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The Glossary

repos - "The people's habit of going on "repos" or siesta from noon to 3 pm. This means that businesses and shops in the country are closed during this time."

From Burkina Faso Glossary

Modern Western culture melds harmoniously with traditional Burkinabè culture in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso's largest city and administrative, cultural, and economic capital. As the focal point of all activities and population in the land, Ouagadougo, or simply Ouaga, has many museums, nightclubs, cinemas, and craft markets that are some of the largest in West Africa.

A name coined by a local hero, Ouagadougo came from Wogodogo, which literally means "Where people get honor and respect." Ouaga's residents are called ouagalais, and they predominantly speak French and African languages like Mooré and Jula.

Most of Ouaga's entertainment haunts are deep-seated in French influence. Among these are Café Zaka, which features both Western and ethnic band music; and French Cultural Center, a popular venue for both local and imported cultural presentations.

Another French influence is the SPACO or the PanAfrican Film Festival, considered as the "Cannes Film Festival" of Africa as it is the most prestigious of its kind in the continent. The festival is staged every two years in February. It showcases some of the continent's best films and filmmakers.

Another prominent African festival is the SIAO or International Art and Craft Festival, the biggest of its kind in the continent. It is held for 10 days in a year that ends in an even number. During the festival, artisans from all over the continent gather in the city to showcase their craftsmanship and sell their products. All-year-round, crafts markets such as the Gonghin Market, Village Artisanale of Ouagadougo, and Central Market are a major attraction for their myriad of textiles, local arts, gems, and fruits.

The Moro-Naba Palace is the site of another festival, the Moro-Naba Ceremony, a 15-minute ritual held every Friday at 7:15 a.m. The ceremony symbolizes a historical event in the country wherein a Mossi king is shown as preparing to fight an enemy king who stole his amulets. The king did not actually go to battle as he resorted to peaceful means. The event is said to have led to the foundation of the Mossi empire in the 15th century.

Apart from the Mossi, many local cultures are represented in Le Musee Nationale, a museum complex with many cultural relics such as traditional costumes and weaponry. In Zone du Bois or La Foret, Bangre-Weoogoo is an urban park with many trails for running or walking. The park has a zoo where crocodiles roam freely, as well as a pre-colonial forest deemed as "sacred."

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