Literature of Burkina Faso
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Literature of Burkina Faso was originally based around the oral tradition. This remains important. In 1934, during French occupation, Dim-Dolobsom Ouedraogo published his Maximes, pensées et devinettes mossi (Maximes, Thoughts and Riddles of the Mossi), a record of the oral history of the Mossi people. The oral tradition continued to have an influence on Burkinabé writers in the post-independence Burkina Faso of the 1960s, such as Nazi Boni and Roger Nikiema. Since the 1970s, literature has deveolped in Burkina Faso with many more writers being published.
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[edit] Early literature and colonial times
Prior to colonisation, written literature was virtually absent in Burkina Faso, like much of Africa.[1] The oral tradition has always been important to the many ethnic groups, sustaining the cultural diversity of the country.[2] Culture has been transmitted orally through music and dance.[1] This has been described by Titinga Frédéric Pacéré in his 1992 book Le language des tam-tams et des masques Afrique, emphasising the importance in many of Burkina Faso's ethnic groups of griots, and the older members of the communities.[1]
In 1934, Dim-Dolobsom Ouedraogo wrote his book Maximes, pensées et devinettes mossi (Maximes, Thoughts and Riddles of the Mossi), recording the oral history of the Mossi kingdom which gave rise to Burkina Faso.[2][3]
[edit] Post-independence
The first novel by a Burkinabé writer was Crépuscule des temps anciens (The Dawn of Ancient Times or The Twilight of the Bygone Days) by Nazi Boni, published in 1962.[3][4] Boni was an important political figure in his country's independence and political issues informed his writing.[4] His novel explores the traditions of the Bwamu people and has been called an "ethnographic novel".[5][6] The second Burkinabé novel was Roger Nikiema's 1967 book Dessein contraire.[5]
During the 1960s, there was also a proliferation of theatre works.[2] Playwrights that became prominent in this time included Ouamdégré Ouedraogo with L'avare Moaga: comédie des moeurs (Miser Moaga: a Comedy of Manners), Pierre Dabiré with Sansoa and Moussa Savadogo with Fille de le Volta (Daughter of the Volta) and L'oracle (The Oracle).[2][7][8]
In the 1970s, the next generation of Burkinabé novelists included Augustin-Sondé Coulibaly, Kollin Noaga and Etienne Sawadogo.[1][3] More recent writers include Jacques Prosper Bazié, Ansomwin Ignace Hien, Jean-Baptiste Somé, Pierre Claver Ilboudo and Norbert Zongo.[1][2] From the 1980s, women writers in Burkina Faso began to be puvlished including Pierrette Sandra Kanzié, Bernadette Dao, Angèle Bassolé Ouédraogo, Gaël Koné, Monique Ilboudo, Suzy Henrique Nikiéma, Sarah Bouyain and Adiza Sanoussi.[3] A particularly noted writer has been Titinga Frédéric Pacéré.[1]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f Marchais, Julien. Burkina Faso (in French). Petit Futé, 91–92. ISBN 2746916010.
- ^ a b c d e Salhi, Kamal (1999). Francophone Voices. Intellect Books, 37. ISBN 1902454030.
- ^ a b c d Burkina Faso literature at a glance. The University of Western Australia (2006-11-10). Retrieved on 2008-06-06.
- ^ a b Gikandi, Simon; Michel Tinguiri (2003). Encyclopedia of African literature. Taylor & Francis, 102. ISBN 0415230195.
- ^ a b Allan, Tuzyline Jita (1997). Women's Studies Quarterly: Teaching African Literatures in a Global Literary. Feminist Press, 86. ISBN 155861169X.
- ^ Kevane, Michael (2004). Women and Development in Africa: How Gender Works. Lynne Rienner Publishers, 74. ISBN 1588262383.
- ^ Gassner, John; Edward Quinn (2003). The Reader's Encyclopedia of World Drama. Courier Dover Publications, 9. ISBN 0486420647.
- ^ Gérard, Albert S. (1986). European-language Writing in Sub-Saharan Africa. John Benjamins Publishing Company, 596. ISBN 9630538334.
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