Gabonese Culture: Bwiti Ceremony, Masks & Traditional Arts
Gabon's cultural heartbeat is the Bwiti spiritual tradition — a ceremonial practice using the iboga plant for initiation rites, accompanied by extraordinary masks and ritual music
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Musée National des Arts et Traditions
The National Museum of Gabon has one of Central Africa's finest collections of traditional masks from the Fang, Kota, Punu and Myéné ethnic traditions
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Fang Reliquary Mask Exhibition
The fang bieri reliquary figurines – used to protect the bones of ancestors – inspired Picasso and Braque when they saw them in Paris; the originals are preserved here
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Bwiti Ceremony Village Experience
The Bwiti tradition is central to Gabon's spiritual life — ceremonial evenings with harps, drumming and dancers in raffia costumes can be observed at cultural centers
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Punu White Mask Demonstration
The white-faced, high-brow, half-closed-eye funerary masks of the Punu people are among Central Africa's most recognizable and beautiful art objects
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Artisan Market Libreville
The covered craft market near the water sells masks, wooden sculptures, woven baskets and traditional Gabonese musical instruments to visitors
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Gabonese Music Night
Libreville has a vibrant live music scene — local venues host Gabonese Afropop stars along with traditional kora and percussion ensembles on weekend nights