The Gourounsi are an ethnic group present in Burkina Faso and Ghana. The oral tradition of the Gourounsi says that they originate from the Lake Chad region. Moreover, historical research has confirmed their existence in Burkina Faso since the 12th century. They are distributed along the northern border of Ghana near the south-central region of Burkina Faso mainly in the cities of Koudougou, Po and Réo. The word Gourounsi is believed to come from the deformation of the word Guru-si which means in the Djerma language of Niger "iron does not penetrate".
The "djongo" is the name of the traditional dance. It is a dance of strength in which dancers compete for power to seduce women and prove their worth. The Djongo is based on notions of strength.
The Gurunsi have an initiation ceremony that takes place every three, five or seven years, depending on the village. The initiation lasts fourteen days and takes place next to an area of swampy ground. The use of masks is taught to the young initiates who also have to undergo a series of moral, physical and intellectual tests.
At the end of the initiation, the young initiates return to the village and have the duty to give offerings to the Su spirit. The young initiates dress in clothes made of fiber and must dance on market days until the rainy season begins. Only those who dance well will be granted, by the elders, the right to put on the costume again and dance next time.
Gourounsi danse