Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Final Project

Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, is officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire. Ivory Coast’s capital is Yamoussoukro. Abidjan is the biggest city in Ivory Coast. Abidjan has a population of 4,677,155. [1] “The Ivory Coast shares borders with Liberia, Ghana, Mali and Burkina Faso in West Africa. Similar in area to Poland, it has a population of about 20 million—mostly people of African descent, but also a small community of non-Africans, including French, Lebanese and Vietnamese.”[2] The large amount of forests allowed Ivory Coast to have a large timber industry.[3] “In the Ivory Coast, food industries are the most important and production in the chemical, wood, textile and metal industries has increased steadily.”[4] The importance of industries other than food have increased over time. The many rivers in the country would allow for transportation and ways to travel. Some negative features would be the heavy surf and lack of natural harbors; especially during the rainy season when flooding becomes a danger.[5] “Nine percent of the country is arable land. Ivory Coast is the world’s largest producer of cocoa, a major national cash crop.”[6] Disease and health wise, the HIV/AIDS rate was 19th-highest in the world, estimated in 2012 at 3.20% among adults aged 15-49 years.” [7]
Ivory Coast on map of Africa
"Total Descubre Petroleo En Un Bloque De Aguas Profundas En Coasta De Marfil." Accessed December 17, 2015. http://www.nuestromar.org/noticias/categorias/18-04-14/total-descubre-petr-leo-en-un-bloque-aguas-profundas-en-costa-marfil 
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.”[8] “In Cote D’Ivoire, styles of popular music distinct from popular music of the cities have developed in rural settings.”[9] When it comes to the art, different ethnic groups of Ivory Coast are known for different things. Some of those things include, wooden carvings and masks. Festivals are also a big part of the culture in Ivory Coast. During the festivals the villagers will wear the masks and put on dances. “In the regions of Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, Burkina Faso, Benin and Nigeria, group dancing is more common than competitive solo dancing found in Senegal and Gambia.”[10]
In Ivory Coast, the main religions that are practiced are Islam and Christianity. 38.6% of the population practices Islam, 32.6% practices Christianity, 16.7% is irreligious, and 11.9% follows Traditional African religion or other religions. [11] “During its long history in West Africa, Islam has occupied different positions and taken up different attitudes towards the surrounding society. The pace of expansion has also varied from one period to another, from being relatively slow in the first eleven hundred years and them becoming much quicker in the 19th and 20th century.”[12] Islam is gradually becoming more popular in West Africa as time goes on. “About one-eighth of the population was Christian in the 1980s; more recent estimates put the proportion of Christians at about 32.6% of the population.”[13] It is mostly practiced by people in the middle class and in urban centers of the south.
Percentage of Population connected with different religions
"Culture and Social Development." Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). Accessed December 17, 2015. http://whittakerivorycoast.weebly.com/culture-and-social-development.html 
“Ivory Coast is currently sub-Saharan Africa’s ninth largest crude oil producer with around 35,000 barrels per day of crude oil production.”[14] The main natural resources that can be found in Ivory Coast are oil and natural gas production. They have been a growing part of the economy. A refinery that processes crude oil from off shore rigs is located at Abidjan. Ivory Coast also has mineral resources, such as diamonds and gold. “It is in the northern area of the Ivory Coast that most of the country’s diamond deposits are located.”[15] “Manufacturing is mainly limited to the refining and processing of agricultural produce (e.g. palm oil, coconut-oil, sugar) or the canning of fruits such as pineapples.”[16] Ivory Coast exports a lot of important agricultural products that help keep a balance in the trade.[17] Ivory Coast has a large diversity of natural resources.     
The location of Africa, in particular, Ivory Coast had a lot to do with the initial contact between them and Europe. The Portuguese were the first to explore West Africa. Which was later followed by the idea of trade. Initially, trade included gold, ivory and pepper. Later on, a demand for slaves became a large part of the trade with West Africa. By the end of the fifteenth century, commercial contacts with Europe had spread to areas north of the West African coast as well.[18]
