Zaouli De Tibéita: Exploring the Dynamics of Commercialisation and Cultural Transmission in the Zaouli Dance Heritage- An Ethnographic Study In La Côte D’Ivoire

Abstract

Zaouli dance and music are integral parts of the life and practices of Gouro communities in the Bouaflé department of la Côte d'Ivoire, particularly in the areas of Manfla, Tibéita, Sinfra, Zenouaflé and Zrabisehifla. Believed to have been inspired by a young Gouro lady named Djéla Lou Zaouli, the dance celebrates feminine beauty through a combination of sculpture, craftsmanship, music, musicianship, and dancing to convey the cultural identity of its practitioners and custodians. This ethnographic inquiry focuses on the practice of Zaouli dance in the indigenous Gouro community of Tibéita, exploring their methods, techniques, and approaches to the transmission of culturally specific knowledge. Through the observation of performances, analysis of the contexts of performance an examination of transmission and safeguarding models, this study explores the evolution of the Zaouli dance tradition in Tibéita and the impact of a commercial apparatus applied to their safeguarding practices and that of a larger Gouro cultural heritage in La Côte d’Ivoire.