A virtuosic solo dance of the Guro people, performed by a single masked dancer whose rapid footwork and fluid hip movements are accompanied by live musicians in an intimate, participatory tradition.
In UNESCO’s words
Zaouli is a popular music and dance practised by the Guro communities of the Bouaflé and Zuénoula departments of Côte d’Ivoire. A homage to feminine beauty, Zaouli is inspired by two masks: the Blou and the Djela. Its other name, Djela lou Zaouli means Zaouli, the daughter of Djela. In a single event, the practice brings together sculpture (the mask), weaving (the costume), music (the band and song) and dance. There are seven types of Zaouli masks, each translating a specific legend. The bearers and practitioners include sculptors, craftspeople, instrumentalists, singers, dancers and the notables (the guarantors of the community’s customs and traditions). Zaouli plays an educational, playful and aesthetic role, contributes to environmental preservation, conveys the cultural identity of its bearers and promotes integration and social cohesion. Transmission occurs during musical performances and learning sessions, when amateurs learn under the supervision of experienced practitioners. The viability of Zaouli is ensured through popular performances organized two or three times a week by the communities. The traditional chiefdom, the guarantor of traditions, also plays a key role in the transmission process and inter-village dance competitions and festivals offer further opportunities for revitalization. Research and documentation activities are also underway.
Official description, UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List — Zaouli, popular music and dance of the Guro communities in Côte d’Ivoire
At a glance
Zaouli is a popular music and dance of the Guro communities that honours feminine beauty. It combines sculpture, weaving, music and dance into a single artistic event. The tradition centres on seven types of masks, each connected to a specific legend. Practitioners include sculptors, craftspeople, instrumentalists, singers, dancers and community notables who together bring the form to life.
Origins & history
Zaouli takes its name from a legend: Zaouli, daughter of Djela. The practice draws inspiration from two masks—the Blou and the Djela—that anchor its artistic and spiritual character. The traditional chiefdom serves as the guardian of these customs and traditions, ensuring that knowledge and practice pass between generations.
The practice
Zaouli is performed by masked and costumed dancers accompanied by a band and singers. Sculptors create the masks while craftspeople make the costumes. A single performer executes the dance while musicians establish the rhythmic and melodic framework. Transmission occurs during musical performances and formal learning sessions, where amateurs work under the guidance of experienced practitioners. Communities sustain the practice through performances organised two or three times weekly, and inter-village competitions and festivals provide further opportunities for the tradition to flourish.
Cultural significance
Zaouli plays educational, playful and aesthetic roles within the community while contributing to environmental preservation and cultural identity. It promotes social cohesion and integration among the Guro people. The tradition's viability depends on continued popular performances and the involvement of the traditional chiefdom. Research and documentation activities support its transmission to future generations.
Key facts
- Country: Côte d'Ivoire
- Inscribed: 2017
- UNESCO list: Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
- UNESCO reference: 01255
- UNESCO vocabulary: Dance; Instrumental music
- Map: Bouaflé and Zuénoula — the locality named in UNESCO’s official description of this element
Where to experience it
Zaouli is practised by the Guro communities of the Bouaflé and Zuénoula departments in Côte d'Ivoire. Visitors can encounter the tradition at popular performances held two or three times weekly by these communities, as well as at inter-village dance competitions and festivals that celebrate the practice. Learning sessions offer opportunities to watch amateurs train under experienced practitioners, while the tradition's roots in sculpture, weaving, music and dance mean that craftspeople and musicians throughout the region remain active bearers of this homage to feminine beauty.
Sources & resources
- UNESCO — official element page: Zaouli, popular music and dance of the Guro communities in Côte d’Ivoire
- UNESCO — open data record: Intangible Heritage List, reference 01255
- UNESCO — official video: UNESCO film on this element — embedded on this page
- UNESCO — official photograph: Danseur masqué du Zaouli ou Zaouli Bozan du village de Maminigui — AKA Konin — Aka Konin/Office Ivoirien du patrimoine culturel (OIPC), 2015
- Reference — Wikipedia (secondary): Zaouli — consulted as a secondary reference, not as confirmation
- Cultural Heritage Online: Our archive and city guides
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