The origins of the Gaani The yearly
Gaani festival, presided over by the Emperor of Nikki, or in his absence the chiefs of the Bouay,
Kika and Sandiro provinces, assembles all the provincial chiefs and their populations, who come to renew allegiance to the Emperor and receive his blessing. More than 150,000 persons converge to Nikki from all over to participate in the spectacular ceremony where the vitality of the Baatonu culture is celebrated and parental and fraternal links between dynasties are nurtured. Everyone brings presents, however modest, to contribute to the magnificence of the festivities. The Gaani is the second festival in the Baatonu calendar, following the fire festival or Donkonru, that takes place at the New Year. The Gaani is associated with the notion of nasara, evoking joy, victory and freedom and is a time for ecstasy and communion. By animating and perpetrating the memories that unite them, it nourishes and re-news solidarity and fraternity within the
Baatonu people, endorsing their values of welcome and sharing. An animistic tribal ceremony, it was later incorporated into the
Muslim calendar and thus coincides with the
Mawlid which is celebrated by
Muslims to commemorate the birth of the
Prophet. The festival is organized according to the lunar calendar and is always held on a
Tuesday,
Thursday,
Saturday or
Sunday; it cannot be held on any other day of the week.* ===
The Fantasia === The
Fantasia, a traditional equestrian show, simulates military at-tacks. Initially practised in the Maghreb where it was also known as the “powder game” or “horse game”, the fantasia is an
Arab -
Turkish -
Berber equestrian art tradition. Recorded since the 16th century, it was formally recognized in the 18th century and became a popular subject for artists from
Delacroix to Orientalist painters such as
Eugene Fromentin and Maria Fortuny. The horsemen, astride richly harnessed mounts and carrying rifles loaded with black powder, simulate a cavalry charge, the culminating point of which is the simultaneous shooting of their firearms. In some regions camels are used instead of horses and in others the attack is carried out on foot. The
Baatonu have been featuring the fantasia for the Gaani since the days of Sime Dobidia, as well as on the occasion of important events such as wed-dings, births and religious festivals. Due to increasing interest, demonstrations or parades in the equestrian tradition can also be organized for visitors The
horse, a central element in Baatonu tradition, is a prevailing symbol of the Empire, and festivals are greatly enhanced by their presence. The majestic horses’ harnesses and richly-coloured riders’ costumes are meticulously prepared several months in advance. The horsemen, mainly from the class of the dignitaries, compete in dexterity and audacity in powerful demonstrations of strength and mastery with their audacious stunts and dazzling processions. The equestrian tradition began when Sunon Sero, a resident of Nikki-Wenu, rode to
Nikki on horseback to visit his son Sime Dobidia during the Gaani. Sime Dobidia established the tradition and transformed the Gaani into an equestrian demonstration assembling horsemen from throughout the empire.
Trumpets and drums, attributes of power The
sacred drums and royal
trumpets symbolize the power of the Empire and are the embodiment of its memory and continuity. The dense, nonchalant sound of the drums and the suave timbre of the trumpets, as well as the myths the instruments perpetuate, accompany the Gaani festivities and resound in the hearts of the faithful throughout the year. To parade before the illustrious drums is a privilege granted by the clan. Two noteworthy sacred instruments are the imposing male and female sacred drums, the Barabakaru and the Barapiibu, which are between 125 and 127 centimetres high and made of baobab wood and beef hide. They are played at the Emperor's entrance by initiates and used during the Gaani, but also for other events during the year: enthronement, Friday prayers, etc. Another drum, the Bara Kaaru, which is still kept in a small temple on the Baro Kpira farm in the Banikuara region, is played by the Bara Yogo who is a member of the ancient family of
griots. Like spurs, trumpets were introduced to the Baatonu country by the Wasangari under the influence of the
Hausa of
Nigeria. The sacred trumpet is directly associated with power and is used by the Baatonu people in the royal courts of the
Atacora,
Donga and
Borgou. Since all sacred instruments are the property of the king, only a few kings and chiefs have the privilege of owning one. Its manufacture and use are exclusive to initiated members of the royal court. The Kankangi ancestor of trumpeters was himself a member of the royal family. The Kankangi trumpet comprises two parts that fit together. The male trumpets are longer than the female ones (171 cm as opposed to 158 cm on average). The trumpets are played to the glory of the Emperor or to accompany his travels, but also to announce the holy day Friday and during grand ceremonies (Gaani or the Shaving of princes). Despite their sacred status, these
trumpets are now reproduced in a somewhat anarchic manner.