Portugal Trade with Africa
"History of Portugal." HowStuffWorks. February 26, 2008. Accessed December 17, 2015. http://history.howstuffworks.com/european-history/history-of-portugal1.htm
Since there is little settlement within Ivory Coast, “a sense of national identity has been slow to emerge.” Part of this reason is the fact that there are so many people groups and languages that are within this one country. “As with many African nations, national boundaries mean little to the sense of identity of many of those who live within them. The principal ethnic groups that form the majority of Ivorian society have strong cultural and social ties to other members of their group who may live outside of the Ivory Coast’s national borders.”[19] The borders dividing Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leon, and Guinea have practically become meaningless due to the connections and people that live in each of the countries.[20]
Ivory Coast’s history has shaped it into the country it is today. It has gone through some difficult times and faces challenges still today. The traditions and customs that the people of Ivory Coast follow are what helps to keep the country going. Many of the traditions are passed down from generation to generation. Religion has also played a role in where Ivory Coast is today as a country. Christianity and Islam make up the majority of the religions in the country. Many of the people practice one of those two religions. Christianity and Islam actually make up the religions of most of the countries in West Africa. The struggle of borders and being able to find a sense of identity as a country has been difficult for Ivory Coast due to connections the people have with people in surrounding countries, but they have been able to find a sense of identity. Despite the challenges and hardships Ivory Coast has faced as a country, it is still a thriving country. The history of the country helps to see the direction in which the country will continue to go. 
Ivory Coast
"Health Information for Travelers to Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Traveler View." Accessed December 17, 2015. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/ivory-coast 
References
Clarke, Peter. West Africa and Islam: A Study of Religious Development from the 8th to the 20th Century. London: Edward Arnold, 1982.
Corey-Boulet, Robbie. “Ivory Coast: Victor’s Justice.” World Policy Journal Sept. 2012: 68-79.Web. 16 December 2015. 
               “Cote D’Ivoire Natural Resources.” Fortune of Africa Ivory Coast. February 7, 2014. Accessed November 16, 2015.
http://fortuneofafrica.com/ivorycoast/2014/02/07/cote-d-ivore-natural-resources/
Dodds, Klaus. “Ivory Coast.” Geographical Mar. 2011: 14. Academic OneFile. Web. 16 December 2015.
              “Economy & Industry.” Our Africa. Accessed November 16, 2015.  http://www.our-africa.org/ivory-coast/economy-industry
               “Geography of Ivory Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed October 27, 2015.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Ivory_Coast
Hilton, T. E. “The Changing Ivory Coast.” Geography 50 (1965): 291-295. JSTOR. Web. 16 December 2015.
“History of Ivory Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed November 22, 2015.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Ivory_Coast 
“Ivory Coast (Cote D’Ivoire) People and Culture.” Africa Guide. Accessed November 2, 2015. http://www.africaguide.com/country/ivoryc/culture.htm
“Ivory Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed October 27, 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory_Coast#Geography
May, Jacques M. The Ecology of Malnutrition in the French speaking countries of West Africa and Madagascar; Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast,       
               Togo, Dahomey, Cameroon, Niger, Mali, Upper Volta, and Madagascar. New York: Hafner Publishing Co., 1968.
 Mehlinger, Howard. Globalization and the Challenges of a New Century: A Reader. Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press, 2000.
 “New President in Ivory Coast: will it aid country’s diamond trade?” New York Diamonds (July 2011): 46+. General OneFile. Web. 16 December                                     2015.
Reed, Daniel B. Dan Ge Performance: Masks and Music in Contemporary Cote D’Ivoire. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2003.
“Religion in Ivory Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed November 10, 2015.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Ivory_Coast
Stokes, Jamie. (ed.) Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa and Middle East. New York: Facts on File, 2008.
Welsh-Asante, Kariamu. African Dance: An Artistic, Historical and Philosophical Inquiry.
Trenton, New Jersey: African World Press, 1997.

