I want to share bits and pieces of our trip to Ouagadougou Burkina Faso (BF) last Nov/Dec and decided to start with some batiks that we purchased. I also bought quite a bit of batik fabric, but I will save that for another post. Hannah and I love to go shopping and she brought my sister Vicky, and I to this great little shop in downtown Ouagadougou. The owner sells all sorts of items that local artisans create. I wish I had a picture of the shop, better yet would be a video of how we drove there! Mind you, Hannah is a great driver, but driving in Africa is not the same as driving in America, but that is another story.
I was drawn to the first one pictured below because it was so different than most batik I had seen. ‘Artsy’ is how I would describe it. The giraffe batik that Hannah chose, and I brought back for her, is even more contemporary, I really like them both. I brought home a frame from Africa for the “Artsy’ one, but haven’t got the glass yet. It is quite the unusual frame, with just 2 pieces of wood holding the glass on the top and bottom and a very strong twine binding them together along the sides. I will have to post a picture when I get it put together. It was also made by a local artisan in BF.
This next batik depicts life in BF. It was created by a Burkinabe man who attends a CMA Church there in Ouaga. He brought several for us to look at and I bought this large one and one featuring the nativity scene.
Another shopping trip brought us to the ‘Artisan Village’. This place is spread out and sort of like an outside mall. The main difference is that most of the artisans make their craft right there, so you can see the craft at different stages and also see how they make them. It is a very interesting place, one that I could spend hours at, but with Mark, John and Jesse making this trip with us, well let’s just say shopping should be done quickly and no lingering allowed! I shouldn’t be too hard on them because they were great sports and actually liked looking at all the artists making their crafts. That is where I found these two smaller batiks. They are more common.
The last picture is of a map of BF burned into leather. Mark found this and I just love it. It is a reminder of where we traveled and where our daughter Hannah lives and serves. I have to give a shout out to our Christian Missionary Alliance friends and family in Ouagadougou and Bobo, you guys are living examples of showing Gods love to the Nations and I just love that! You are awesome!
Thanks for coming along on this shopping trip with me, next time I go shopping overseas; you might just want to come along with me!
