FRANCAIS: Boni est un petit village du Burkina Faso ou vivent de geniales Bwaba du nombre de 5.823 habitants.Boni est situe sur la route (R.N.1) Ouagadougou-Bobo-Dioulasso. Boni est a 235 Km de Ouagadougou et a 117 Km de Bobo-Dioulasso.

Les habitants sont tous des agriculteurs travaillent pendant la saison pluvieuse de Juin en Novembre. Ils produisent du mais, mil, haricot, riz, arachides, sesames, sorgho rouge et blanc, et enfin du coton.

En saison seche de Decembre a Mai, c'est le temps des danses folkloriques, danses des masques, fetes d'initiations, purifications, funerailles, et marriages.

Chez les Bwaba, d'autres disent les Bwa, c'est la meme chose: Il ya a differents fetiches qui sont permanent adores par les notables des villages, afin de pouvoir benificier de leurs puissances dans tous les villages concernes: 1) Il y a le LANLE: Fetiches des masques en bois et fibres. 2) Il y a ainsi le Do: Fetiches des masques en feuilles et plumes de calao.

Tous ces masques sortent et dansent en saison seche, apres les premiers sorties de purifications. Ils dansent tout le cinq jours qui est leur jour de marche. Les ceremonies funeraires se deroulent en Fevrier-Mars-Avril et Mai.

Au sein du village il y a un atelier de sculpteurs. Pour tout touristes ou collectionneurs vous pouvez faire vos commandes, ou acheter deja leurs produits qu'ils ont dans le magasin.

Ces artistes expedient souvent les grandes objects des clients a leurs destinations, avec une adress complete, et tout ce passe bien, il n'y a pas de perte.

Attention. Quand les masques dansent ils ne sont pas noirs ni sombre, les proprietaires les font repeintre chaque an. C'est un erreur de pretender qu'ils sont tres vieux et les faire noircir.

Il faut montrer les objects que vous achetez au Directeur du Patrimoine Culturel, M. NAO, Oumarou, au ministere de la culture a Ouagadougou. Il peut vous donner un permission d'exporter. Ceci n'est pas difficile et il ne faut pas plus que dix minutes pour le faire.

ENGLISH: Boni is a small village in Burkina Faso where 5,823 very friendly, hospitable, and creative Bwaba people live. Boni is right next to the road from Ouagadougou to Bobo-Dioulasso (R.N. 1). Boni is 235 kilometers from Ouagadougou and 117 kilometers from Bobo-Dioulasso.

The people of Boni are all farmers who work in their fields during the rainy season from June to November. They grow corn, millet, beans, rice, peanuts, sesame, red and white sorghum, and lots of cotton.

During the dry season, from December to May, is the time for traditional dances, mask dances, initiation celebrations, village purifications, funerals, and marriages.

Among the Bwaba, others say Bwa, it makes no difference: There are different power objects that are always honored by the important people of the village, so that they can benefit from their blessings in all of the villages: 1)There is the LANLE: power of masks in wood and hemp fiber. 2) There is also Do, the ppower of masks in leaves and the feathers of the ground hornbill.

All of these masks appear and dance during the dry season, following the first performances of purification. They dance every five days, which is their market day. Funeral ceremonies are held in February-March-April-and May.

At the center of the village there is a sculptors workshop. All tourists and collectors can come and place orders for objects, or buy the masks and other sculpture they have displayed in the workshop.

The artists are happy to ship large objects clients buy to their destinations, with their address, and it is all quite secure and safe. Things do not get lost or stolen, and service is quite dependible.

Remember, the masks that appear in performances do not look old and dark and crusty. They are repainted each year before they are used. Do not make the mistake of asking the artists to try to make the objects you buy "look old."

You must take any objects you buy to the ministry of culture where the director of national patrimony, M. NAO Oumarou, will issue a permission to export. This is neither difficult nor time-consuming. Mr. Nao is a very helpful and knowledgeable person.

Text on the art of the Bwa people Text from "The Art of Burkina Faso" on the Bwa people, landscape, farming, religion, art, and more.

Photographs of Boni People, homes, streets of the village, and masks of the Bonde, Gnoumou and Bayer families.

Streaming Video of Boni
Bwa masks The masks of the Bonde family enter the village for the first time in 2006, to purify the village and begin the annual cycle of celebrations.

Serpent mask The great serpent mask of the Bonde family in Boni performs at the mask festival called FESTIMA in Dedougou, 2004.