Link to video presentation: https://youtu.be/krgD7L-s5bs



[1] “Ivory Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed October 27, 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory_Coast#Geography
[2] Dodds, Klaus. “Ivory Coast.” Geographical Mar. 2011: 14. Academic OneFile. Web. 16 December 2015.
[3] “Geography of Ivory Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed October 27, 2015.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Ivory_Coast
[4] Hilton, T. E. “The Changing Ivory Coast.” Geography 50 (1965): 291-295. JSTOR. Web. 16 December 2015.
[5] “Geography of Ivory Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed October 27, 2015.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Ivory_Coast
[6] Ibid.
[7] “Ivory Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed October 27, 2015.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory_Coast#Geography
[8] “Ivory Coast (Cote D’Ivoire) People and Culture.” Africa Guide. Accessed November 2, 2015.
http://www.africaguide.com/country/ivoryc/culture.htm
[9] Reed, Daniel B. Dan Ge Performance: Masks and Music in Contemporary Cote D’Ivoire. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2003.
[10] Welsh-Asante, Kariamu. African Dance: An Artistic, Historical and Philosophical Inquiry. Trenton, New Jersey: African World Press, 1997.
[11] “Religion in Ivory Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed November 10, 2015.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Ivory_Coast
[12] Clarke, Peter. West Africa and Islam: A Study of Religious Development from the 8th to the 20th Century. London: Edward Arnold, 1982.
[13] “Religion in Ivory Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed November 10, 2015.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Ivory_Coast
[14] “Cote D’Ivoire Natural Resources.” Fortune of Africa Ivory Coast. February 7, 2014. Accessed November 16, 2015.
http://fortuneofafrica.com/ivorycoast/2014/02/07/cote-d-ivore-natural-resources/
[15] “New President in Ivory Coast: will it aid country’s diamond trade?” New York Diamonds (July 2011): 46+. General OneFile. Web. 16 December 2015.
[16] “Economy & Industry.” Our Africa. Accessed November 16, 2015.  http://www.our-africa.org/ivory-coast/economy-industry
[17] May, Jacques M. The Ecology of Malnutrition in the French speaking countries of West Africa and Madagascar; Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Togo, Dahomey, Cameroon, Niger, Mali, Upper Volta, and Madagascar. New York: Hafner Publishing Co., 1968.
[18] “History of Ivory Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed November 22, 2015.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Ivory_Coast 
[19] Stokes, Jamie. (ed.) Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa and Middle East. New York: Facts on File, 2008.
[20] Mehlinger, Howard. Globalization and the Challenges of a New Century: A Reader. Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press, 2000.
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Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Change

Since there is little settlement within Ivory Coast, “a sense of national identity has been slow to emerge.”[1] Part of this reason is the fact that there are so many people groups and languages that are within this one country. “As with many African nations, national boundaries mean little to the sense of identity of many of those who live within them. The principal ethnic groups that form the majority of Ivorian society have strong cultural and social ties to other members of their group who may live outside of the Ivory Coast’s national borders.”[2] “In Côte d'Ivoire, as across Africa, national boundaries reflect the impact of colonial rule as much as present-day political reality, bringing nationalism into conflict with centuries evolving ethnic identification.”[3] The people of Ivory Coast typically have ties to people who live in surrounding countries due to the boundaries that have been formed and the reasoning behind the formation of the boundaries. “These centrifugal pressures provided a challenge to political leaders in the 1980s, as they did to the governors of the former French colony.[4] The connections many people in Ivory Coast have with people outside the country caused issues within the country for the leaders because they do not really know all the connections the people could have. This has affected the day-to-day life in Ivory Coast because the nation has had trouble discovering who they are as a country since the people are so connected to other people outside the country. That is likely to affect anyone, if the people around are more connect to other people then it would make everyday life difficult. Those factors would also impact the stability of the country. It is difficult to find stability in something that has so many parts playing a role in it. The role of people outside Ivory Coast factor into how the people within the country act towards different situations and topics.
Ivory Coast
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/ivory-coast 

