Burkina Faso

Social Identity

Religion is a key component of social identity and networking. Major religions in Burkina Faso include indigenous religions and Islam, although it is one of the few west African countries in which Islam does not predominate. Many people practice a blend of religions rather than emphasize a single faith. The importance of religion reinforces kinship ties, as the veneration of ancestors is central to most indigenous religions. Ancestors are believed to act as intermediaries on behalf of the living.

Basing one's social identity and status in part on one's occupation has long played a role in Burkina [Page 94]Faso society, including traditional vocations such as blacksmith, trader, and artist. Occupations often have religious links as well. For example, Muslims dominate the commerce, transportation, and construction industries. Informal economic networks between local entrepreneurs predominate due to Burkina Faso's poverty, lack of formal economic development, and government emphasis on the provision of basic social services. Other forms of economically based social networking include unions, as well as cooperatives, employers, and professional groups. In rural areas, rotating credit and burial societies provide members with financial assistance and social insurance.

Burkina Faso's young residents socialize through its many youth clubs and organizations, which are particularly active in urban areas. These include a national student union involved in politics, religious organizations, Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, voluntary service organizations involved in projects such as HIV/AIDS awareness and victim support, and NGO-sponsored groups such as the Red Cross Youth. The Association of Women Educationists (FAWE) helped set up high school clubs in Ouagadougou, where girls could receive counseling, mentoring, and vocational training.

Many ethnic groups maintain group social links in part through folk artistic expression, especially in the form of indigenous masks. Masks vary by group and they are often used in religious rites, such as sacrifice, initiation, burial, or fertility ceremonies. Villagers perform traditional dances to gain the blessings of spirits. Griots, or traditional storytellers, maintain oral histories through the generations. Many residents of Burkina Faso also share a love of modern art forms such as the cinema, dancing, music, and the theater. Burkina Faso hosts the FESPACO Film Festival and a separate cultural festival in alternating years, as well as Africa's largest craft market. Access to Western social and cultural influences and the Internet is limited due to expense and lack of infrastructure. According to Internet World Stats, only 140,000 people, or less than 1 percent of the population, have Internet access. Burkina Faso, like much of Africa, is separated by the digital divide.

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