Traditional Theatre
Prior to colonialism, the daily lives of each of Burkina Faso's different ethnic groups were infused with performative rituals. These rituals varied but often involved dance and the use of masks. For example, the Bwa and the Nuna people use tribal masks to represent the faces of spirits in dances on market days, at funerals and at initiation ceremonies, in order to better communicate with the protective spirits. The Dagari people, during funeral ceremonies, perform before the corpse, re-enacting important moments from his or her life. These practices, primarily of a religious nature, are gradually dying out but they still exert a significant influence on modern Burkinabè theatre.
Read more about this topic: Theatre Of Burkina Faso
Famous quotes containing the words traditional and/or theatre:
“The community and family networks which helped sustain earlier generations have become scarcer for growing numbers of young parents. Those who lack links to these traditional sources of support are hard-pressed to find other resources, given the emphasis in our society on providing treatment services, rather than preventive services and support for health maintenance and well-being.”
—Bernice Weissbourd (20th century)
“... the theatre demanded of its members stamina, good digestion, the ability to adjust, and a strong sense of humor. There was no discomfort an actor didnt learn to endure. To survive, we had to be horses and we were.”
—Helen Hayes (19001993)