la Télévision nationale où il a été longuement interrogé le 8 juin dernier sur son bilan tant par des journalistes que les citoyens par le biais du téléphone et du Net, le Premier ministre Tertius Zongo a animé hier 11 juin une conférence de presse générale sur le bilan de son action. Le média public national ayant pratiquement ravi la vedette aux autres organes de presse, certains journalistes se demandaient quelle est l’utilité de l’exercice qui va amener le chef du gouvernement à se répéter.

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How fearful should you be...

Chris Blattman offers some commentary on Nicholas Kristof (and the role of parents)... Burkina Faso, by the way, is very very safe! I just got off the phone with Amy Reggio, currently in Burkina, and she was alittle worried about going to Burkina after her study abroad in Dakar, and she said now that she has no idea what she could have been worried about, everything is so easy.

The NY Times' own Kristof offers us 15 tips for surviving bandits in poor countries. Among them is "carry a fake wallet" and (the tried and true favorite) "pretend you are Canadian".

While sometimes the article sounds like an excuse to recount the exploits of brave Kristof, I'd endorse all15 suggestions. I just have one problem: they undermine his ultimate ambition.

Kristof wants more students travelling to more dodgy places. So do I. But one emerges from the article thinking a bandit lurks around every developing country corner.

How many more parents will now dissuade their son or daughter from the travel Kristof wants them to take? How many will go, but approach every local with an ounce of trepidation and a measure of fear? Americans have cultivated a culture of fear at home. Need we export it abroad too?

Here's a simple truth: just like home, car accidents not bandits are the bogeyman. Malaria might be the second major risk, for which we have easy solutions. Thieves and rapists are typically a distant danger.

This is not to say you shouldn't take precautions. But personally I try to remember that I have more risk of bandits in New York and New Haven than any of the countries I visit. (Note from experience: this point does not relieve spousal and parental anxiety about your international travel.)

The essential point: foreign does not equal dangerous. Dwelling on the potential bandit round the next corner will make you miserable, paranoid, and make even a little prejudiced.

French Language in Burkina Faso

I have always loved linguistics and, being from Quebec, I am particularly interested in all the different variations of the French language. I am eager to hear the French spoken in Burkina Faso and learn the expressions, words, and even grammatical structures that are specific to the country. One expression that I have heard and that I like a lot is "faux type". The literal translation would be something like "false type", or some kind of con man, but it really means something more subtle. Not exactly a bad guy, but someone who pretends to be your friend with hopes of gaining something, monetary or otherwise.
Of course, even though French is the official language in the country, it would be nice to learn one of the local languages. The problem is "which one"? There are over sixty different ones. I think Jula is spoken is most of the villages where the FAVL libraries are located, but Moore is spoken more widely, by at least 5,000,000 people. I tried a little, but it's of course a language from a different family and nothing is familiar. Changing the intonation of a word changes its meaning, and you need a complete different word to express the plural of something. As somebody was telling me recently: “Moore pa na-na ye” (Le Moore, c’est pas facile!)

Guy le Moal, masques bobo, vie, formes et couleur

Compte rendu

Guy le Moal, masques bobo, vie, formes et couleur, avril 2008, Biro éditeur, Institut de recherche pour le développement, musée royal de l’Afrique centrale, Tervuren, 126p.

Ce beau livre en papier glacé et qui contient de belles photos est préfacé par Anne Marie BOUTTIAUX, conservatrice en chef de la section d’ethnographie du musée royal de l’Afrique centrale de Tervuren.

Guy le Moal situe dès l’introduction la religion bobo, les masques bobo. Il parle des masques feuilles et de leur mission à travers le mythe cosmogonique qui constitue la base de tout le dogme bobo. C’est le Dieu suprême Wuro que les bobo retiennent comme étant l’instant capital de l’humanité. En se retirant, Dieu ou Wuro, laisse apparaître le premier homme, le forgeron qui sera incarné par les masques feuilles. Désormais, l’homme connaît la finitude de son existence. Le birewa dãga commémore tous les ans cette cérémonie de purification du village. Les bobo sont ainsi partagés entre les masques feuilles et les masques fibres végétales ou kele. La danse, le chant et la dramaturgie font partie du rite religieux. L’ouvrage est réparti en cinq parties :

La première partie traite de « Les Bobo dans le siècle et dans l’histoire » ;

La deuxième partie de « Mythes et divinités majeures » ;

La troisième partie « Le grand retour des masques » ;

La quatrième partie « Les masques en tête de bois sculpté ».

La cinquième partie « Les principales tribus allogènes installées en pays bobo ».

Dans la première partie, l’auteur traite des bobo, leur avenir et le respect des traditions. Ils ont abandonné progressivement les modes d’échanges traditionnels adaptés à leur environnement pour épouser les contraintes des économies de marchés. Ce qui bien sûr a un impact sur les traditions. Le domaine religieux semble s’être adapté à ces mutations. Les convertis bobo à l’islam et au catholicisme ne rompent pas avec la religion traditionnelle. Cette partie traite du forgeron, de la place qu’il occupe dans la société, du tisserand, du devin et de son rôle dans l’équilibre de la société. Les bobo sont caractérisés aussi par une défiance tenace à l’égard de tout pouvoir central. On remarque cependant une unité culturelle des bobo.

