Blog 13 May 2012
We are on our way back to The Netherlands. Yesterday a bus for about 5 hours (airco). About 10 minutes from the arrival in Ouagadougou, the bus stopped and the helper started to take water bottles from the racks above the seats. When you think that they have planned this water is both good (they have this just in case) or bad (why do they need this). Anyway after 6 bottles of 1,5 litres we were back on our way to the end of this bus trip.
Blog 6 May 2012
It has been a very busy week with visits to 3 villages and one meeting of women in Bobo.
Women in the villages have 2 main picking activities: karité (Shea) nuts and Néré fruits. Shea nuts are mainly picked up between July and August. For the Néré it is April / May. Néré trees are hugged trees and women are going to the fields with a long stick in order to collect the bean type fruits. Néré fruit contains a yellow powder and black seeds. The seeds are prepared to make a type of paste (very smelly) called Sumbala which is used to make sauces. Sumbala has a lot of proteins. The yellow powder can be used to feed pigs for example, but when the food is missing, people are eating it mixed in water. Right now, there is little food and the Néré output is very welcome.
Blog 29 april 2012
I can see that the weather in Europe is not very nice, some people say miserable. In Burkina it is getting warmer each day. I was in Ouagadougou yesterday and it was difficult to move around. Not a very nice sensation when the piece of paper you are writing on is sticking to your arm! A good rain would help cool down some. This afternoon some dark clouds, but no rain yet.
Blog 22 April 2012
We are back in Burkina Faso with Eugénie for 4 weeks. It is the hottest time of the year here with above 40oC temperature and menacing clouds which only increase the humidity.
In the villages it is time to start working in the fields: cleaning the previously cultivated ones or to clear new ones. It is also the time for the "masks". Most of the villages where we are active have at least once a year the "mask dances". This is normally in April. Masks are young initiated adults who are dressed with coloured raffia and wear masks mainly showing animals. Some other masks are all dressed in black or white raffia, those have specific tasks in the process of the celebration. Nobody is supposed to know who are behind the masks. The celebration is for the people who died during the year: "les funérailles sèches" or dry funerals. Relatives come to the village for this celebration of the deceased parents and it lasts at least 3 days. No need to try to come to the village to discuss something during this period nor immediately after. A lot of local beer made from sorghum is drunk during this feast. In some villages only the men can watch the mask dances besides the women of the blacksmith. In other villages women can participate in the celebration. Kids are very scared of the masks and adolescent boys are trying to bother them. If caught they can be severely beaten.
