West Africa is a showcase of diversity in festivities
From bright masks and costumes to voodoo and sacrifice
WEST Africa is known for its flamboyant and dramatic festivals, held throughout the year in different parts of the region, and reflecting a diverse mix of African traditions.
The festivals often represent traditional beliefs, religious heritage and cultural identity, attract a wide attendance, and are popular across the region.
Voodoo Festival in Benin
Every year in Benin, on January 10, the Fête du Vodoun or the Vodoun Festival is held to celebrate the nation’s history associated with the West African Vodoun religion.
The festival is the biggest and most colourful festival in the country, even though it was outlawed for 18 years. It started to thrive again in 1991 when the ban was lifted, after the government acknowledged the worship of ancestral spirits and set aside a day on which people could worship and celebrate their ancestors.
The day usually starts with offerings to the spirits – a goat is slaughtered, and priests rip out the throats of live chickens with their teeth and drink the chickens’ blood. Some of the worshippers engage in daring acts of self-mutilation – cutting themselves with knives and pouring local gin on the wounds.
The day then continues with dancing, singing and drinking, and the vibrant Zangbeto “spirit” comes out in the darkness, runs about, jumps up high and crawls like a snake.
Egungun Festival in Nigeira
The Egungun Festival, or ceremony, is celebrated by the Yoruba ethnic group. It involves the celebration of the return of the spirits of ancestors. Egungun literally means “the walking dead”.
Egungun masks are worn during this annual ceremony, as well as during funeral rites throughout the year. The masks reflect a creative response to death – as a time of crisis involving mourning and loss.
Elaborate performances serve to commemorate the dead through remembrance of their past lives, while simultaneously reinforcing the relationship between the living and deceased ancestors.
Argungu Fishing Festival in Nigeria
Every year in the north-west of Nigeria, communities gather to participate in the Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival, near the Matan Fada River.
The festival was initially an informal family and communal affair, and has undergone several changes and modifications.
The four-day festival, which runs from late February to March, features a series of competitions, including hand-fishing, a canoe race, catching wild duck and traditional wrestling and boxing events.
Festival of Masks in Ivory Coast The Festival of Masks is a famous annual festival held in November. It features colourful competitions between villages, aimed at finding the best dancers and creative handcrafted masks.
The festival is used to pay homage to the spirits, which are believed to be hovering around and looking after the land. The celebration features dancing, singing and colourful costumes, usually handed down from one generation to another.
Festival in the Desert in Mali The Festival in the Desert has been flourishing since it started in 2001. It has attracted some of the most famous musicians in the world. The festival is aimed at bringing together nomadic clans of the Tuareg during the dry season, to celebrate their culture, music and recount stories from their wanderings.
The festival has evolved over the years and has incorporated other activities, including camel-racing and competitions for revellers.
Guérewol Festival in Niger
The Guérewol is an annual ritual courtship competition among the Wodaabe Fula people, held in September. Young men wear elaborate costumes and their faces are painted in a traditional manner. They gather in lines to dance and sing, vying for the attention of women who they can marry.
The ideal physical attributes for men in the Wodaabe tribe are height, and white eyes and teeth. During the week-long celebration, while singing and dancing, the men will often roll their eyes and show their teeth to emphasise these characteristics.