Man: Jongleur and Gla Dances

After a decent sleep I enjoy some fruit and yogurt for breakfast this morning – something we’ve not seen much of in the hotels we’ve stayed at so far.

Papaya and pineapple with yogurt

The Grand Market of Man

Every time we leave the hotel, we have to drive through the market, and today is no exception. I cannot resists leaning out of the window and photographing the traders and their goods.

After the confusion over the last couple of days about when and where to see the Jongleur and Gla dances, we head off this morning to the remote village where the dances are held. Mathias has been reliably informed that there is a ‘new’ road that makes the journey considerably quicker. The road is a dirt track and quite bumpy, with lots of people walking – heading to the farms. Mathias explains that people in the west of the country have a reputation for being lazy – I can see what they mean, 10am is a little late to be heading to the farm, most farmers start work at the crack of dawn.

The road is quite interesting in that it passes through lots of small villages along the way, where life goes on as it has done for centuries.

Corner shop

Cafeteria

Petrol station

Never having come this way before, Mathias keeps phoning the dance organiser to ensure he is on the correct track.

Diourouzon Village

As soon as we pull up in the village, the local children come running to greet us. As with everywhere else we’ve been here in Ivory Coast - once they’ve made a fuss and welcomed us, they scatter to get on with their lives. Unlike so many places in this part of the world, where children seem to arrive with their hands outstretched as soon as they spot a westerner, we have encountered no begging.

The music is already playing and the moment we are given seats in the shade overlooking a small arena, a group of young girls wearing colourful string skirts, white geometrical face paint, and hats with cowrie shells and what looks like tufts of horse-tails, start dancing.

The drummers

A somewhat disturbing interruption sees all the locals who have come to watch the show run off to the right amid shouting, cheering, and whoops of excitement and giggles. Mathias goes off to find out what is happening. He comes back laughing – apparently the commotion was caused by two ladies fighting over a man.

One of the girls who went running to see the cat-fight. I love her bright blue hair (we've seen a few girls with long, brightly coloured cornrows) - I am told that it is hair extensions, not her real hair.

These onlookers also scampered at the first sign of the disturbance

The Gla Dances

The Guéré people, who are the inhabitants of this village, believe in a Creater-God who communicates with humans only through intermediaries: the masks. There are several of these masks, who all live in the sacred forest, and each has a different role in the society. Today we are treated to three different masked dances – no-one, not even the village elders, knows beforehand which of the sacred masks will appear at any one time. They only come out on special occasions, such as when 'the Howards' are visiting. These dances are not often performed for foreigner, so we feel very special and honoured today.

Djandohoun Mask

The role of this mask is being a messenger and a link between the sacred forest and the people. It is ‘the wise one’ who will be approached by the villagers if someone has broken the law, for guidance on punishment and retribution. The mask may intervene and suggest that farming is halted for a time for instance.

The face is made from clay, and to me looks more sinister than any of the other masks we have seen to date.

The threatening demeanour, however, is greatly reduced by the addition of a soft toy attached to the front of the head.

Gandihe Mask

This mask’s function is also to act like a judge and settle conflict. One rule says that you cannot pound plantain after 19:00, if you do, this mask will come and punish you, and you will be expelled from the village.

This mask has a brightly coloured painted face, with large ears and a black mane.

He also has much fancier ‘leggings’ – the other two are wearing just plain straw anklets.

I know these sacred masks are considered ‘magic’ by the locals, but I can’t help thinking about how long it must take the initiated men who go into the forest to put on these masks. They are all very elaborate!

Gnango Mask

This is the oldest and most powerful mask in the village, and more important than the police and the justice system. As a result of his advancing years, this mask cannot dance for long.

The face of this mask is also made from clay, but appears comical rather than threatening, with its open mouth and tongue hanging out, huge nose, strange eyebrows and a bulbous growth in the middle of his forehead.

It is also the least seen of the masks – it only appears once every ten years. The organiser, who is very excited at the appearance of this mask, tells Mathias it is only the second time he has ever seen it. And now, having performed for us, the mask must return to the sacred forest where it will stay for another ten years before coming out. If I didn’t feel honoured before (which I did), I certainly do now! It feels incredibly special to witness this once-in-a-decade performance.

It is hard to get a sense of the Gla dances just from photographs, so I have included a short clip of David’s video below, to show some of the amazing footwork (bearing in mind that all the masks dance barefoot).

I would struggle to just walk barefoot on this surface, let alone do any fancy dancing!

A slight lull in proceedings gives me a chance to photograph some of the locals who have turned up to watch.