Dans la deuxième partie, on évoque les révélations sacrées des bobo notamment le dieu suprême Wuro. Il y a une histoire en deux temps : le mythe fondateur et le temps historique. Le couple forgeron-agriculteur sera créé par Wuro. Puis vint la femme qui permit à l’homme d’avoir une descendance. Kwere est associé à la foudre, au tonnerre, alors que Soxo est associé au monde brut, inorganisé de la brousse. De même que des récits expliquent l’apparition du forgeron, de l’agriculteur et de la femme, un récit d’origine situe la création du masque et des initiés (yele) qui vont l’institutionnaliser par opposition aux non initiés (sinkye). En portant le masque, ils s’effacent (sõwiye) pour porter la divinité du masque. Les masques du Dwo sont de puissants agents de socialisation. Il y a aussi la fondation du village bobo qui est une forme de recherche d’une terre dans l’espoir de fonder un village. Ceci se fait à travers le pacte avec soxo, divinité de la brousse. Nous avons aussi les assises religieuses du village. Les traoré édifient l’autel de sapre qui incarne le pouvoir et la brousse ; deux choses désirées et craintes par le bobo.

Il est question aussi de l’organisation sociale et politique villageoise caractérisée par la répartition équilibrée des pouvoirs et des charges religieuses. Il y a aussi le rôle des étrangers, du forgeron et du griot.

Dans la troisième partie, il est question du temps des masques qui captivent autant l’esprit que le cœur. Les bobo accordent aux masques un lien affectif et spirituel. Il y a une différence morphologique des masques qui est décrite dans l’ouvrage. Ainsi, la tribu des Syekõma du Dwo de patamaso se subdivise en deux fractions : les Syekõma Tinkere et les Syekõma « purs ». A l’occasion, on assiste à la danse du cou. Nous avons les rituels de purification. Le masque saxasaxala purifie le village. Nous avons l’initiation des sinkye de la première classe d’âge qui permet d’initier les jeunes au secret des masques. Les classes d’âges supérieurs yelebire vont diriger les sinkye. Les masques reflètent les divisions sociales et ethniques, l’enfant (kelenõ), la femme dyula (laňa). Les masques initiatiques ne pénètrent pas dans le village. Les masques de fibres gwarama et gwala circulent librement au village. Nous avons les masques saworakabe, les masque kelegu noirs, les masques kadoube, les masques Nopene, les masques guarama, bakoma, byetale rouge à un plumet, kele blanc, lana, Myanea, Bolopara, masque blanc à carcasse.

La quatrième partie traite des masques syekele des agriculteurs Bobo, de leurs caractères morphologiques et stylistiques des têtes en bois sculpté. Il y a les masques anthropomorphes ayant deux styles : le style figuratif et le style dépouillé, en « gouttière ».

Nous avons le masque beau ou Laare, Au niveau des masque zoomorphes, nous avons le nyãga de l’antilope cheval, le coq traité avec humour, la biche à pelage rayé roux. Au niveau des masques animaliers, nous avons une liberté d’expression dans la création avec une rigueur stéréotypée.

Concernant le masque du culte Sibe des forgerons Bobo, on peut dire que les molo ont une importance primordiale dans les rituels spécifiques des sibe (forgerons). Le sõ molo est le masque majeur, et le saxa molo est le masque de brousse. Les Nwenka officient dans les cérémonies funéraires. Le mythe d’origine du kwele Dwo est constitutif du culte de sibe Dwo (Dwo des forgerons). Nous avons le mythe de révélation de Kwele Do. Ce mythe sacralise la mort et la célébration des funérailles solennelles.

La cinquième partie traite des zara et de leurs masques blancs, des fêtes nocturnes des zara. Cette partie traite aussi des bolon et leurs masques kõfe, des yuguba (masques feuilles) purificateurs du Kaya, du masque « arbre géant », masque ko de plus de six mètres. Il est question aussi de l’initiation chez les bolon, du nouvel an Bobo, des funérailles de femmes au village de koreba.

Au total, l’ouvrage permet d’avoir une bonne idée du fonctionnement des masques chez les bobo. Il est agréable à lire pour des profanes et contient de telles belles photos de masques. Certes le public universitaire ne trouvera pas des analyses aussi poussées que les travaux littéraires de Louis Millogo et Sanou Salaka sur les masques, mais, il pourra en revanche déguster la compréhension des masques bobo à travers des villages. Certes avec le modernisme, le masque a tendance à connaître des traitements plus profanes sous la poussée des festivals de masques au Burkina, mais force est de connaître que l’ouvrage de Guy le Moal constitue une bonne porte d’entrée pour celui qui veut s’aventurer dans les dédales de ce trésor culturel du Burkina Faso encore vivace.

Prof. Alain Joseph SISSAO
Maître de Recherche
INSS/CNRST
Burkina Faso
alainsis@gmail.com