Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mossi
When the empires of Mali and Songhaï reigned over West Africa from the 13th to 16th
centuries, one group remained outside their orbit: the Mossi, now the largest ethnic group
in Burkina Faso. In the 14th century they established powerful kingdoms in this area after
leaving their original homeland around the Niger River, and they held off the larger em-
pires of the time through a fierce army of feared warriors. The Mossi are known for their ri-
gid social hierarchies and elaborate rituals, and many Mossi continue to follow traditional
beliefs. They also exert considerable political influence in Burkina Faso today and the
Mossi ruler, the 37th Moro-Naba, is regularly consulted on important issues by the govern-
ment.
Artistically, the Mossi are best known for their tall wooden antelope masks, often more
than 2m high and painted red and white. The masks were worn primarily at funerals.
Half of a Y ellow Sun,
by Nigerian novelist Chimanda Ngozi Adichie, is a stirring tale of the Biafra War with
a nuanced look at the often fraught relations between Nigeria's main ethnic groups.
