BURKINA FASO: THE ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL HELD IN THE TOWN OF KOUDOUGOU.

Record ID: 584724

  • Title: BURKINA FASO: THE ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL HELD IN THE TOWN OF KOUDOUGOU.
  • Date: 15th January 2003
  • Summary: KOUDOUGOU, BURKINA FASO (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. TRACK/LV: HORSECART. 0.09 2. WS: STREET SCENES. 0.13 3. MLV/TRACK: STAGE PERFORMANCE. 0.20 4. WS/ZOOM IN/MLV: DUTCH MUSICIANS PERFORMING ON STAGE. 0.44 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MAURICE LEENARS, Dutch musician "It's a weird experience here, the people are enthusiastic. You feel a very strong connection between the artist and the public. It's very good, very inspiring, yeah, I like it." (POOR SOUND QUALITY) 1.01 6. VARIOUS: FESTIVAL ORGANIZER KOUODBI KOALA . (4 SHOTS) 1.24 7. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (French) KOUDBI KOALA, Festival Organizer "I am surprised. I see lots of white people at here at the theatre. And I was wondering: Where do these people come from? I didn't invite them. People must have told them, or maybe some friends invited them to share the party. And why not? It's a great thing for us. Getting people from different background will give us more exposure." 1.49 8. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (French) AWA SANGHO, Ivorian musician "It makes me proud to be African. I have been to many places, throughout the world, but I've never seen a festival like in a small town. You usually see this in France, in the USA, in Switzerland, or in Belgium. But in Africa, it doesn't exist." 2.09 9. MLV/TRACK: AUDIENCE. 2.14 10. MV: PERFORMANCE ON STAGE. 2.24 11. WS: AUDIENCE. 2.32 12. VARIOUS: SINGER OUMOU SANGARE PERFORMING ON STAGE. (3 SHOTS) 2.53 13. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (French) OUMOU SANGARE, Malian singer "The festival really impressed me. I didn't think it would be so big. For me, it was just another African festival. The people are great. I've been here several times. But this time, I couldn't recognize Koudougou." 3.11 14. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (French) VOX POP"I loved it. The way it's organized, the artists "It was really great." 3.20 15. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (French) VOX POP "Apart from culture, there's nothing in Koudougou. So this raises my spirits. I'm old, but I like it." 3.28 16. VARIOUS: PEOPLE IN STREET. (5 SHOTS) 3.54 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 30th January 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KOUDOUGOU, BURKINA FASO
  • Country: Burkina Faso
  • Reuters ID: LVA98VVJEXZUCXSNNCZ9LEZHJWCW
  • Story Text: The annual international arts festival has
    transformed the usually quiet town of Koudougou into a
    colorful celebration of music.



    At first sight, nothing makes Koudougou, in Burkina
    Faso, different from any other small town in the Sahel.

    But every year during the season of the cool harmattan
    winds, Koudougou leaps out of its provincial tranquility for
    five days -- for an international arts festival.

    This classical jazz band came all the way from the
    Netherlands to perform here. The two musicians had never set
    foot outside Europe before.

    Dutch musician Maurice Leenars says "It's a weird
    experience here, the people are enthusiastic. You feel a
    very strong connection between the artist and the public.

    It's very good, very inspiring, yeah, I like it."
    The event is the brainchild of this man, Koudbi Koala.

    For years, he went to festivals in Europe -- and finally
    staged one in his hometown in 1996.

    Since then it's been an annual thing -- for the latest
    edition, musicians and comedians came to Koudougou from 13
    countries in Africa, Europe and America.

    Festival organizer Koudbi Koala says "I am surprised. I
    see lots of white people at here at the theatre. And I was
    wondering: Where do these people come from? I didn't invite
    them. People must have told them, or maybe some friends
    invited them to share the party. And why not? It's a great
    thing for us. Getting people from different background will
    give us more exposure."
    Ivorian musician Awa Sangho says "It makes me proud to
    be African. I have been to many places, throughout the
    world, but I've never seen a festival like in a small town.

    You usually see this in France, in the USA, in Switzerland,
    or in Belgium. But in Africa, it doesn't exist."
    Senegal's Coumba Gawlo displayed her pan-African spirit
    by singing her own version of Pata pata, the famous track by
    South Africa's Myriam Makeba.

    With her trademark blend of traditional praise songs and
    pop, Malian star Oumou Sangare staged an electrifying
    concert.

    Malian singer Oumou Sangare says "The festival really
    impressed me. I didn't think it would be so big. For me, it
    was just another African festival. The people are great.

    I've been here several times. But this time, I couldn't
    recognize Koudougou."
    This woman says "I loved it. The way it's organized, the
    artists "It was really great."
    This man says "Apart from culture, there's nothing in
    Koudougou. So this raises my spirits. I'm old, but I like
    it."
    Mwana Lola Nzembe from war-torn Angola was overwhelmed
    with the spirit of joy and freedom that has become the
    trademark of this festival -- which sweeps through Koudougou
    with the harmattan winds once a year.


    ENDS

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