The Zaouli Mask Dance of the Ivory Coast
A homage to feminine beauty, this traditional West African performance art is protected by UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, 2017 Each Guro village …
3 Tales from the Ivory Coast
Like most tales indigenous to West Africa, the allegories and traditional narratives passed down through generations of Ivorians enthrall and edify, startle and steer, recreate and reinforce the social values …
The Blacksmith
To the percussive rhythm of the forge — clanging hammers, puffing bellows, hissing vapor — the West African blacksmith has been shaping the culture around him since the ancient, artistic, …
The Power of a Name
To the Shakespearean question “What’s in a name?”, West Africa’s answer is “Everything”. In a world where even the act of speaking is infused with power, birth names ― whether …
The Talking Drum
In the creative process known as ilu sise, the Yoruba drum maker uses only wood from trees along manmade roads; trees that are conversant in the human language of passers-by.
Ile-Ife: The Sacred Yoruba City
On par with Jerusalem, Mecca, or Rome, Ile-Ife, situated in south-western Nigeria, is one of the world’s principal sacred cities. For the Yoruba, the city is located at the epicenter …
The Baobab, Muse and Myth-maker
“A majestic tree with a massive trunk, the baobab reigns in nature’s midst like a lion among animals. Its huge, tortured, root-like branches give credence to the belief that, thanks …
West African Religion(s)
Though a majority of West Africans have now adopted Abrahamic religions such as Islam or Christianity, there are still pockets of people who adhere to the spirituality of their ancestors. …
The Sogo Bò Masquerade
"We were in the center of the village and children, playing the djembé, poured out from everywhere. Young people announced the performance by blowing through cattle horns; adults were adorned …
Mancala Games: Daytime Play, Nighttime Ritual
There isn’t a corner of the African continent where mancala games (“count and capture”) are unknown and where it is not widely preferred to other types of board games. Although …