Warba returns to Zorgho: the great comeback of the Ganzourgou Festival, November 27 to 29

Zorgho (Burkina Faso), November 6, 2026. Some silences weigh heavy, and some returns sound like a celebration before the celebration. On September 10 in Zorgho, the organizers lifted the veil before the press, with administrative and customary personalities in attendance: the 6th edition of the Ganzourgou Warba Festival will indeed take place, from Friday, November 27 to Sunday, November 29, 2026, between the Maison des Jeunes of Zorgho and the Warba Museum. Serge Damiba, communications officer of the Association Génération Montante pour le Développement du Ganzourgou (AGMDG), said it plainly: this festival is not just an artistic competition — it is a land finding itself again.

The great comeback of a celebration no one forgets

The festival was born in 1999 and kept its biennial rhythm, faithful to its November rendez-vous. Its 5th edition was held in December 2018. Then the editions fell silent, through several years of interruption linked to the security situation. The AGMDG never let go: founded in 1997, the association has worked for nearly three decades for the socio-economic and cultural development of Ganzourgou, with technical support from Nephtali Média for this revival. In November, Zorgho is not just resuming a festival: it is switching a light back on.

Warba, living heritage of Ganzourgou

“Warba, living heritage of Ganzourgou”: the theme of this 6th edition says it all. Warba is the emblematic traditional dance of the Moaga people, performed to the sound of drums: a Mossi ritual, originally tied to enthronements and funerals, which today also accompanies weddings and great popular celebrations. In Zorgho, this memory is kept alive every day: the Warba Museum preserves the instruments, the regalia and the photographs of the festival — and it is there, among the old drums and the troupes' costumes, that the new edition will open its exhibition.

Thirteen provinces, seven regions, one single rhythm

For three days, Zorgho becomes the capital of a dance. Warba troupes from thirteen provinces across seven regions of Burkina Faso will compete, before an audience that knows every step. Around the stage, the whole town takes part:

• The Warba troupe competitions — thirteen provinces, seven regions, one single rhythm.
• The Warba Ambassador contest — the youth of Ganzourgou in the spotlight.
• The market street — artisans and local products at the heart of the celebration.
• The exhibition opening at the Warba Museum — the memory of the dance, in images and objects.
• The winners' night — the results and the grand finale, in Ouagadougou.

The edition is held under the presidency of the Minister of Communication, Culture, Arts and Tourism, Pingdwendé Gilbert Ouédraogo, and the patronage of Dr Ousmane Bougouma. A strong signal: when Warba returns, all of Burkina Faso makes a date with Zorgho.