PONI MUSEUM

This small, well-designed museum is called by reference to the name of the province crossed by the Poni River, which also waters the town of Gaoua. But it is also known as the museum of the Lobi culture. Born of the meeting of the famous ethnologist and nuns Madeleine Father with the Lobi peoples, it was inaugurated in 1990. It is by raising awareness in the villages that this woman discovers the Lobi culture and decides to take care of it. This museum presents magnificent collections of common objects and ritual objects of the different peoples of the Lobi family. Many old photographs allow you to visualize the scenes of their traditional life (photo by H. Labouret (1912-1924) and A. Heim (1934)). It is essential to carry out the visit with Claire, a disciple of Madeleine Father, which became the excellent guide to the museum. It must literally be followed in the narrative of the fascinating traditions of his people and leave his questions open. Once the visit is over, it can be continued by the temporary exhibition, which is modified every 2 years. Outside, in the courtyard, a reconstitution of traditional habitat allows to understand the defensive system adopted in this region for its riches, but also the strong cultural relationship that the Lobi maintain with their territory. The museum is housed in a former colonial building, which is part of a larger set, which is very representative of the colonial nucleus, which is located near the "indigenous" cities. Thus, around a central square (where, in the case of Gaoua, still stands the standard bearer) and along an axis called to become the main avenue of the new city were erected administrative buildings and colonial residences. In particular, the museum building hosted the last regional administrator. At the end of the street, the hill in above gives you a very nice view of the region and the city below.

To go further: the book of Madeleine Father, who carried out its work in the region from 1961. Memory between two banks: documentary by Frédéric Savoye and Wolimite Sié Palenfo (the sculptor Kader). Editions Films films. The Exile of the Gods, film by Nossi Joanny Traoré. Editions Mamio. Resist AIDS - Stories from Burkina Faso (1990) - Collections Ethnology. AIDS in Lobi is designated by the spider.