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CULTURE

CAMEROON: A beautiful legend told by Wazal Ayissi.

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Between the scissors and the pen, Wazal Ayissi makes no difference. His overflowing inspiration led him to writing, telling us the story of King Wazalion in the Wazalvilles Kingdom.

The extracts:

Once upon a time, in the far north of Cameroon, King Wazalion lived in the Wazalvilles Kingdom. Wazalvilles was a calm, peaceful village where the wisdom of its elders made it possible to ensure the perenniality of the village. For any outside visitor, it gave the impression of a sturdy village, difficult to conquer. Its ancient walls revealed the many and many battles already waged, and reflected a majestic force indescribable. King Wazalion was a man of great wisdom, patience, and intelligence. Gentle in his actions and words, he possessed a formidable power and maturity which compelled respect. Loved by all, he did not hesitate to go to battle to protect his lands and meet the needs of his people. It was during an ambush that the good King Wazalion found death: the village had been taken by assault. Wazalion hid his wife and son in a secret cellar to shelter them. Then he united his armies to protect the village. With his armor and his sword Wazall’âme, King Wazalion accompanied by his soldiers and his faithful friend Bantoutator launched a bloody battle in which the king lost his life. Bantoutator, who had escaped death, promised to avenge the death of his friend Wazallion.

At his death he left behind him a son, Wazal, who means “lion, king of the jungle.”

One day the wazalcians and wazalgeois of the village gathered to name the new chief of the village.

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As predicted by prophecy, the courageous warrior who bears this title would be assigned to the heavy and honorable task of protecting the land of the ancestors and the secret of his “treasure” THE WAZALIANE, named after the grandmother of Wazal. Wazaliane was the wife of Wazalking, faithful and always at his side. She was a wise woman, born of the tribe Margeritator, alone of this tribe born without daisy on her head. After his death, King Wazalking, out of respect and love for his wife, wished to pay him homage. He decided to plant a daisy on his grave. Six months later, surprised to discover a subterranean flowerbed, he asked the villagers to harvest them. The flowers were mixed with the queen’s blood. They then created a fiber transformed into woven yarn, used to manufacture the fabric that kings and wazalcians wear today. In tribute to Wazalking’s wife, this fabric was called WAZALIANE: very precious magic fabric, which means “richer”, sought after and coveted by all the neighboring villages. This fabric provided wisdom and protection to those who clothed it. To decorate it, it was enough to pronounce a magic word “wazalkaliflagilistik” that King Wazal knew: geometric and coded messages of Peace, Modernity, Fertility appeared then.

Wearing the Wazaliane cloth was not an innocuous act; in fact, the cloth was also used to make the King’s costumes and the tunics of the Wazalcians, but the Wazalgeans did not have access to them.

At the end of the council of the Wazalcians and Wazalgeois, son of King Wazalion was naturally appointed King of Wazalville.

King Wazal loved to travel and to discover other worlds; he was a thoughtful and very curious person. He was passionate about art and nature. On his return from each journey he brought provisions to his servants.

“If, for the king, his days were going peacefully, as usual, his nights became more and more agitated: strange dreams of occult powers, war, fire, attack of his kingdom came to haunt his sleep. “

One day, returning from an exhausting journey, he decided to go and rejuvenate himself in the lands of his ancestors. After a few hours of walking, he suddenly heard an echo coming from far away. Curious he continued to walk when suddenly the echo resounds, and this time more audibly:
Wazal son of Wazalion, I have a message for you. I am your ancestor, sovereign of the city of the ancients, first king of Wazalville, guardian, counselor and protector, known by your fathers under the name of Wazaldringo.

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The King, surprised, jumped, but the Ancestor spoke to him in a calm voice:

“Do not be afraid, I am here to deliver you a message from the Ancestors; Wazalville is in danger.

“I fear nothing, and I have no lessons to receive from any one.” Wazalville is a peaceful village, I am the undisputed king of it. No one will disturb our tranquility.

– I ask you to trust me and listen to me. The situation is serious. Do not persist, do not believe yourself invincible and able to disregard the advice of your ancestors.

“I know perfectly the history of my ancestors, you are an impostor, and I now ask you to return from where you come from.”

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– Is ! Do as you think! Know that if you truly desire it, it will be enough for you to call me in your dreams to hear the message of your Ancestors.

Wazal had no time to answer, the Voice had evaporated. Somewhat disturbed by the Intruder, but still angry, he resumed his way back to the village. He told no one about this “encounter” and soon forgot the “misadventure”.

