The Kigba Dance

(en français plus bas)

Yesterday morning I was woken up by the chilling cry of a goat that was being (badly) slaughtered... it was too early to go next door and film the event. Today it’s the sound of drums that dragged me out of the house ... there was a wedding celebration in a compound a few doors up the road.
Muslim weddings in Burkina Faso are celebrated in two different ways, There is a traditional marriage, the religious ceremony and a civil marriage, taking place at the town hall and very much inspired by the French... for better or worse. Strange mix of tradition and modernity, polygamy is officially recognized in Burkina Faso.

In the past, wedding celebrations lasted a week, but nowadays it takes place over two or three days. Thursday, male representatives of both families went to the mosque to marry the couple, whose presence is not required. It reminded me of the history of Barema, a Malian friend who once received a text message while in Alsace with his girlfriend confirming the imam had given his blessing and they were officially married.
Yesterday, the wife left our street and her family to move into the groom’s compound. She will be kept there alone for several days. Meanwhile, the festivities are well underway in her own compound, where women have gathered to sing and dance.

And that's what I heard this morning and I would like you to take a look at: the popular and woman only Kigba dance, where you shake and hit your bums. A new word for my Moré dictionary, kigba, bum.
Aicha looks a bit ill at ease in her dirty satin dress, and I’ll find her a lot happier a few hours later running freely in her underpants. But the boys are proudly sharing and wearing a tie made of beads of the latest fashion.