Bouaflé

Zaouli is the masked dance of the Guro communities of the Bouaflé and Zuénoula departments, named in the UNESCO inscription of 2017. A single dancer wears a carved mask with a small face crowned by a superstructure, and dances to a band of drums and flutes at a speed that has made video of it travel worldwide: the feet move faster than the eye follows while the upper body stays almost still. Sculpture, weaving, music and dance all come together in one performance.

What to look for

• The Zaouli dancer - a single masked performer at extraordinary speed.
• The mask types - seven forms of Zaouli mask, each with its own legend.
• The band - drums and flutes driving the dance.
• The costume - the woven and fringed dress that goes with the mask.

When to go

Performances happen at funerals, festivals and community events rather than on a schedule, and arranging one takes local contacts. November to February is the dry season and easiest for travel. The rains from June to October make roads difficult.

Good to know

There is no venue where Zaouli is performed on a timetable; seeing it means arranging through the community and paying the group. Performances staged for visitors are shortened. Photography arrangements should be agreed first.

Nearby

Yamoussoukro is southeast, and Daloa is west.

Key facts