“This oil is the symbol of the power of your father, you have to recover it. To do this, you will have to swim to the middle of Lake Chad, one of the largest lakes in the world and whose waters are mild.”

If for the king his days were going peacefully, as usual, on the other hand his nights became more and more agitated. Strange dreams of occult powers, war, fire, attack of his kingdom came to haunt his sleep. To escape these nightmares, the king began to watch, but without making any connection with his encounter with Wazaldringo. After ten nights of insomnia, exhausted, he went to see the elders to find the key to his dreams. One of the elders who possessed a gift of clairvoyance immediately perceived the situation of Wazal. He gave him only one advice: to appeal, in his dreams, to Wazaldringo. Wazal, furious, went off obstinately and resolved to fend for himself, for even the elders did not trust him! It took him another week of watching to see the necessity of listening to the elders and soliciting Wazaldringo. He was exhausted, irritable, his mind was confused, his entourage no longer recognized him!

“Humbly, he implored Wazaldringo, assuring him that he was ready to receive his advice to protect his people. Then the Voice of the Ancestor returned the following night to tell him his teachings:

– I have come to teach you how to take possession of your powers

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“But what powers are you talking about?” Is this in connection with the threats on Wazalville?

– You must protect your village as your ancestors always did and the precious wazaliane cloth you wear.

“But I am a traveler, I am not worthy of being a hero!”

“You are the worthy son of Wazalion, so you are worthy of your mission and of what is expected of you, according to the prophecy.

They conversed at length, confidence was established and the Ancestor told him the prophecy:

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“Just before you died, your father Wazalion asked not to be buried. The Wazalcians respected his vow and they had the idea, in order to protect him, to keep his body in the hollow of a moabi, called tree of life. It is a rare and sacred tree. But after a few weeks, one day when the ancients came to collect themselves under the tree, they were surprised to discover, in place of the king’s body, an oil of fawn color, recalling the color of the coat of the lion, mixed with the sap of the tree. The elders met several times to reflect on the use of this oil and on my advice they decided to pour oil into the river that flows along the land of your ancestors. During their concert, I signed a pact with them so that no one notices the disappearance of the head of Wazalion.

This oil is the symbol of the power of your father, you have to recover it. To do this, you will have to swim to the middle of Lake Chad, one of the largest lakes in the world and whose waters are mild; you will see a task with the color of the lion. You will plunge into the midst of this oil task and the magic will then work: you will have a lion’s tail-shaped hair and a sword engraved on the upper back, this is the Wazall’âme sword, means respect, power and creativity. Thanks to this sword, transmitted from father to son, you will possess the power, strength, courage and rapidity of a thousand lions.

I must tell you again the story of this magic oil: Wazalion’s father, your grandfather Wazalking, was a healer. He knew how to compose a mixture of potions in order to heal his own. In a distant village, two tribes lived, the mechanikators, and the futurators: they were called because their armor was made using mechanical engine parts, a mixture of gladiator mechanics and terminator. One day, the allied mechanikators with the futurators launched an attack against the village of Wazalville because they wanted to recover the root of the protective fabric. In order to protect his village, your grandfather was elaborating a mixture of all the herbs and oils that were in his cellar. He also wanted to multiply his forces. Before testing his potion, he had to let it simmer gently. He walked away from the cellar for some time. But your father, returning from a journey, went directly to see his father in the cellar; finding a boiling kettle, curious about the contents, he tasted without thinking about the potion. At once Wazalion began to cough and then felt uneasy. After a few minutes he pulled himself together and stood up.

But when he looked around, he discovered with terror the floor two meters from his body: he was hovering !!! He tried in vain to call his father: no sound came from his throat. His father, far from imagining the return of his son, but nevertheless endowed with a sixth sense, inquired of a servant in order to verify his intuition: his son, returning indeed and seeking him, had gone in the basement !

Immediately the spies took the road to the Mekanikator tribe to report on their mission.”

Your grandfather Wazalking, suddenly remembering that he had left the pot on the fire, immediately went to the cellar. He found his son hovering in the air, ten meters from the ground. He drew back his servant to the back of the room and then pronounced a magic formula: he used three letters “wzl” to communicate with the ancestors. Three minutes later, Wazalion emerged from his grip and landed, bubbling, on a bench. Wazalking entrusted him to the servant in order to take him to his room. He took the time to carefully extinguish the fire and put away the cellar. Wazalion, in his sleep, communicated with his late mother Wazaliane. She told him of his father’s near death, and that he would be his successor. She also told him that he should go to the top of Mount Cameroon, called Mountain of the Gods, to meet the Bantoutator, a Bantu warrior who fought alongside the king in order to regain his powers and learn to master them.

