After an eight-year absence, Libreville has once again become a showcase for Gabon’s rich cultural diversity, as the 15th edition of the Festival of Cultures brings together traditions, languages, rituals and craftsmanship from across the country.
Held from August 21 to 23 along Avenue Jean-Paul II, the festival brings together representatives of Gabon’s nine provinces, alongside artists, artisans, cultural groups and visitors. This year’s theme is “Reappropriation of our Cultural Values.”
For young visitors, many of whom were born after the festival’s previous edition, the event is less a return to a familiar tradition than an opportunity to discover their heritage.
“It’s our heritage. Nowadays, it’s very old and very rare, because even at the National Museum, you can no longer find many of these objects,” one young visitor said.
He said preserving traditional objects and practices was important at a time when some were misunderstood.
