Culture and history of Cote D'Ivoire

1. My Cote
D’Ivoire

2. Cartography

3. Queen Abla Pokou
• The Queen Abla Pokou was the
queen of the ‘’Akan ‘’tribe who fled
from Ghana to Cote d’Ivoire when
another ethnic group the ‘’Ashanti’’
rose and took the power.
• According to the legend, during
their escape, the queen threw her
only child in the river as an offering
to cross it. Then, a range of
hippopotamus emerged from the
water to draw a path. After that,
the Queen devastated from the loss
of her child said “baouli” which
means “the child is dead”. This is
where the name ‘’ Baoule’’ comes
from and how this tribe arrived in
Cote d’Ivoire.

4. Plateau District
The business District of Abidjan
known as ‘’Plateau’’.

5. Bassam District
• A typical colonial house of Grand-
Bassam, a city registered to the
world patrimony (UNESCO).
Bassam is the city where the
French colons arrived for the first
time in Cote D’Ivoire.

6. Assinie Beach
Well known by locals, Assinie is the
place to go on weekend trips with
family or friends to enjoy a nice time
at the beach.

7. Yamoussoukro
District
• Yamoussoukro is the capital of
Cote d’Ivoire. The tallest basilica
in the world is located in this city.

8. The waterfall of
‘’Man’’
• The waterfall of the city of Man is
a famous touristic site in Cote
d’Ivoire. It is located in the west
region.

9. Bridge of Liana
• The bridges of Liana are well-
known architectures in Cote
d’Ivoire. The Tribe of “Yacouba” is
the one who built those bridges in
order to connect with the others
communities within the area.

10. The mosque of
Korhogo
• The mosque of Korhogo, located
in the north, is one of the many
original structures in Cote
d’Ivoire. The mosque was built
with a Sudanese style.

11. Weavers in Cote
d’Ivoire
• The traditional loincloth in Cote
d’Ivoire is famous in the region.
Most of the weavers still work
with artisanal tools.

12. Traditional
loincloth
• Women from the “Baoule” tribe
wearing traditional loincloths and
make up for a ceremony.

13. Art and religion
• The masks were used to represent
the link between God, ancestors
and the humans. Some of those
masks were known to have a
power which allow the community
who possess them to have a good
year of fertility.

14. Zaouli dance
• This dance is usually performed in
specific ceremonies. Created in
the mid 20th, it is a mix of a dance
and a religion. Indeed, the ethnic
group Gouro claims that a good
year of productivity is certain if
this celebration occurs within the
village.

15. Balafon
• A group of young men playing a
musical instrument called
‘’Balafon’’

16. Tam-Tam
• Ancestor of Drum, we find the
Tamtam in many cultures. It is an
instrument of percussion used in
ceremonies or major events in the
life of locals.

17. African Mode
• Models wearing dresses made with
wax cloth fabrics during a fashion
show. The colors used are mostly
hot colors representing our
climate and culture.

18. Cocoa
• Cote D’Ivoire is the first exporter
of Cocoa worldwide. Indeed, the
agriculture of Cocoa represents
40% of Ivorian exportation and
contributes to 10% of the GDP.

19. Specialties
• A famous dish called “Alloco”. It
is fried plantains that are often
served with grilled chicken or
fish.