In the same way for you, after having recovered your father’s powers, you will have to go back to the village, and in order to make the right decisions, you must always be in harmony with the Wazalcians to take care of the people. Indeed, the Wazalcians are the Sages of the village, never forget it, even if you are the king, their wisdom is unavoidable.

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But before this first trial, I must give you another secret.
– But, do so, let’s go!
– You have a little brother Wazalstyle
– A brother ! But I am only son!
– It was conceived out of wedlock; he has always lived in Wazalville. He inherited a gift from a creator: he made all the tunics and vests of the village, as well as the one you wear today. The crown never interested him.
– Where is he ?
– Mechanikators allied to the Futurators, took him hostage during the last attack against Wazalville.
“But what do they want?
– They use their donations to win competitions against other creators. It is kept attached by chains to the wrists with electrodes on the body and on the skull.
– And above all, they seek to conjure the prediction interviewed by Futurator: their loss in the next attack. They want to seize the root of the Wazaliane fabric and thus have all the powers to be at the head of all the empires.

Your first mission will be to save your brother.
“But how can I, I do not know him?”
– Wazalstyle has naked skull and on the top a “W”
Detail the brother’s story: he has two gifts, one of which he does not know
Specify the compulsory alliance of the two brothers (one can not succeed without the other)
The first training began for Wazal because Wazaldringo wanted him to be ready for the final fight. They decided to learn all the rudiments and charges attributed to a king. He worked hard, was also listening and was not distracted by anyone. Except by this young woman who entered the palace with her mother, the maid who was performing the household duties of the late King Wazalion. Called Eliane, she often came to help her mother. Wazal was attracted to her, but did not dare tell her, or even admit it. One day when he woke up as he walked around his kingdom he heard the cries of a young girl and several men. He rushed to the palace and opened the room from which the cries came: He saw two men around the young maid.
“Who are you, what do you want of him?”
“What are you mingling with, young man?” We have an order to capture it.
The young girl, lean and fast as lightning, taking advantage of Wazal’s irruption, kicked the first man but the second rushed over her and took the opportunity to fix a chip on his shoulder. She had to control them without even the king’s help. In less time than it takes to write it, the trick was played. Immediately afterwards she attacked Wazal:
– Two men want to kidnap me, and you converse with them, instead of helping me. Know that I am not afraid of anyone or anything. They call me the Rebel!
– You are right I offer my apologies, but who taught you to fight? I like the way you fight. But what were you doing in the room alone, without your mother?
– When my mother is not there I replace her.
“And do you know the men?”
– No !

The king called the guards to go in search of the two men in order to lock them up. But they were already far away and the guards returned empty-handed.

Immediately the spies took the road to the Mekanikator tribe to report on their mission. The mechanikators and Futurators awaited them with impatience and hoped for good news. The spies, humiliated and ashamed of their failure in the face of a woman, brought back a history of the facts, somewhat transformed: they had not been able to capture Eliane, for the young king had arisen and made every effort to prevent them. After a long and hard fight, they had to flee, not without having previously installed the chip on the shoulder of the girl. The mekanicators, furious at this defeat, burned their ears, and they concerted with the Futurators to devise a new plan.

The Daily Wazalgeois:

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Among the Wazalgeois there were some soldiers of the wazal king; they spent much of their free time playing rugby. They were rugged men, they liked sports that appealed to physical strength. As a jersey, they donned tunics to play rugby and also to please women. They had created a unique and very special game technique. The king took great pleasure in watching them play, perched on the tribune with some Wazalcians. It was also an opportunity for him to choose the best soldiers.

