Zaouli is a traditional dance of the Guro people (who speak the Guro language) of central Ivory Coast. The Zaouli mask, used in the dance, was created in the 1950s, reportedly inspired by a girl named "Djela Lou Zaouli" (meaning "Zaouli, daughter of Djela").[1] However, stories on the origins of the characteristic mask are varied, and each mask may have its own symbolic history.[2] It was inscribed in 2017 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.[3]

Each Guro village has a local Zaouli dancer (always male), performing during funerals and celebrations. The dance is believed to increase the productivity of the village that it is performed in and is seen as a tool of unity for the Guro community, and by extension the whole country.

In popular culture

The British-Sri Lankan rapper M.I.A. included a clip of a Zaouli dancer in her music video for the song "Warriors", released as part of the video Matahdatah Scroll 01: Broader Than A Border in 2015.

A popular video that includes the song "Bungee Jump" by electronic music artists Captain Hook & Astrix utilizes footage of Zaouli dancers.

In 2022, the K-pop girl group Nature released a music video for their single "Rica Rica", featuring choreography which is heavily inspired by Zaouli dance. Some internet users have criticised this use as inappropriate.[4]

Short videos of traditional Zaouli dances are also circulating on the Internet, the soundtrack of which has been replaced by fast, seemingly appropriate rhythms of psytrance music.

References

  1. ^ "Zaouli de Manfla: The Zaouli dance of the Ivory Coast, West Africa - The Kid Should See This". thekidshouldseethis.com. 3 November 2014.
  2. ^ "Guro Zaouli Mask of Ivory Coast". Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  3. ^ "Zaouli, popular music and dance of the Guro communities in Côte d'Ivoire".
  4. ^ "'Rica Rica': NATURE trends for 'downgraded' performance after cultural appropriation". MEAWW. 2022-01-29.

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