Zaouli
Traditional dance of the Guro people
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zaouli or Zawli is a traditional dance of the Guro people (who speak the Guro language) of central Ivory Coast. It is performed by a single masked and costumed dancer, accompanied by musicians.
A Zaouli dancer | |
| Genre | Traditional dance |
|---|---|
| Origin | Guro people, Ivory Coast |
| Zaouli, popular music and dance of the Guro communities in Côte d’Ivoire | |
|---|---|
| Country | Ivory Coast |
| Reference | 01255 |
| Region | Africa |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2017 (12th session) |
| List | Representative |
History
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] Claudie Haxaire traces its origin to the village of Zougounéfla.[2] However, stories on the origins of the characteristic mask are varied, and each mask may have its own symbolic history.[3] It was inscribed in 2017 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.[4] Zaouli is also one of the most difficult dances in the world due its unique and difficult steps.[5][6]
The dance is performed by a single male dancer wearing a mask depicting a girl.[7]: 46 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.[citation needed]
Zaouli rose in prominence within the Ivory Coast because it was the favorite dance of Ivorian president Félix Houphouet-Boigny and was regularly broadcast on national TV as a result.[8]: 229
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.
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.[9] Some internet users have criticised this use as inappropriate.[10]
Short videos of traditional Zaouli dances are also circulating on the Internet, the soundtrack of which has been replaced by fast, seemingly appropriate rhythms of psytrance music.[citation needed]
A Zaouli dancer appears in a crowd of people as part of a surreal musical sequence in the 2025 film Sinners.[11]