SWITZERLAND: TRADITIONAL IVORY COAST DANCERS AT LAUSANNE'S SWISS FAIR

Record ID: 183084

  • Title: SWITZERLAND: TRADITIONAL IVORY COAST DANCERS AT LAUSANNE'S SWISS FAIR
  • Date: 10th September 1967
  • Summary: IVORY COAST STAND: MASKS AND CARVINGS: PRODUCE ON EXHIBIT: NATIVE DANCERS. Initials PW/VS/RM/JG Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 25th September 1967 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Reuters ID: LVABG14ON0GJDDG0M7POTC26WR79
  • Story Text: ONE OF THE MOST COLOURFUL SIGHTS AT THE SWISS FAIR NOW BEING HELD IN LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND, IS THE EXHIBITION STAND FROM THE IVORY COAST. BESIDES PROVIDING A TREASURE HOUSE OF TRADITIONAL CARVINGS AND OBJETS D'ART, IT DISPLAYS A NUMBER OF DANCE GROUPS AND THE RITUAL DANCES OF THE ANCIENT COUNTRY.

    THE IVORY COAST DANCERS COME FROM THE KORHOGO DISTRICT IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY AND ARE FROM THE SENOUFO TRIBE, ONE OF THE LARGEST GROUPS IN THE IVORY COAST.

    THEIR EXOTIC DANCES STEM FROM THE ANCIENT CIVILISATION OF THAT PART OF AFRICA AND REMAIN UNCHANGED AS THE MYSTERY AND THE MEANING OF THE DANCES HAVE BEEN HANDED DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.

    MOSTLY THE DANCES CELEBRATE THE TRADITIONAL LINKS BETWEEN THE SENDUGO PEOPLE AND THEIR AGRICULTURE. EACH RITUAL DANCE INVOKES THE SEASONS, THE RAINS, THE HARVEST AND THE OTHER IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF AN AGRICULTURAL PEOPLE.

    ALSO IN THE IVORY COAST DANCES' PROGRAMME ARE SOME OF THE SUMPTUOUS FUNERAL DANCES FOR WHICH THE SENOUFO ARE FAMOUS. FROM THESE ANCIENT FUNERAL RITES COME FROM THE FABULOUS CARVINGS AND MASKS, EXQUISITELY CARVED BY NATIVE CRAFTSMEN. MANY OF THESE ARE ON SHOW ON THE IVORY COAST STAND AT LAUSANNE.

    THESE AND OTHER EXAMPLES OF CRAFTSMANSHIP IN WOOD, IVORY AND MANY OTHER MATERIALS ARE DRAWING CROWDS OF PEOPLE TO THE STAND.

    THE IVORY COAST STAND IS ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL ATTRACTIONS OF THE SWISS FAIR THIS YEAR, FOR, TOGETHER WITH SPAIN, IVORY COAST IS A HOST NATION AT THE FAIR.

    THE SWISS FAIR, SHOWING A LARGE RANGE OF PRODUCTS FROM MANY COUNTRIES, OPENED YESTERDAY AND WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL SEPTEMBER 24.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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