Burundi Drummers

African Art

Can art thrive when everything else is dying? The answer is of course no. I have decided to start with Burundi because I had hardly ever heard of that country. What I found out is frigthening.
Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world. Burundi is a Belgium former colony, her neighbors are Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Zaire. It has been ravaged by civil war ever since 1993. It is extremely difficult to find information about the country online. The Burundi government webpage does not tell us much either. A good account found here by Ambassador J.L.Bullington. Despite describing the country very clearly, he then adds:

What should be the U. S. response to this situation? The magnitude of the killings, the wretchedness of the refugee camps, the images of starving children, and the ever-present danger of yet another genocidal spasm make the region impossible to ignore. But before we send U. S. forces to engage in rescue and peacekeeping mission, as we came so close to doing in late 1996 (until most of the Rwandan refugees in Zaire began returning to Rwanda on their own) we should engrave at the top of every options paper that addresses this possibility:
The United States has no national interests in Central Africa!
In fact, it has no vital interest anywhere in sub-Saharan Africa or in the continent as a whole. Whatever strategic significance Africa may once have held surely vanished with the end of the Cold War. Economically, moreover, the region is marginal, with a total GDP only slightly greater than that of Belgium and a meager two percent of total world trade, down from four percent in the 1960s. Of this small market, the U. S. share is only seven percent.
No matter how high our humanitarian concern may mount, our interests in this part of the world, and especially in remote central Africa, are marginal at most, and surely not sufficient to sustain costly, long-term commitments. Moreover, short of imposing colonial-style rule -- something that no one wants -- there is little we can do to bring peace and security and development to Burundi and Rwanda. We cannot heal their hatreds, cleanse their corruption, legitimate their leaders. These people are responsible for their own destinies, and they should remain so.

 Isn't this the very reason why Africa remains the shame of humankind?
The answer lies may be in the following UN text about Burundi:

Alarming conditions: Burundians live in some of the worst conditions in the world. Every province in the country, except one, endured sporadic fighting, looting or armed banditry in 2003. During most of the year, about 100,000 people were forced to flee their homes monthly, often at a moment's notice, when fighting plunged their communities into fear.  Burundians have lost much of their capacity to care for themselves. Many communities have been dispossessed; looted by rebels, armed forces, and bandits. Burundi ranks 171 of 175 nations in the United Nations Development Programme's Human Development Index for 2003.
The decade-long civil war has had an alarming impact on Burundians. Up to 300,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since 1993. Life expectancy plummeted to 41 years by 2001, from 54 in 1992. Some 70 per cent of the population is under-nourished. And a majority – 59 per cent, live below the poverty line. Few individuals are aware of their civil and human rights; serious violations abound.

Other information sources about Burundi: Burundi Realities, Burundi online, Belgian Burundi Culture links, Le Burundi Quotidien, Watch Burundi and BBC News on Burundi.

The photo above was taken by mbialik, during her aid work in the country. Some other incredible pictures here, taken by mbialik from DC. Her other albums feature her humanitarian travels and are equally astonishing and worth a visit. The photo portraits Burundi drummers, apparently the only truly thriving artform in the country. Burundi Drummers are always called to represent the country. Here are some photos of the drummers in Belgium, where a Burundi community has found refuge. A group of Burundi Drummers has even recorded a CD. Another Burundi artist that has achieved some success in Europe is Khadja Nin, a female singer who left Burundi after marrying a Belgium man.
Other artforms are mainly handicrafts with materials such as wood and clay. Some pictures here. Very good photo report of clay pot making here.

And this is Burundi art. If I happen to find any other information, I will post it here.
It seems that my African Art project can turn out to be quite enlightening.

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