Some wazalgeois loved to cultivate, fish and hunt

Wazaldringo: The Ancestor

Wazalking: father of Wazalion

Wazalion: Son of Wazalking and father of Wazal and Wazalstyle

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Wazal: son of King Wazalion

Wazalcian: the elders

Wazalstyle: half-brother of wazal

Wazallionne (née …): wife of Wazal

Wazall’âme: sword of Wazal

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Wazaliane: wife of Wazalking and mother of Wazalion – protective and magical fabric

Mechanikators: neighboring tribes – men with a mixture of gladiator mechanics and terminator

Futurator: neighboring tribes: bad guys

Margeritator: woman mid human half flower inspired by a flower daisy

Toureiffelysée: a mixture of Eiffel Tower and Elysees Field

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wazalkaliflagilistik: magic word to make geometric drawings appear

A
The tribes: Mechanikator

Futurator

Toureiffelysée

Margueritator

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CINEMA

BURKINA FASO – Culture and tourism: The 4th edition of Tunnel honors the builders of the shadow

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Koudougou, May 31, 2025 (AIB) – The 4th edition of Tunnel, a ceremony for distinguishing cultural and tourist actors in the Central-West region, was held in Koudougou on Saturday, noted the AIB on site.

This annual event, initiated by Adama Badiel, aims to create, according to him, a platform of visibility and support for artists and tourism professionals to allow them to establish themselves on national and international scenes.

The promoter Adama Badiel stressed the importance of this edition, placed under the sign of collaboration, recognition and collective construction. He recalled the fundamental objective of the Tunnel: “to highlight the cultural and tourist talents of the Center-West, these women and men who, often without spotlight or support, nourish our region with their passion, creativity, and determination.”

This year, the event paid a special tribute to its partners, whose support is deemed indispensable. Among the officials present were Jean Noël Bonkoungou, representing the minister of culture, patron of the ceremony, El Hadj Inoussa Bagué, president of the Patronat du Centre-Ouest, Franck Alain Kaboré, CEO of Cinéma Neerwaya, and Ali Bonkoungou, CEO of Salsabil Bâtiment, testifying to the commitment of the private and public sectors.

Despite a slight reduction to five categories in competition this year, due to a limited number of album releases and works meeting the criteria, Adama Badiel ensured that the “Golden Tunnel” category will evolve from next year to expand opportunities while maintaining the quality requirement.

The promoter also launched a call for goodwill because, “we need you to build a true ecosystem where art, heritage, tourism and youth can express themselves, thrive and inspire.” This heartfelt plea highlights the major challenge of the lack of resources to fully support the laureates and optimize their visibility.

Several emblematic figures of Burkinabe cinema, such as Eugène Bayala (Oyou), Sawadogo Alidou (head of the Village of Kikideni), and Rasmané Ouédraogo (Razo), have already been honored in previous editions.

This year, the winners on the artistic side include Mr. Baraka, Tasha, Yololo Junior, and KSB 80.

In the cultural and tourist field, personalities like El Hadj Inoussa Bagué, Franck Alain Kaboré, Rasmané Ouédraogo, Boubacar Berewoudougou (Hôtel Pousga), Catherine Zoma (ISMK), and Salfo Dermé were distinguished, in addition to tributes paid to ancient glories of Burkinabe music such as Pasteur Moussa Josué.

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Adama Badiel concluded by stating that “the Tunnel is not a one-time event. It is a movement, an ambition, a bridge between what we are and what we can become. A strong message for the future of culture and tourism in the Center-West.

The boss’s representative, Jean Noël Bonkoungou, reassured the promoter of Tunnel of the support of the ministry.
Source: Information Agency of Burkina

Photo credit: Information Agency of Burkina

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CULTURE

SENEGAL – With “COSAAN”, Daara J Family signs a high-flying single

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Ndongo D & Faada Freddy

See on the platforms the legendary Senegalese hip-hop group Daara J Family. On May 30, 2025, the band returns with “COSAAN”, a committed single that resonates, with its morning mbalax melodies and gentle flows, as an essential reminder: never forget where you come from. The single has over 80,000 views and 900 comments on YouTube.

“Fan nga cosaanoo?” – Where are your roots?
This question in wolof, almost a supplication, serves as the thread to the new title of Daara J Family. NAACP literally means “origin” or “heritage”. With this single, the iconic duo formed by Faada Freddy and Ndongo D delivers a work that is at once poetic, political and deeply rooted in history, especially that of Senegal. It is also a call to African youth not to forget their origins. And above all to enhance its cultural heritage by walking with pride in the footsteps of the ancients.

