FESTIMA

FESTIMA, the International Festival of Masks and Arts, takes place every two years in Dédougou, in western Burkina Faso, and has run since it was founded in 1996 by the Association for the Safeguarding of Masks (ASAMA). The event brings together mask societies from several West African countries, including Burkina Faso, Mali, Ivory Coast and Benin, with ritual dances accompanied by percussion and traditional singing. It is one of West Africa's leading events devoted to traditional masks, combining public performances with a heritage colloquium.