Dress The men's costumes are varied and indicate their social status. Their day-to-day outfit, the Turu, is a large ankle-length, generally sleeve-less tunic made from thick ecru cotton hessian. The knee-length Dansigi or shirt is sometimes used as an under-garment. The Sokoto or large-waisted tapered trousers, has a matching fabric belt. The ber-muda-style demberu is made from fabric for the Wasangari or animal skin for the hunters and farmers. Luxury attire for important days takes the form of the more elegant tako with its tasteful colours. A Tako-gonna, which is the same colour as guinea fowl, can be worth as much as three oxen. Generally speaking, the Baatonu favour dyed loincloths as opposed to the
Fulbe who are happier wearing white loin-cloths, sometimes with brightly coloured stripes. Fabric hats, whether ecru or brightly coloured, are primordial for the men; indeed, wearing hats in public used to be compulsory. The white Furogomba and the black-and-white Furogona are worn by princes and dignitaries. Dawani caps wrapped in long white or red turbans are used by Baatonu chiefs and Muslims. Furobakuro hats are worn by ordinary citizens, whereas village chiefs and horsemen have the privilege of wear-ing brimmed bowl-shaped or cone-shaped Keseru. The subtleties to wear-ing hats comprise a language unto itself. A hat folded at the front evokes a prince who aspires to a superior status. The braggart wears a mounted hat. A hat sitting on the back of the head indicates bravado: this man fears nothing and no-one! Ordinarily, the hat would sit on the right or the left. Compared with the richness of the men's clothing, women's outfits can appear more modest, simply comprising a loincloth, skirt and head-scarf. The clothes correspond to their ages: young girls wear long loincloths or short skirts whereas married women wear two loincloths and a headscarf. Their relatively simple outfits are enhanced by the numerous items of jewellery acquired since the development of the caravan trade: earrings, silver bracelets, necklaces with carved porcelain or glass pendants and mirrors contribute to the women's style and seductiveness.
Songs and Dances Singing is extremely important to the Baatonu and they have repertoires covering all aspects of daily life in the Empire. Wuru songs retrace the life of hunters and daily scenes, but can sometimes branch out into more erotic subject matter. Teke songs celebrate the typical values of Baatonu
humanism and often use opposites to illustrate their messages – generosity and rapacity, bravery and cowardice, fidelity and infidelity, etc. – to encourage virtuous behaviour; thus, some of the songs are aimed at in-stilling a responsible attitude towards sexuality in young people, especially girls. Others accentuate courage and persistence when faced with an enemy. The Wuru dance, which used to be performed during funeral ceremonies for native Baatonu families, remains a prestigious ritual dance also performed at popular celebrations. The dancers’ costumes, made from animal skins and native fabrics covered with several rows of cowrie shells and amulets, make quite an impression on the assembly, sometimes to the point of fright-ening them. The rapid pace of the dance is set by the pounding rhythm of their accessories: a gravel-filled gourd in one hand and a piece of animal skin in the other. s, Kankangui The popular Teke dance, which has no sacred function, is carried out by mature men using 40-centimetre cylindrical sticks. In this dance, rival groups or villages compete with each other. The Teke is danced in pairs and in general, six to eight couples confront each other on the floor. The many varying rhythms are associated with specific dance steps. The Sinsennu dance is carried out by young men. Its name refers to the chains of balls made from the leaves of
Palmyra palm shoots decorated with small stones that the dancers wrap round their calves, making a sound similar to that of
castanets. A
flute, a talking
tom-tom and a drum contribute to the sound of the Sinsennu, producing the particular harmony specific to the dance. The Gbangba, danced by young Wasangari aged between 18 and 25, is identified by its solemn, mournful rhythm. It was for-merly used to announce the death of a king and to accompany the preparations for burial ceremonies. A war dance, it also an-nounces the start of a conflict. The
Fulbe carry out the Sinna which imitates flagellation, and the Gesegesere.
Foods Yams are the queen of cultures in Baatonu gastronomy. Their traditional dish is Sokuru, prepared from yams and served with different types of sauce:
aubergine,
bissap,
Guinea sorrel, climbing leaves,
beef,
mutton or
chicken.
Yams are also eaten pureed (Pereku) or ground and dried (Yennu). The traditional dish of millet paste is now sometimes replaced by corn paste mixed with manioc.
Manioc is also used to make gari. Although the Baatonu regularly consume corn and bean-based dishes in their daily life, they generally only sell
Waakye (mixture of rice and beans). ==Gallery==