Cosaan, between mbalax and rap
Formed in 1994, while still in high school, the members of Daara J Family never gave up their musical identity. Indeed, they have always mixed sharp words, spirituality and pan-African consciousness. In “COSAAN”, they revisit this tradition that is dear to them. In this song, there are traditional sounds (mbalax) and contemporary hip-hop textures, echoing their long-standing belief: rap was born in Africa, traveled, then came back. The refrain, translated into French, is unequivocal: “Le monde et ce qu’il contient / Si tu vas là et que tu l’obtiens / N’oublie pas, n’oublie pas / This is where your origin lies!” A direct appeal to African youth not to give in to cultural amnesia and to keep the memory of ancestors and African identity alive.

When history inhabits the word
Faada Freddy, with his recognizable soul voice among a thousand, hums: “We know where we come from/ What worries us is where we are going…” This lucid concern can only be tempered by an unwavering faith in the values of the elders. Ndongo D, adds in a quick flow: “If you forget yesterday, tomorrow you will be lost (…) You were born here, you come from here, you live here.” It is an anchor cry, a response to uprooting, a warning against forgetting.

Daara J Family: Making sense of the flow
From their first eponymous album in 1998 to Boomerang in 2003 — hailed as one of the best hip-hop albums of the century by The Observer — to Yaamatele in 2020, Daara J Family have always been able to combine the art of flow with that of meaning. Their commitment goes beyond words. They shared the stage with icons such as Public Enemy or Mos Def, and travelled through festivals from Africa to Europe, from WOMAD to Live 8.

COSAAN: a single dedicated to transmission
More than a return, COSAAN is a transmission. It is a manifesto. That of a knowledge, a duty to remember, a pride. At a time when markers are shifting, when crops are being diluted. In an era marked by migration, globalization and multiple influences, Daara J Family reminds us that identity is a foundation, not a burden. That heritage is not nostalgia, but a compass. And they offer a musical compass and identity with this single: Cosaan!

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ART

SENEGAL – Ousmane Sow’s massive sculptures enter the Vauban fort at Mont-Dauphin

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The monumental works depicting the battle of Little Big Horn, exhibited on the Pont des Arts in Paris in 1999, made the Senegalese artist famous. The installation has just joined the fortress in the Hautes-Alpes for at least ten years.

Muscled warriors meld, horse bumping. Sounds of the fury of battle are heard. Under the impressive curvilinear wooden frame of the old Rochambeau barracks, at the fort of Mont-Dauphin (Hautes-Alpes), is played the battle of Little Big Horn, opposing, in 1876, a coalition of Cheyennes, Sioux and Arapaho to the soldiers of General Custer’s regiment.

In thirty-five monumental sculptures, visible from 6 July, the Senegalese sculptor Ousmane Sow (1935-2016) celebrates the resounding victory of the fragile over the powerful. Deposited in this fortified village for a period of ten years renewable by his widow, the director Béatrice Soulé, this epic installation is well known to the Parisians who discovered it amazed, one day in March 1999, on the Pont des Arts.

The exhibition has remained in the annals with its record attendance – at least 3 million visitors in three months. «An unexpected success», recalls art critic Emmanuel Daydé, then deputy mayor for cultural affairs. For the former physiotherapist born in 1935 in Dakar, who later became an artist, it is consecration. But also, surprisingly, a swan song.

At the moment when Ousmane Sow gains international fame, the art world turns its back on him. Although he was the first African artist recognized in France, none of his successors, to whom he had paved the way, claimed it.

Mayor’s daughter supports her cause
It had all started well. In 1993, the Senegalese sculptor, who two years earlier had been on the cover of Revue noire – a quarterly magazine that revealed a number of African talents – was invited to the major five-year exhibition at Documenta in Kassel, Germany. In 1995, here he is at the Venice Biennale, which is to contemporary art what the Cannes Film Festival is to cinema. The autodidact dreams of an event in Paris.

By chance, he met Hélène Tiberi, daughter of the mayor at the time, Jean Tiberi. Who supports his cause at the City Hall. The location is easy: it will be the Pont des Arts, between the Louvre and the Academy of Fine Arts. It will take diplomatic treasures to convince these two institutions, who have not seen with a good eye the proximity of massive silhouettes imagined by an African artist.Archives «World»: Ousmane Sow questions Bordeaux and politicians

The neighbouring National School of Fine Arts, where figurative art was then taboo, is also pinching its nose. Money is missing. The Havas group had initially promised to contribute to the addition of 5 million francs (the equivalent of 1 million euros today), but its new CEO, Jean-Marie Messier, is sneaking out. Béatrice Soulé moves heaven and earth, finds sponsors and is personally indebted to the tune of 1 million francs. More here

Source: Le Monde

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