When thinking about the history of a country using things
other than written texts to define the history is possible. Things such as, music, art, dance, festivals, and so much more are examples of how non-written history can be used. In Ivory Coast, music, art, dance, and festivals define the history
of the country. The traditional music style for Ivory Coast consists of “a series
of melodies and rhythms occurring simultaneously, without on dominating the
others.”[1]
The reggae artist Alpha Blondy is Ivory Coast’s best known singer. The people
of Ivory Coast use music to celebrate everything. It is a big part of the
culture and who they are as a country.[2]
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| Music |
When it comes to the art, different ethnic groups of Ivory
Coast are known for different things. “The Baoulé, the Dan (or Yacouba) and the Senufo- all known
for their wooden carvings.”[3] The people of Ivory Coast
are also known for their variety of masks that are made. “Masks are used to
represent the souls of deceased people, lesser deities, or even caricatures of
animals. The ownership of masks is restricted to certain powerful individuals or
to families. Only specifically designated, specially trained individuals are
permitted to wear the masks."[4] They believe that only
these certain people should wear the masks because each mask has a soul. If the
mask comes in contact with the wrong person, that person takes on the persona
the mask represents. [5]
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| Baoulé Mask |
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| Senufo Mask |
Festivals are
also a big part of the history and culture of Ivory Coast. The Fêtes des Masques,
(Festival of Masks) is one of Ivory Coast’s biggest and most well-known
festivals. There are competitions between villages for the best dancer and a
chance for villagers to pay homage to spirits using masks. [6] A dance that is
traditional for the Senufo ethnic group, is the Senufo N’Goron dance. The “Senufo
girls wear a fan of feathers, grass skirts, shells, and a hat that is made out
of sheep skin. The Senufo girls dance to the panther dance, which needs to be
courageous representing their Senufo tribe.” [7]
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| Festival of Masks |
All of these
traditions and historical information about the culture can be seen and does
not have to necessarily be written down. The music, art, festivals and dances that
are part of the culture of Ivory Coast tell a lot about the history of the country.
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