Zaouli: the Guro Mask Dance and UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage

On social media you may have seen a video of a masked dancer whose feet move so fast they are almost a blur — that is most likely Zaouli. It comes from the Guro communities of central Côte d'Ivoire (in West Africa, French-speaking, the world's largest cocoa producer) and was inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017. Beyond the short videos, it is in fact a complete and codified community culture.

One performance, four crafts

According to UNESCO's listing, Zaouli is the popular music and dance of the Guro communities in the departments of Bouaflé and Zuénoula, described as "a homage to female beauty". It is inspired by two masks, Blou and Djela; its other name, Djela lou Zaouli, means "Zaouli, daughter of Djela".

A Zaouli performance combines four crafts at once: mask carving, costume weaving, the orchestra and singing, and dance. UNESCO notes that there are seven masks, each linked to a legend. Participants are not only dancers but also carvers, artisans, musicians, singers, and local dignitaries who act as guardians of custom.

More than a performance: functions and transmission

UNESCO sums up Zaouli's role as educational, recreational and aesthetic, and notes that it contributes to environmental protection, the expression of cultural identity and social cohesion. The nomination evaluation documents also point out that the tradition was originally performed only at festivities but now also appears at funerals.

Transmission happens mainly through watching and learning: amateurs learn from experienced performers during performances and rehearsals, the traditional chieftaincy safeguards the rules, and dance competitions and festivals between villages keep the art alive. According to UNESCO, the communities hold two to three public performances a week. Zaouli has been on Côte d'Ivoire's national cultural heritage inventory since 2016. According to a 2020 report by the Ivorian news agency AIP, it is the third Ivorian element inscribed on UNESCO's intangible heritage lists, after the Gbofê horn music of Afounkaha (2008) and the balafon culture of the Senufo communities (2012).

A sense of proportion when watching and sharing

In its decision, UNESCO specifically cautioned that safeguarding should be carried out in close cooperation with the communities, avoiding top-down approaches that interfere excessively with traditional organisations. For ordinary audiences, the same caution applies:

• Treat it as a community's culture, not as raw material: Zaouli's steps have been borrowed by foreign pop music productions, drawing criticism from some online users for a lack of respect. If you want to use it for a brand, event or content, it is best to obtain the performing group's consent first and credit the source clearly.
• On site, ask before filming: a performance may be part of a funeral or village celebration; ask the organiser first whether filming and posting are allowed.
• Appreciate the whole: besides the footwork, notice how the masks, costumes and orchestra respond to one another.

One line for Asian readers

Zaouli is moving not only because of the dancer's speed, but because a whole community keeps it alive together; adding the words "Guro communities, Côte d'Ivoire" when you share a video is the simplest form of respect.

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References: AIP / Abidjan.net — Zuénoula, une terre de culture (2020); UNESCO — Zaouli, popular music and dance of the Guro communities in Côte d'Ivoire; UNESCO — Decision 12.COM 11.B.8; Wikipedia — Zaouli