[1] Stokes, Jamie. (ed.) Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa and Middle East. New York: Facts
on File, 2008.
[2] Ibid.
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Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Mission Work


Christianity and Islam are the two main religions practiced in Ivory Coast. “Christian missionaries arrived at the coast in the seventeenth century but did not win converts in large numbers until the nineteenth century.”[1] Both Christianity and Islam are practiced by people there. There is a lot of religious tolerance. The people are free to believe what they want. Some people will convert to other religions, but it is usually a private matter. “Missionaries are generally welcomed throughout the nation, although their teachings seldom replace centuries-old systems of spiritual belief and practice that form the basis of cultural unity.”[2] So, although missionaries are welcome in Ivory Coast, many of the people there stick with their spiritual beliefs that have been passed down for generations.

Islam
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/detail/
islam-and-its-infidels-how-extremists-distorted-a-religion-of-millions

Christianity
http://www.unitetheusa.org/id83.html

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have done mission work in Ivory Coast. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is “informally the Mormon Church.”[3] They were sent on mission to Abidjan, which is a major city in Ivory Coast. “As of January 1, 2012, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reported 16,248 members in five stakes.”[4] A stake in regards to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is “an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations in denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement.”[5] So that is another religious group that made an effort to witness to Ivory Coast.

http://www.guidestar.org/organizations/23-7300405/church-jesus-christ-latter-day-saints.aspx


In the end, Christianity and Islam are the main religions that are currently practiced in Ivory Coast. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the religious groups that has made an effort recently to minister to Ivory Coast, although there were probably many other religions that made the effort as well.

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Sunday, November 22, 2015

Initial Contact

The location of Africa, in particular, Ivory Coast had a lot to do with the initial contact between them and Europe. The Portuguese were the first to explore West Africa. Which was later followed by the idea of trade. Initially, trade included gold, ivory and pepper. Later on, a demand for slaves became a large part of the trade with West Africa.[1] By the end of the fifteenth century, commercial contacts with Europe had spread to areas north of the West African coast as well.[2]
Portugal trade with Africa
http://history.howstuffworks.com/european-history/history-of-portugal1.htm


Ivory Coast was affected by these influences, but there were not really any sheltered harbors along the coast. Because of that, many Europeans did not set up permanent trading posts. Therefore, European trade played a minor role in the “conquest by Europeans of Ivory Coast.”[3] The slave trade really did not have an effect on Ivory Coast. Ivory Coast’s main thing they traded was ivory in the 17th century. However, it began to die out in the 18th century because there was such a decline in elephants.
Ivory
http://inhabitat.com/u-s-introduces-near-complete-ban-on-elephant-ivory-trade/

“The earliest recorded French voyage to West Africa took place in 1483.”[4] Although that did not directly connect with Ivory Coast, it eventually did. In the mid-19th century, French established in Ivory Coast. They already had settlements in other areas along the West African coast. The British already had permanent posts along the Gulf of Guinea, which is just east of Ivory Coast. So other countries had already set up settlements that would allow them to thrive in those areas before other countries had the chance to do so.
Cote d'Ivoire is the same as Ivory Coast (left)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gulf_of_Guinea_Nations.png

“The first posts in Ivory Coast included one at Assinie and another at Grand-Bassam, which became the colony’s first capital.”[5] Ultimately what brought Europeans to West Africa, was the idea of trade. West Africa, for the most part provided ports that would make trade easier. Ivory Coast was mostly influenced by British and French trade.