Mathias (with the cross body bag) and Solo (with the blue jeans)

The Jongleur Dance

Also known as the ‘snake dance’ or the ‘dance of the knives’, the juggler does not toss balls or pins around, but children. The performance is in many ways similar to a Chinese circus, in its acrobatic movements. The children, who appear to be in a deep trance, remain expressionless throughout the whole show.

It all starts with one of the children running up to the Jongleur, and jumps into his outstretched arms.

Bent over backwards, she is then twirled around in the air with one hand.

He throws her up in the air, and catches her again with both arms.

Each time he juggles with one of the girls, he does something different with her.

With the roles reversed, she pretends to lift him up.

The ever-present drums, while one of the children waits her turn

With the posture of a rag-doll, this girl is draped over the Jongleur’s shoulders as he dances in circles. He is very aware that I am taking photos and David filming video, and really plays to the cameras.

And then he balances on one leg with a kid casually draped over his shoulders.

Another balancing act, this time with the girl standing on his arm.

He then throws her up in the air…

… and catches her, of course.

In the next act, the girl hangs upside down from his shoulders, while he twirls her around and around.

More ‘impossible’ poses.

He balances her on his head…

… and bends her double...

...and in the opposite direction...

...and tosses her in the air, of course. As you do.

While the jongleur is amazing, those girls have my utmost admiration: they seem to be completely limp and flexible when they need to, while at other times they are stiff as a stick, with incredible balance. The girls are hand selected at a very young age by the initiated men (including the jongleur, of course), and in the old days it was impossible for the children or their parents to refuse such an request (demand). These days they do have a choice to refuse to be juggled, but the honour that comes with it means that they rarely do.

The jongleur uses one girl as a skipping rope.

Then, with his foot, throws her high in the air, twisting her around with one hand as he goes.

They make balancing on one hand look easy.

The strength he must have in his arms to be able to throw this small human up in the air with one outstretched arm, is amazing.

Instead of the girl jumping into his arms, as has been the norm so far, this time she steps into his hands at ground level.

And into the air she goes.

I don’t know how both of them manage to stop themselves getting dizzy!

And then the knives appear, along with the dead rabbit which holds mystic powers.

This picture makes me smile, as he looks like he is just about to give her a kick up the backside. He doesn't.

If you think juggling with children is skilful, try adding a dagger in each hand!

The obligatory flamingo impersonation. Not that I have ever seen a flamingo holding a pair of huge knives (or any sized knife), nor carrying a small child.

And then there were two.

Still photos rarely do dances justice, so here is a copy of some of the video David took of the Jongleur Dances.

Of all the ethnic dances we have seen on this trip (and others in West Africa previously), this has to be the most spectacular, impressive, harrowing and heart-stopping performance possible. While some trip reports online mention that the knives don’t normally come out when tourists are present (I feel honoured that they did for us), Mathias tells us that they also sometimes balance the children on the knife points (which they didn’t do here today)! David and I never judge another culture based on our own, unlike some of the comments I have seen online: “That would never be allowed back home in (insert name of country here)”. I feel very humbled to have been allowed to witness this, and get a small glimpse into their complex and fascinating way of life.

Before we leave, we take the obligatory selfies, which we print out and give to the organiser.

Lunch

Mathias takes us to another hotel for lunch today, for a bit of variety: Beau Séjour Hotel. He explains that there are not many places that he considers suitable for foreigners in Man.

The restaurant is empty when we get there, but some more people arrive later.

My pasta Nepolitana - with angel hair pasta, which I find unusual, but not unenjoyable.

David chooses poulet frites which is served with a very spicy green sauce, as well as an onion chutney and a tomato sauce. He tells me the skin is crispy, not unlike a KFC (I didn't even know David knew what a KFC tastes like)

We chill for the rest of the afternoon, and later enjoy a drink of Duty Free Morgan’s Spiced Rum and Coke before dinner.

Dinner
The staff came to our room to take our food order earlier, as seems to be the norm here in Ivory Coast.

I did not expect to have the meals come out under a silver dome, something I have only ever experienced a handful of time during our last 40+ years of travel.

The waiter removes both domes at the same time with a theatrical flourish.

While it reeks of upper class and high status, I do feel it is a little bit of an overkill for David’s burger.

My blanquette de veau is much more deserving of this treatment! (insert a smiley emoji here)

The dish is very tasty, not overly creamy, and quite peppery. Some of the pieces of meat (veal) are tender, others quite tough.

After dinner we retire to our suite for David to watch UEFA Champion’s League football on the TV.

Thank you so much to Undiscovered Destinations for arranging this incredible adventure to Ivory Coast.