| Location: |
Central Burkina
Faso |
| Population: |
25,000 |
| Language: |
Winien |
| Neighboring Peoples: |
Nuna, Marka, Bwa,
Lobi |
| Types of Art: |
The most recognized of the Winiama art forms are magnificent wooden
masks. In addition anthropomorphic figures sculpted from clay and wood and
various personal objects, ranging from jewelry to wooden stools, are
created to honor nature spirits. |
| History: |
Winiama emigrated north from northern Ghana with their Nuna neighbors
at the end of the 15th century before the Nakomsé (Mossi) advance. The
Mossi invaders were never able to successfully maintain power in Winiama
territory, because the horses on which they depended for military power
quickly became sick and died. The bush surrounding Winiama territory is
infested with the tsetse fly, making sleeping sickness endemic. Mossi
accounts tell of the magical powers of Winiama peoples and their
neighbors. Because of the structure of Winiama towns, they were difficult
for cavalry raiders to penetrate. Winiama farmers could stand on the roofs
of their homes and kill any mounted warriors who dared to enter the narrow
alleys between houses. The region, however, was constantly ravaged by
slave raids perpetrated by the Mossi, Fulani, and Songhay, until the end
of the 19th century. |
| Economy: |
Winiama are primarily sedentary farmers, growing millet, sorghum, and
yams. Maize, rice, peanuts, and beans are grown in addition to these
staples. Farmers throughout the region practice slash and burn farming,
using fields (keri) for approximately seven or eight years before they are
allowed to lie fallow for at least a decade. In the family fields close to
the villages, women grow cash crops, including sesame and tobacco, which
are sold in local markets. Men participate in hunting during the long dry
season. This is important for ritual reasons, since it is during this time
that men may interact with the spirits that inhabit the bush. During the
dry season, when food supplies are running low, some fishing is practiced
in local swamps. |
| Political Systems: |
Winiama societies are comprised mainly of farmers without social or
political stratification. They are not divided among occupational castes
or groups since most of them simply till the land and engage in occasional
hunting. Before the arrival of the French, they had no internal system of
chiefs and all important decisions were made by a council of elders
consisting of the oldest members of each of the village lineages.
Religious leaders do maintain some political authority, determining the
agricultural cycle and parceling out land for cultivation. The French
established local puppet rulers, and the families of some of these
maintained nominal political power until the revolution in 1983. |
| Religion: |
Belief in a supreme creator being is central to Winiama beliefs. A
shrine to this god occupies the center of every village. An element of
this creator god is Su, the mask spirit, which is enshrined in the oldest
and most sacred mask in the community. The spirit of Su can be harnessed
to benefit the community or to cause harm to their enemies. When Su is
properly appeased communal harmony is achieved. He is responsible for
providing women with fertility and is recognized for his role in the
continuity of life. Each extended family maintains its own hut, in which
the lineage magical objects are kept. The objects allow the family to
maintain contact with the vital forces of nature. These objects are
inherited by the ancestors and are the communal property of the lineage,
providing protection and social cohesion among all members of the family.
|
