L’art dans la lutte traditionnelle chez les San du Burkina Faso : le gnandôrô

Abstract

In Burkina Faso, the San are known to constitute a community in which the practice of wrestling as a way of exalting the personal value of the individual through the expression of physical strength holds an important place. Coming second only after farming, wrestling is deeply rooted in the culture of the community and, along with hunting, it keeps the San busy part of the year; on a yearly basis and at precise moments, it gives rise to intra and inter village competitions. The importance of this practice is materialized by an object, the gnandôrô, which, in fact, is a symbol of bravery. The present study deals with the birth of the artistic production of the gnandôrô, with its decorative, honorific and funerary functions, a special attention being given to the variousforms it has assumed over time.

Keywords

• San
• gnandôrô
• wrestling
• artifacts
• champion
• physical strength