A History of Burkina Faso Literature: From Origins to Enlightenment

Compared to other African countries, Burkina Faso’s written literature did not start early. It is worth noting that it was absent during the colonial period, starting with the publication of The Twilight of Antiquity by Nazi Boni in 1962.

However, in 1932 and 1934, even before the take-off of black African literature, Voltaire published two works: The Maxims, Thoughts and Riddles of Mossi and The Secrets of the Black Sorcerer. It is Dimdolobsom Ouédraogo to whom we owe these important works on the history of moss. Salaka Sanou, a teacher and researcher dedicated to the scientific study of the history of Burkina Faso literature, has come to the conclusion that the author’s intentions and the content of these works have more to do with ethnography than with literature in the full sense of the term. According to him, Dimdolobsom’s aim was to provide in these works important information about the social organization of moss. Thus, Burkina Faso literature begins with the Nazi Bony in 1962.

So how to explain this delay? According to the author, the late birth of Burkina Faso literature can be explained by the disintegration of Upper Volta in 1932, since the Voltaire elites – unlike their comrades in other colonies – were more concerned with the reconstruction of their territory and had no time to devote to the intellectual work of writing. In addition, the level of education in the Upper Volta colony was low, since it was intended as a reserve of labor for work in other colonies.

The level of education and sharing in Upper Volta can attest to the absence of Volta people in the literary scene during the colonial period. In summary, the colonial period was characterized by the production of literary works only in the fields of drama and poetry, which unfortunately could not be published. Thus, one of the pioneers of literature, Lompolo Cone, was a cultural giant, playwright, who made a great contribution in the field of drama. His thesis won him the Euandre Prize awarded by the Overseas Academy of Sciences. Other pioneers, such as Sékou Tall, Mahamadou Sawadogo (former Minister of Culture), would champion the influence of Burkina Faso literature.

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After Nazibonne, other writers would enter the Burkinabe literary scene by publishing prose books and poetry, but much more timidly. This period, from the 1960s to 1962, is considered by literary critic Saraka Sanou to be the “infancy of Burkinabe literature”. But frameworks such as the Circle of Literary and Artistic Activities in Upper Volta (CALAHV) allowed this type of literature to take off.

Thanks to the magazine “African Faces”, names such as Karim Ratti Traoré, Mamadou Jim Kola and Jean Yameogo became known in literary circles. The main literary works of this period are as follows: “Nazi Boni”, “Twilight of Antiquity” (1962), “Roger Nikima”, “Dessein contrarie” (1967), Pierre Kipiele Dabiré, Sansoa (1969), Roger Nikima, Two lovely rivals, then author: The Sun of the Earth (1971), André Nimba, Advancing My People (1974); Augustin Sund Coulibaly: God of Crime (1974), Augustin Sund Coulibaly: Children’s Poems (1975), Frédéric Titinga-Passeré: 1. It was shot under the Sahel, poetry (1976), Refrain under the Sahel, poetry (1976) and When the Red-crowned Cranes Fly Away (poem), Paris, (1976), Colin Noga: Haro, Comrade Commander, novel (1977), Etienne Savadogo: The Defeat of Yalga (novel) (1977), Jacques Braima Guegane: Sands of War, poetry (1977), JB Guegané – Vinu Muntu Yé: Poems (1977), Daniel Zongo: Charivaris, Poems (1977); Ram George Bogore: The Animals Want a King, Stories (1972), Hunting the Python (Stories) and Nina, Dudu and the Hyena (Stories) (1972); Kollin Noaga: Return to the Village, Novel 1978, Amand Balima: Ocean Veil Poems, (1979).

Since 1978, the University has been interested in national literary creation. Bernardin Sanon first introduced the teaching of Burkinabe literature in the University’s Master’s degree in Modern Literature. In 1988, Méda Y. Bonaventure defended her thesis on gender under the guidance of Bernardin Sanon.

Promotion of Burkina Faso literature

The 1980s was a period of rapid rise of Burkina Faso literature. With the help of the state on the one hand and the press and literary pioneers on the other, young writing talents would enter the literary world. This period was called “the enlightenment period of Burkina Faso literature” by Saraka Sanou. From the first half of 1983, the government set about establishing the General Directorate of Cultural Affairs, passing the text on copyright and the decree establishing the National Cultural Promotion Fund. All this caused a sensation in the literary world. The August Revolution of 1983 brought the literary revitalization plan to its peak.

In fact, a National Cultural Week was established, within which the National Grand Prix for Arts and Literature was organized. Fountain pen lovers would seize this opportunity to showcase their talent and creativity. In addition to this competition, the daily newspaper Sidwaya, directed by the then young poet Paulin Bamouni, would organize a competition for the best novel in Sidwaya. The work that won this competition in 1987 was the work of Patrick Ilbudo: The Trial of the Dumb. Other competitions were launched almost everywhere, allowing young Burkinabe writers to assert their rights and, above all, to increase their productivity in literature. The main winners that we can remember during this period were: Jacques Prosper Bazié, Ignace Ansonwin Hien, Tinga Issa Nikièma, Théophile Moussa Sowié, Jean-Charles Kabré, Bernadette Dao, Prosper Nazou Bambara, Baba Hama.

From its infancy to its apocalypse, the conditions in which Burkina Faso’s literature was born were sometimes difficult and sometimes favorable for its emergence. In this sense, it depends on the political and social context in which it was born, concludes Salaka Sanou, who describes it as an emergent literature.

bibliography

-Salaka Sanou, Burkina Faso, A Hundred Years of History, 1895-1995, p. 1996

– Alain Sisso, “Sanou, Saraca. – Burkinabe literature: history, characters, works”, Cahiers d’études africaines, 171 | 2003, 685-690.

– Adamou L. Kantagba, Burkina Faso Literature: The Birth and Evolution of the Short Story

Windekuni Bertrand Ouedraogo