Man - Daloa - Zaouli Dances - Yamoussoukro

We’re leaving Man this morning, heading back to Yamoussoukro.

In the original itinerary we should have been flying directly to Abidjan today, but the regional airline cancelled their flight. I am more than happy about that, as flying these days is so much hassle (I am not sure whether flying really has changed for the worse, or whether I am getting old), and so much time is wasted at the airport; whereas while travelling by road we can see (and photograph) so much more. And today is no exception – below is a selection of photos taken from the car on the way.

Love this sign at the entrance to the city of Man

Daloa Town

We take a break in the biggish town of Daloa, which is the birthplace of Solo, our driver, and where his family all live. The town is inhabited by the Bété people, who are famous for shoe making. Their hand made produce is exported all over the country.

Marking up the leather ready to cut the straps

Applying glue

Cutting the sole to shape

Putting decoration on the straps

Making holes in the sole ready for the straps

Attaching the straps to the sole

Cutting off the surplus leather

This year's fashion seems to be feathers

Bitter Cola Powder

Mathias spots a lady selling tubs of bitter cola powder, and immediately approaches her to enquire about it.

The powder is said to be good for treating illnesses, as well as for increased sexual drive; and mixing it with honey gives you more strength.

Mathias buys three pots, and as he lives in Yamoussoukro and will be seeing his wife tonight, we tease him with the popular expression: “Happy wife = happy life”.

I find the taste absolutely disgusting, so I guess it must be good.

As it is too early for lunch, we ‘waste’ a little time driving around the town for photography.

Pam’s Club

We take lunch in a modern, airy restaurant, offering various seating arrangements inside or out.

As their AC is not working, we choose some nice looking chairs with tall backs outside under cover in the shade.

I love the napkin holder

Despite a fairly extensive menu, they only have local food – local chicken or fish.

Mathias explains that ‘local chicken’ is a slightly different variety with a little less meat on it. He is not wrong.

My skinny-to-the-point-of-being-anorexic chicken served with 'soup' (a VERY spicy sauce) and rice. Mathias tries to help me cut it up, but even then it only yields about half a matchbox amount of meat. The rice and sauce are very nice, though.

David’s piece offers considerably more meat, and he is happy to pick it up and eat it with his hands. While I have no problem using my hands when eating, I hate the texture of chicken skin (unless fried very crispy), and getting gristle or bones in my mouth makes me heave. I feel bad about not eating it properly, but what can I do?

The place seems very popular, and soon fills up with locals. I haven’t even finished my rice and sauce when my tummy decides it didn't really like the chicken much - thankfully there is a modern western-style toilet here.

Police Stop

At one of the many security checks, the policeman looks into the back seat of the car, said how happy he is to see us in his country, and how he doesn’t want to disturb us. What a difference to the officious jobsworth we encountered a few days ago.

We continue on our way, initially on the main tarmacked road, then we turn off onto another dirt track.

A fully laden truck on the main road

I love the way she can balance the bowl on her head while riding pillion

Village life along the way

Tibéita Village

As soon as we pull up in the village, we are greeted by a small mob of curious children.

The musicians start to gather for the performance, and so does the audience.

It seems I am not the only photographer here today.

Zaouli Dance

We are here today to meet with the Guro people and see their Zaouli Dance. Unlike the other dances we have seen so far on this trip, the Zaouli Dance is not a sacred performance, it is purely for enjoyment and entertainment.

The 'warm-up' dancer is a trainee working on becoming a fully fledged Zaouli Dancer

The dance originates from the 1950s, and while it is not considered divine, there is a legend behind it. It was apparently inspired by a beautiful young lady named Dje Lou Zaouli, whose incredible looks created so much jealousy and resentment that her contemporaries always left her out of any local activities. One day they all went into the forest, but somehow Dje Lou became lost and got left behind when it started to get dark. She was visited by a spirit in the night, and feared she would be kidnapped and never seen again. Instead, the spirit was so taken with her beauty, that he decided to look after her and teach her to dance before letting her go back to the village.

The mask (mask always refers to the whole outfit, not just the face covering) is always worn by a male dancer, while the face is that of a female.

The Zaouli Dance is all about celebrating the beauty of women. It is said to be the most difficult of all the dances in Ivory Coast, because of the rapid leg movements while the upper part of the body remains immobile.

For some of the dances, he is joined by the very enthusiastic trainee.

As usual, we have our photo taken with the Masked Dancer, and print one out for him to keep.

While the main dancer goes off to change into another mask, the trainee entertains us.

Lots of locals have turned up to watch.

The new mask, ready to be revealed.

I love this yellow mask, it is so bright and friendly looking.

It is said that no step in the dance is repeated twice at any time during the performance.

The organiser asks if we’re happy for them to show us one more mask, but they will make it quick, without changing the ‘body’, just the ‘face’. And so, the red one appears.

This mask also play to the locals that have turned up with their phones.

As we’ve seen with dancers in India, the spectators donate money by waving it over the head of the performer, and dropping it to the floor.

David is fascinated by the log instrument known as a krin, and asks if he may have a go.

The oblige him, of course.

The also badger me to dance, and eventually I capitulate and shuffle on the spot for a short time while trying not to look too stupid. I am not sure I succeeded.

It’s the first time in my life I have received a round of applause for my dancing. Or maybe the applause was because I stopped dancing. Several of the ladies in the audience come over to shake my hand afterwards, and Mathias explains that they are so excited and happy that I danced.

This is how it should be done:

We leave Tibéita Village behind and continue to Yamoussoukro on the main road.

Yamoussoukro

We can easily tell that we are entering the city when we see the enormous dome of the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace.

Royal Suites Hotel

We are back in the same hotel we were a week or so ago, and even in the same room! It's just like coming home.

The entrance to the hotel

Our room

The common area just outside our room

As usual, we order our dinner soon after arriving in the hotel. They have no hedgehog (a seasonal speciality in Ivory Coast, something I would have loved to try, but alas it is not meant to be), no chicken supreme, and no spaghetti bolognaise, so I order tagliatelle with beef.

A short while later, the waitress comes knocking on our door: They have no tagliatelle with beef, but I can have spaghetti bolognaise. OK then.

While we are enjoying a little tipple in the room (the last of the Duty Free rum with some Coke from the bar), we receive an email from Brussels Airline. They have changed our seats for the homeward flight in two days time. Grrr. Just like they did on the outbound flight, they have moved us to the opposite side of the plane. I always try to choose an aisle seat on the right hand side so that I can stretch my leg with the poorly knee out in the aisle.

We try to change the seats on the app, but it won’t let us. Double Grrr.

Dinner

The spaghetti bolognaise is ‘average’, and David’s Yassa chicken (in onion sauce with green olives) is also ‘fine’. The chips are not as good as some we’ve had on this trip.

My spaghetti bolognaise

David's Chicken Yassa

Thank you to Undiscovered Destinations and their local team for arranging this incredible adventure to Ivory Coast.