A guide to occasions

French, using vous. Greet fully: say hello, then ask after the other person's family and health, and only then get to the point. Here, the greeting is the heart of courtesy.

A suit, or a well-made chemise pagne (a printed-cloth shirt in the style of Pathé'O); it is hot, so choose light, breathable fabrics. Clean shoes matter a great deal here.

Shake hands with everyone present, not only the most senior person. Hand over business cards with both hands or the right hand. At a first meeting, build the relationship first; there is no rush to talk numbers.

Talking price as soon as you sit down; greeting only the boss; passing things with the left hand; raising politics or ethnicity yourself.

You handle Chinese–French interpreting and the storytelling: for each stop prepare thirty seconds on 'why', not just 'what'.

Smart casual: linen shirts, an unstructured jacket; one piece in African fabric makes a good talking point.

Suggested route: Museum of Civilisations in the morning (the base map) → La Pyramide and St Paul's Cathedral in Plateau (the Ivorian miracle) → Cécile Fakhoury and Donwahi in the afternoon (contemporary art) → a drink at Hôtel Ivoire at dusk → a good maquis for dinner. Ask the gallery before photographing works.

Haggling on the spot; calling contemporary art 'folk crafts'; packing the schedule so full there is no time to sit and talk.

Mostly French; elders may use their own language. Use formal French for speeches and congratulations.

There is often a cloth chosen by the family (the 'uniforme'): ask the hosts whether there is one, then buy it and have a tailor make your outfit. If not, wear formal African dress or a suit.

The Dot is a ceremony between two families; guests are mainly witnesses and well-wishers. Customs for money and gifts vary by people and family, so ask a local friend first. Wearing the 'uniforme' cloth means you 'stand with this family'.

Dressing more eye-catchingly than the couple; filming or photographing for yourself during the ceremony.

Offer condolences with 'Toutes mes condoléances' or 'Je partage votre peine'.

Dark colours or the cloth chosen by the family; colour customs differ between peoples, so ask in advance.

Among many peoples (especially the Akan), funerals are large social events that may last several days and are often held long after the death; attending is itself a mark of respect for the family. A small contribution shows support, but ask about the custom first.

Mistaking lively music and dancing for a casual party; dressing too casually.

French; English can be mixed in among guests. Open with 'Bon appétit' and toast with 'Santé'.

A suit, or high-quality African formal wear; women guests often wear tailored pagne gowns.

French table manners apply: wait for the host to begin, place your cutlery correctly, put bread directly on the tablecloth. When the host orders wine, praise before you comment. French culture, football and art are good topics.

Politics or ethnicity; comparing local prices with Europe's to people's faces.

French plus a little Nouchi brings people closer: 'On dit quoi ?' (what's up?), 'Y'a pas drap' (no problem). A little goes a long way.

Relaxed but neat; locals care a lot about clean shoes and ironed clothes.

Eat and pass things with your right hand. Buying a round is how relationships are built, so remember to return the favour next time.

Using so much Nouchi that it sounds like mimicry; looking disgusted at street food.

French; greeting with 'Salam aleykoum' is well received, and the reply is 'Aleykoum salam'.

On the conservative side: long trousers and sleeves.

Before shaking hands, see whether the other person offers a hand, especially across genders. During Ramadan, do not suggest daytime meals; offer an iftar dinner instead. Pass things with your right hand. The history of Kong and the mud mosques are good topics.

Pressing people to drink at dinner; scheduling meetings at prayer times.

Communication usually goes through an intermediary and the chief's spokesperson, who relay your words.

Formal and conservative; African formal wear shows respect.

Have an intermediary arrange the visit in advance, and bring a gift (drinks or kola nuts are common; ask the intermediary what is appropriate). Greet the elders first and wait patiently for the ritual greetings to finish.

Bypassing the spokesperson to speak to the chief directly; taking photos without permission.

Write mainly in your audience's language, keeping key names in the original (Pathé'O, Dak'Art); it sounds more professional.

On camera or on stage, one piece by an African designer can be your visual anchor.

Be specific: name the country, city, people and person, never 'Africans all…'. Talk more about the present: design, art, entrepreneurship. Structuring posts as base map → sign → meaning is what sets you apart from ordinary travel posts.

Vague words such as 'tribal style' or 'primitive'; treating Africa as one country; telling only exotic stories.