Amoeblog > Tag > mossi Amoeblog posts marked with mossi. Cinema of Burkina Faso <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt="Sindou Peaks in Burkina Faso" src="" width="500" /></div> <div> <strong><br /> Background on Burkina Faso</strong><br /> What is now Burkina Faso has been continuously inhabited for at least 14,000 years. The main indigenous population of this <strong>Sahelian</strong> region were the <strong>Yonyonse</strong>, who remained for thousands of years until they were displaced by the <strong>Mossi</strong> people of what is now <strong>Ghana </strong>only a thousand years ago. The Mossi established several kingdoms; the first, <strong>Tenkodogo</strong>, was founded in 1120 and ruled by <strong>Naaba</strong>. The <strong>Dogon</strong>, who&#39;d inhabited areas in the north, left between the 15th and 16h centuries. Two more Mossi Kingdoms followed and dominated the area for about 800 years until 1896 when <strong>France</strong> invaded and established a colonial occupation. Upper Volta, as it was then known, gained independence from the French in 1960. As is the case with most post-Colonial countries, the years since have been dominated by dictatorships, wars and coups.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"> <img alt="Street scene in Ouagadougou" src="" width="500" /></div> <div> <br /> Yet despite being plagued by poverty, unemployment and strife, Burkina Faso inarguably has one of <strong>West Africa</strong>&#39;s most vibrant cultures. Literature, primarily transmitted orally until collected in the 1930s, has long been a central part of Burkina Faso&#39;s culture. A strong theater tradition owing to both Burkinabé traditions and French influences has also been a major aspect of Burkinabé&#39;s cultural life. With over 60 ethnic groups, no one sort of music has yet dominated Burkina Faso&#39;s musical scene, although <strong>American</strong> and <strong>European</strong> pop are the most popular. Since 1969, Burkina Faso has been one of, if not the, dominant powers in Africa&#39;s film industry.<br /> <br /><div style="clear: both;"><a style="font-size:13px;" href="/blog/2009/02/eric-s-blog/cinema-of-burkina-faso.html">Continue reading...</a></div></div></div> Sun, 01 Feb 2009 21:27:00 GMT