[1] “Trade with Europe and the Americas” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Ivory_Coast
[2] “Trade with Europe and the Americas” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Ivory_Coast 
[3] “Trade with Europe and the Americas” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Ivory_Coast
[4] “Trade with Europe and the Americas” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Ivory_Coast
[5] “Trade with Europe and the Americas” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Ivory_Coast
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Monday, November 16, 2015

Ivory Coast Natural Resources

“Ivory Coast is currently sub-Saharan Africa’s ninth largest crude oil producer with around 35,000 barrels per day of crude oil production.”[1] The main natural resources that can be found in Ivory Coast are oil and natural gas production. They have been a growing part of the economy. A refinery that processes crude oil from off shore rigs is located at Abidjan.
Map of African exports
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/business/global-economy/140502/world-commodities-exports-map 

Ivory Coast also has mineral resources, such as diamonds and gold. “Manufacturing is mainly limited to the refining and processing of agricultural produce (e.g. palm oil, coconut-oil, sugar) or the canning of fruits such as pineapples.”[2] Ivory Coast has a large diversity of natural resources. Some of the other natural resources that are produced in Ivory Coast include “natural gas, manganese, bauxite, hydro power, forests and fish.”[3]
Stamp from Ivory Coast with diamond on it
http://www.thediamondloupe.com/articles/2015-07-27/ivory-coast-6734ct-diamond-exports-embargo-lifted 


The use and value of these natural resources has changed the country over time. After becoming independent in 1960, Ivory Coast had decades of stable government and became the wealthiest country in West Africa. It was also the fourth largest economy south of the Sahara. After political division in 1990s the economy suffered. It suffered even more following the civil war in 2002 and violence following elections in 2010. However, the economy has begun to flourish again, due to the growth in oil and other factors.[4]
Stamp with an oil refinery in Abidjan
http://colnect.com/en/stamps/stamp/421906-Abidjan_oil_refinery-Industry-Ivory_Coast

“Between AD 1000 to 1500, Muslim merchants established trade routes from northern Africa to Ivory Coast. They came for gold, ivory and slaves.”[5] “Until the 19th century, French and Portuguese traders mostly confined themselves to the coast, where they traded in good such as slaves and ivory. But during the second half of the 1800s, European explorers ventured inland and made treaties with local chiefs. In the rush to divide up Africa, France claimed Ivory Coast in 1893.”[6] Two of Ivory Coast's main exports today are cocoa and coffee, along with several other exports. These different situations and scenarios affected the trade routes and trade of natural resources in Ivory Coast.
Exportation of pineapple from Ivory Coast map
http://www.unctad.info/en/Infocomm/AACP-Products/COMMODITY-PROFILE---Pineapple/
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Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Religion in Ivory Coast

In Ivory Coast, the main religions that are practiced are Islam and Christianity. 38.6% of the population practices Islam, 32.6% practices Christianity, 16.7% is irreligious, and 11.9% follows Traditional African religion or other religions. [1]

“According to most local belief systems, spiritual beings—a creator, ancestral spirits, and spirits associated with places and objects—can influence a person’s life and luck.” [2] Ancestral spirits are important, especially in the northern religions, “because it is believed that they can directly influence an individual’s fortunes in this life. The cosmology of the Mande peoples of the northwest is described in their myth of origin, variants of which are retold throughout the region. The myth recounts God’s creation of the universe and of four sets of twins from seeds. They were commanded to populate the earth and teach their offspring how to grow crops.”[3]


Most people in Ivory Coast that practice Islam, are Sunni Muslims. They follow the Maliki version of Islamic law.[4] “The significant religious authority is the marabout. He is believed to be a miracle worker, a physician, and a mystic, who exercises both magical and moral authority.”[5]

“About one-eighth of the population was Christian in the 1980s; more recent estimates put the proportion of Christians at about 32.6% of the population.”[6] It is mostly practiced by people in the middle class and in urban centers of the south. Most prevalent among the Agni in the southeast, and least among the Mande of the northwest. Roman Catholicism is the largest Christian religion practiced there.[7]


Islam and Christianity have been adapted to many of the indigenous religions in Ivory Coast. “Most widely recognized among these syncretic religions are numerous offshoots of Harrism along the coast, where new prophets, preachers, and disciples blend traditional beliefs, Harrism, and modern-day political advice to help deal with the problems of everyday life.”[8] Syncretic religions are more common among minorities. There are instances where a group of people are practicing Christianity, but the neighboring group of people is practicing a syncretic religion.[9]

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