Festima – African Mask Festival

The Festima African Mask Festival is a biennial cultural showcase held in Dédougou, Burkina Faso, established to promote and preserve the living tradition of African masking in West Africa. It is a seven-day gathering where dozens of mask groups from Burkina Faso and neighboring West African countries—like Benin, Ivory Coast, Mali, Togo, and Senegal—come together. The event is a venue where the masks (crafted from leaves, wood, and textile), once seen as sacred objects, are now actively performed and displayed, offering a unique chance to learn about and celebrate this heritage.

The festivities begin with the high-energy Parade of Masks through the central streets of Dédougou. This initial display is shortly followed by the main event: the competitive Dance Performances at the Regional Stadium of Dédougou. Here, costumed dancers accompanied by drummers and balafons (a type of wooden xylophone) perform ritual dances that traditionally symbolize communication with ancestors and spirits. In the final days, the focus shifts to education and commerce with Seminars and the Artisanal Marketplace within the city’s Cultural Center, providing historical context on the mask-making heritage and offering local crafts.