Dan elders with four of their traditional masks (Ivory Coast).
The Dan, or Yacuba, live in the Western part of the Ivory Coast and in Eastern Liberia.
They are famous for the wide variety of masks, that constitute a central element in their cultural life and social organization.
As for the other tribes of the Ivory Coast, for the Dan people a mask is the entire costume that covers the entire figure.
The costume-mask is composed of a headdress, a wide skirt in palm fiber and a cloak of cloth that completely covers the wearer, respecting the belief that the mask is a spirit of the forest and not a human being.
Masks are the most important art form in the Dan culture, each village has several of them, although similar to one other.
The Dan stand out for their most acrobatic dances.
During the preparations that precede the dance, the dancers communicate with the spiritual world of the ancestors.
One of the most spectacular dances of the Ivory Coast is the dance of the stilt walkers, it is a ritual dance that protects the village and is celebrated during ceremonies, such as weddings, funerals, initiations and other special occasions.
The percussionist, who accompanies their dance to the beat of a drum, invokes the grace of spirits before the stilt walker begins to dance; these spells put the mask directly in contact with the protecting spirits, who suggest the steps to be taken.
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Portrait of the performer of the Zaouli dance (Ivory Coast).
The Zaouli dance is a traditional mask dance originating from the Guro people in the central western part of Ivory Coast.
It is performed during various ceremonies and celebrations, such as weddings, funerals, and other festive occasions.
The dance is characterized by the use of an elaborate wooden mask representing a beautiful young girl, known as "Zaouli."
The Zaouli mask is carved from wood and is known for its intricate details, particularly the headdress, which represents a beautiful woman.
The dancer wears a costume that complements the mask, often adorned with colorful fabrics, beads, and accessories.
The dance itself involves highly stylized and graceful movements. The dancer, usually a man, wears the Zaouli mask and performs a series of intricate steps, spins, and gestures. The dance is known for its agility, balance, and precision.
The Zaouli dance often carries cultural and social significance. It may represent aspects of beauty, femininity, or mythical stories from Guro folklore. The performance may also have spiritual or ritualistic undertones depending on the context in which it is presented.
The dance is accompanied by traditional music played with drums and other percussion instruments.
The Zaouli dance is not only a form of cultural expression but also serves as a source of pride and identity for the Guro people. It has become a symbol of the rich cultural heritage of Ivory Coast.
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Portrait of a Fulani mother with her child (Ivory Coast).
The Fulani is an ethnic group inhabiting many countries and mostly in Sahara, Sahel and West Africa, widely dispersed across the region.
The approximate number of Fulani people is unknown, due to clashing definitions regarding Fulani ethnicity.
Various estimates put the figure between 25 and 40 million people worldwide.
A third of the Fulani are pastoralists, and their ethnic group has the largest nomadic pastoral community in the world.
The majority of the Fulani ethnic group consisted of semi-sedentary people, as well as sedentary settled farmers, scholars, artisans, merchants, and nobility.
As an ethnic group, they are bound together by the Fulani language, their history and their culture.
The Fulani are almost completely Muslims.
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Portrait of a young peanut harvester (Ivory Coast)
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Portrait of a young tailor (Ivory Coast).
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