In the Land of Upright People...

Welcome to the Challenge of Travel, developed by two collaborators, Erin of Treasures Found and Marcie of La Bella Joya. Their idea, to choose one country, learn a bit about it, as if one were preparing a trip, and agree to meet with other bloggers today, was one which proved very popular. Fifty-nine participants are joining together to offer up photos, commentary and a little eye candy in the form of an original item or two created to honour their country of choice.

I chose the West African country of Burkina Faso for very personal reasons: it is a little known former French colony (which in my childhood I knew by its colonial name, Haute Volta), that I have always wanted to visit. Secondly, by odd coincidence, I actually met a young lady from Burkina Faso right here in my own town in New Brunswick (she was studying at our local French language college). She is obviously a more seasoned traveller than me!

I welcome you in Mòoré: yee-bay-go (good morning)!

Without further ado, I am proud to present:

Burkina Faso, a name translated as "the land of upright people" in two of the native languages, Mòoré and Dioula. This is one of the friendliest and safest places to travel in Africa. Both Muslims (the majority, 60%), and Christians, both also honouring traditional animist religions, coexist here harmoniously. All are courteous to one another and to visitors.

No such thing as "minding your own business": a friendly 
greeting is a social requirement!

While the country has experienced growing pains similar to other emerging African nations,  it has suffered much less violence in comparison to its neighbours. Though Burkina Faso was once ruled by warrior tribes, and endured colonial rule by France from 1898 to 1958, its people are  remarkably peace-loving and accommodating, and eagerly welcome foreign visitors.



The more densely populated central region around
the capital, Ouagadougou, is home to the mostly Christian
Mossi tribes. To the west, the Black Volta region, named
for the river, is the most culturally diverse and lushest.
The eastern regions are typically arid with more nomadic
tribes like the Tuareg.





A land-locked nation bridging the
Sahel desert to the north and the tropical
rain-forest in the south.







Burkina Faso (or Burkina) is one of the world's poorest nations, according to the UN, with an average income per person of less than $510 USD per year (and remember that's an average!) Though blessed with some natural resources, much of the land has been marginalized by ecologically unsound practices in the past. Subsistence farming is the work of up to 90% of the people, mainly raising livestock, vegetables and grain crops, which comprise a large part of their diet.

Selling fresh produce at city market in Leo, central Burkina.



The varied buildings are like a walk through time: 

Variety of architecture. From the top: 1/ Traditional homes, southern Burkina farm;
2/ modern movie theatre in smaller city; 3/ The Grand Mosque of Bobo-Dioulasso (second largest city);
4/  Cathedral of Ouagadougou, Capital Of Burkina Faso; 5/ Sudanese Style railway station Bobo-Dioulasso. 

Burkina is a member of the Francophonie, an international community of people and cultures using the French language. My country, Canada, is also a member of this group as are many European, African, and Asian countries where French is spoken and/or taught in schools. (I was surprised to learn that Romania and Bulgaria are also members, as are Vietnam, Laos, and some micro-states of the South Pacific.)

French is the language of instruction in Burkina; school is low-cost and attendance is compulsory, but due to extreme poverty and poor enforcement, only 35% of primary-age children attain a basic education, rendering Burkino Faso one of the most illiterate countries in the world (29% literacy). Outside the cities, mostly the native tongues are spoken. It makes me wonder if more could be achieved by combining French with local languages. Might be more motivational?

School in Dourtenga. I was assuming this was a primary school,
based on the children's appearance, but Burkinabé are of small stature
 due to chronic food shortages. Those French language chalk-board
lessons are on geometry equations and microbiology!

Burkina receives a large amount of foreign aid, both public and private. There are many NGOs working in Burkina Faso. "Imagination for People" is a Canadian (Québec-based) organization that facilitates, with other partnerships, hands-on improvements in many developing countries; two examples of projects include self-contained solar lighting  for remote villages still off the grid; and teaching social entrepreneurship (grass roots small business skills based on local needs). *Please note this website is in French, but does have an excellent (clickable) English translation available*. 

(From top: 1/ Villagers learn about solar lighting; 2/ Computer skills training; both photos by Sylvain Maire, Imagination for People; 3/ Women around the water pump near a Tree Nursery; 4/ American Peace Corps volunteers being taught how to graft mangoes)

Another group working hands-on in remote communities is Kiva, a facilitator of do-it-yourself micro loans. You choose a client in a developing nation, and they deliver your $25. loan, and remember, this is a loan, not a gift. These clients expect to pay you back. I'm definitely going to check that out!

In spite of its many challenges, Burkina is renowned for its key cultural activities, including the  International Arts and Handicrafts Trade Fair, held every two years in the capital (coming up in November 2012) which attracts participants from all over Africa, and the world. For anyone wanting to sample West African music, drumming and crafts, Burkina is THE place to go. Whether the traditional or the more contemporary, the Burkinabé embrace film festivals, hip hop demonstrations, and jazz recitals as well as the more historic Festival of Masks  (this link is to the Flickr page of photographer Anthony Pappone, from March 2012... amazing masks, very much worth viewing!)

The term "mask" refers to the whole costume. I am trying to imagine jumping around like they do in those huge outfits in 100°F+ temperatures! Here is a little video showing a performance:

Lovers of  the natural world are in for a treat as well. The three National Parks of Burkina are wonderful destinations for viewing a great variety of birds and animals in their natural habitat.

