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ENTERTAINMENT
EVENTS & FESTIVALS
The Festival of Masks (or
Fêtes des Masques) is one of the
most popular festivals of the region celebrated in the region of Man in
November. Many small villages in the region also hold competitions as
to the best dancer along with paying homage to forest spirits who are
personified in these masks.
Another one of the famous
events in the country is the Carnival at Bouaké lasting for a
week, every March.
April finds people in yet
another festive mood – the Fête du Dipri in Gomon, near
Abidjan. Commencing around midnight when the women and children
sneak out of their huts, naked, perform rites to eliminate the evil
spirits from the village. Just prior to sunrise, the chief appears
followed by drums pounding and the villagers are put in a trance. This
emotion goes ont till late afternoon the following day.
The one-month Ramadan
– the popular Muslim holiday – finds the people fasting between Sunrise
and Sunset in accordance with the fourth pillar of Islam. Ramadan is
concluded with a huge feast, Eid al-Fitr wherein everyone pray
togther, visit friends and exchanges presents and stuff themselves.
MUSIC
Alpha Blondy, the worl-famous reggae
artist, is the best-known singer of Cote d’Ivoire; his music, though is
not necessarily representative of the country he comes from.
The characteristic
traditional music of the country has a series of melodies and rhythms
occurring at the same time, none dominating the other. The Dan (As they
are called) has musical tastes – they require music in everything. Be
it Rice, Death, Marriage, Birth, Weather, any occasion is
celebrated with music.
By history, only the griot
(the village entertainers) have the right to play music and they use
only the instruments that are made using local materials like gourds,
animal skins and horns. Talking Drums, Djembe, Kpalogo,
Shekere (Youroo), Akombe, Cleavers are some of the instruments used.
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