Burkina Faso - West Africa - page 146

(Place de la Nation; admission CFA1000; 9am-12.30pm & 3-5.30pm Tue-Sat) A small museum that
showcases masks, statues and ceremonial dress from all over Burkina Faso. There are full-
scale examples of traditional buildings inside the grounds.
FÊTE DES MASQUES
In the Bobo-Dioulasso region, whenever there's a major funeral, it's accompanied by a late-night fête des
masques (festival of masks).
Masked men dance to an orchestra of flutelike instruments and narrow drums beaten with curved canes. Each
dancer, representing a different spirit, performs in turn, leaping, waving sticks and looking for evil spirits that
might prevent the deceased from going to paradise.
As the celebrations go on, dancers become increasingly wild, performing acrobatic feats and waving their
heads backwards and forwards until they catch someone and strike them. The victim, however, must not com-
plain.
Sleeping
Campement Le Pacha HOTEL $
( 76 61 16 01; [e-mail]; Rue Malherbe; d with air-con CFA15,000, with fan & without bathroom
CFA9500; ) For a Franco-Swiss venture, the unadorned rooms are a tad disappointing, but
there's an attractive courtyard and a great garden restaurant famed for its wood-fired piz-
zas. Location is ace, too.
Villa Rose GUESTHOUSE $
( 70 63 54 88, 20 98 54 16; www.villarosebobodioulasso.com ; Koko; s/d with fan CFA9000/10,000, with air-con
CFA15,000/17,000; ) This lovely guesthouse run by a Dutch-Burkinabé couple, Franca
and Moctar, was about to move to a new location in the leafy neighbourhood of Koko,
east of the centre, at the time of our visit. Thankfully, the friendly welcome will stay the
same.
Villa Bobo B&B $$
( 70 53 78 17, 20 98 20 03; www.villabobo.com ; Koko; s/d/tr with fan CFA12,000/15,000/17,000, with air-con
CFA17,000/20,000/22,000; ) With its four zealously maintained rooms, prim bathrooms,
atmospheric verandah, colourful garden and pool, Villa Bobo is a delight. Xavier, the
French owner, speaks English and can arrange excursions in the area.
Entente Hôtel HOTEL $$