Treasures from the Côte d'Ivoire Book

The Côte d'Ivoire is one of the most important artistic and cultural centers in West Africa. There are three major language groups here - the Gur, the Mande, and the Kwa-as well as several minor ones in the lagoons of the south. This cultural diversity is the result of several migrations, spanning several hundred years, of present day Ivoirienne peoples from origins in the north (e.g. the Senufo), the east (e.g. the Baule and the Anyi), and the west (e.g. the Dan).

This essay will be a brief examination of the art of several Côte d'Ivoire peoples from the three language groups: the Gur people of Central Africa (the Senufo and the Kulando); the Akan people of the Central Guinea Coast (the Baule, the Yaure, and the Attie); and the Mande people of the southern Western Guinea Coast (the Guro, the Bete, and the Dan).