Burkina Faso

Another African nation, another independence day. On 5 August Burkina Faso celebrates their Independence Day. Date? 1960. Coloniser? France. Sometimes it’s just known as Burkina—which translates, apparently, as “men of integrity.” We like integrity. Landlocked, located in West Africa, it’s surrounded by plenty of nations: Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. Oh, and it used to be known as the Republic of Upper Volta, but the name was changed in 1984. The capital is Ouagadougou—I love that name.

So, people have been in Burkina Faso for over ten thousand years, and agricultural life in permanent settlements appears to have emerged around 5000 years ago. Iron, ceramics, religion—all these emerged between 1500 and 1000 BCE. More recently, in 500 or so years ago it was an important economic area for the Songhai Empire. Yes, there was life before Europe got involved.

And they got involved pretty late. The Mossi kingdom was only defeated by the French forces (colonising forces, that is—does that make it any better?) in 1896, and became a French protectorate the same year. Still, there were large pockets it didn’t yet have under control, and it took a few years to make sure the majority of the territory was “conquered.” While it was a French colony, the capital was Bamako.

The privilege of being French? Why, you could be drafted for World War I.

Then the French decided to dismantle the territory, distributing the area between Côte d’Ivoire, French Sudan and Niger. This was not a popular move: after World War II ended, anti-colonial sentiment rose, and the French reinstated “Upper Volta” with its previous boundaries in 1947. Eleven years later the country became self-governing, and then came 1960’s independence.

The first military coup? 1966. Twelve years later civilian rule returned, only to be followed by another coup in 1980, followed in 1983 by a counter-coup. The latest coup was 1987—since then Blaise Compaoré has been in charge. Compaoré was elected President in 1991—but apparent the election didn’t mean much, since the opposition boycotted. This was followed by re-election in 1998 and 2005. The last of these re-elections was controversial (and, yes, opposition parties participated) as the constitution had previously stipulated the President could only serve two terms, and have reduced those terms from 7 years to 5. Yes, the math is simple. He’s been president for 21 years now.

Poem? This one’s by Frédéric Pacéré Titinga. I found it online here. I love the idea of a “Hymn of Debris.”


Hymn of Debris

The mountain caved in

Just before dawn!

Night reigns completely!

The huge mahogany of the village

Has blown to pieces;

The termites hold the power of the Crowns.

The lion’s roar has stopped

In the haunted savannah!

Night reigns completely!

The immense hope of the village

Has blown to pieces;

The termites hold the power of the Crowns!

Terrified falcon,

Abandoned,

Worn out,

Maggoty,

Betrayed by the spirits,

Bending the millenary knee

That cracks
Under the damned breath of the ancestors,

Defenceless people,

Orphaned people,

Humbled
Under the mournful COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO

Of artificial trivialities

Carrying a past of hope,

Betrayed,
Livid,

Stabbed,

Crushed,

Terrified falcon,

Terrified falcon,

Terrified falcon,

Go!

Go under the enemy howls,

Dark survivor,

Tormented one-legged man

Unfortunate centipede

Go over your debris

Hope of the beheaded

Go!

Tomorrow,

The sun will be high in the sky.


—Frédéric Pacéré Titinga