Leopard; Guinea Baboon; White Pelican; African Bush Elelphant;
Hippopotamus; Snake Eagle; Crocodile

Though just slightly larger than the U.S. State of Colorado, Burkina is divided into thirteen regions and forty-five(!) provinces. IMHO the biggest problem facing the country is their over-sized bureaucracy, with the inevitable corruption that occurs. After all, in few places on earth is the discrepancy between rich and poor more immense. The ordinary Burkinabé is honest, hard-working and willing to share what little he has. Most unrest here has been a result of escalating food prices, and lack of work. While often this was caused by uncontrollable events in neighbouring countries, the fact remains that Burkina's infrastructure has grown at a painfully slow rate. More recently, the Burkina government has taken important measures to improve transportation, health care, safe water supply and other important public needs. So much more remains to be accomplished!



The motto on their Coat of Arms.
They have done remarkably well on the unity.

They have some work ahead of them 

on the progress and justice.

Dear reader, you have probably taken note that my emphasis has been on social and economic challenges in Burkina Faso, rather than on the customary tourist attractions. If I am fortunate enough to visit this unique part of the world, I will plan on staying for a while, digging in and making myself useful. After all, I haven't yet given up on the idea of placing my mark somewhere on the planet, and Burkina is a great place to make a difference! 

Now for a little bling, inspired by the colours, textures and spirit I have admired in my study of this nation of contrasts. I am calling it "Land of the Upright". Since my post is already waaay too long, I'll probably share some details later this weekend.

From the top left: 1/ and 6/ Porcelain elephant and roots button, both Nancy  Schindler,  Round Rabbit; 2/ Flower Jade Stars, Artbeads.com; 3/ and 4/ Polymer clay tube beads and Africa map pendant, my own work; 5/  Bronze sun pendant, Lesley Watt, THEAtoo; 7/ Krobo recycled glass beads,  Soul of Somanya, Ghana, West Africa.

Now check out all these intrepid world travellers!

Africa

*YOU ARE HERE*  ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com       Burkina Faso

Niky Sayers silverniknats.blogspot.co.uk   Egypt

Therese Frank     theresestreasures59.blogspot.com    Kenya

Raychelle Heath      abeadloveaffair.blogspot.com     Lesotho

Joan Williams   lilrubyjewelry.com      Mauritania

Sherri Stokey   knotjustmacrame.com     Senegal

Regina Santerre     reginaswritings.blogspot.com    Seychelles

Raida Disbrow    havanabeads.blogspot.com   Tanzania

Kristi Wodek  livedinlife.blogspot.com    Zimbabwe  

Americas

Sally Russick  thestudiosublime.com  Brazil

Melissa Trudinger  beadrecipes.wordpress.com   Mexico

Tracy Stillman     tracystillmandesigns.com       USA

Asia  

Sandra Wolberg      city-of-brass-stories.blogspot.de    India

Tanya Goodwin      pixiloo.blogspot.com       Japan

Susan Kennedy      suebeads.blogspot.com      Japan

Beth Emery      storiesbyindigoheart.blogspot.com    Japan

Lisa Cone      inspiredadornments.blogspot.com    Japan

Tanya Boden  fusionmusebangkok.blogspot.com    Japan

Inge von Roos    ingetraud.wordpress.com    Laos

Erin Prais-Hintz      treasures-found.blogspot.com       Nepal

Dee Elgie      cherryobsidia.blogspot.com      Phillipines

Carolyn Lawson       carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com   South Korea

Lisa Stukel      carefreejewelrybylisa.blogspot.com  Sri Lanka

Elly Snare      themagicsquarefoundation.wordpress.com       Thailand

Europe

Shelley Graham Turner  shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com    Austria

Mallory Hoffman    fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com    Bosnia Herzegovina

Paige Maxim  pmaximdesigns.blogspot.com    France

Jenny Davies-Reazor  jdaviesreazor.com/blog     Germany

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson    sharylsjewelry.blogspot.com      Greece

Evelyn Shelby    raindropcreationsbyevelyn.blogspot.com       Iceland

Holly Westfall    silverrosedesigns.blogspot.com   Ireland

Rebecca Siervaag  godsartistinresidence.blogspot.com     Ireland

Toltec Jewels      toltecjewels.blogspot.com       Ireland

Lee Koopman     stregajewellry.wordpress.com Ireland

Laren Dee Barton  larendeedesigns.blogspot.com      Italy

Cindy Wilson   mommysdreamcreations.blogspot.com       Norway

Kathleen Lange Klik      modernnaturestudio.blogspot.com        Poland

Shaiha Williams       shaihasramblings.blogspot.com      Portugal

Jennifer Justman        soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com         Romania

Elsie Deliz-Fonseca      ladelizchica.blogspot.com   Spain

Lola Surwillo   beadlolabead.blogspot.com      Sweden

Kim Hora      kimmykats.com       Switzerland

Leanne Loftus    firstimpressiondesign.blogspot.com       The Netherlands

Patti Vanderbloemen    myaddictionshandcrafted.blogspot.com   The Netherlands

Marcie Carroll    labellajoya.blogspot.com       Turkey

Oceania

Marlene Cupo  amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.com Federated States of Micronesia

Ine Vande Cappelle     jewelsbyine.blogspot.com   Fiji

Tammie Everly     ttedesigns.blogspot.com        Guam

Alice Peterson     alice-dreaming.blogspot.com      Kiribati

Elisabeth Auld     beadsforbusygals.com      Nauru

Susan McClelland   mistheword12.wordpress.com      New Zealand

D Lynne Bowland   islandgirlsinsights.blogspot.com        New Zealand

Denielle Hagerman    somebeadsandotherthings.com  New Zealand

Rebecca Anderson    songbeads.blogspot.com      Papua New Guinea

Mischelle Fanucchi    micheladasmusings.blogspot.com    Samoa

Kari Asbury  hippiechickdesign.blogspot.com   Solomon Islands

Cece Cormier    www.thebeadingyogini.com       Tonga

Emma Todd  apolymerpenchant.blogspot.com   Tuvalu

Debbie Price  greenshoot.blogspot.com        Vanuatu