Baoulé Statue of Côte d'Ivoire. Old part of over 50 years.

The Baoulé constitute a people of Côte d'Ivoire living in the vast majority in the center of the country. They are around three million individuals and are part of the Akan group. In the 17th century they were guided by the members of the Royal Baoulé clan with the head of Queen Abla Pokou. The name Baoulé or `` ba or li '' means the child is dead. This sacrifice gave entitled to the crossing of the Comoé river when they were chased by the enemy.

Queen Abla Pokou will extend her hegemony to the center of the country and create states organized in eight clans Les Oualèbo, Nzikpli, Saafwè, Faafwè, Ahitou, Nanafwè, Agba and N'Gban.

The Baoulé universe is made up of three realities: first the firmament which is in the domain of God (Nyamian Annangaman) then the earthly world of living human, animal, plant and geniuses. And finally the beyond (Blôlô) Domain of supranatural beings where the soul of ancestors resides.

The Baoulé believe in a creative god (Nyamian), intangible and inaccessible. The God of the Earth (Assiè) controls men and animals. Spirits or Amuen have supernatural powers. The real world is the opposite of the spiritual world (Blôlô) where souls come from at birth and where they will return to their dead. The reign is based on the idea of death and the immortality of the soul. The Baoulé are traditionally animist and despite the introduction of new cults (Catholic, Protestant, Déïma and Muslim), the vast majority residence. The ancestors are the subject of a cult but are not represented. This brings us back to individual worship. Generally the geniuses of the earth or (Assiè Oussou) manifest the need to live with humans and even to marry (Blôlô Bian or Blôlô Bla). They are represented by statuettes and make crises of jealousy when their spouse abandons them. The Bonu Amuen (the spirits of the bush) protects the village from external threats, it imposes women on the discipline and appears to the commemorations of the deaths of the notables. The spirits of the bush have their own sanctuaries where they receive sacrifices. When they intervene in community life, they take the form of a wooden helm representing a buffalo or an antelope and are worn with raffia costumes, metal ankle bracelets; The muzzle has teeth that embody the strength of the fierce animal which must defend them. The Djè and Dô dances are called Amuen because of their power. They have a protection function against envious and criminals. These Amuen need to be reactivated by sacrifices to keep their powers. The Baoulé always fear the villages where individuals who love the Amuen.

The Baoulé are very mobility it facilitated the movement of cultures. They imported various types of dance during travel. Baoulé history is remarkable for the recent character of the constitution of ethnicity; Before 1730, the Baoulé as such did not exist; by the extremely heterogeneous character of the original background constituted by gouro, Sénoufo (Tagouana, Djimini, Djamala) and Akan (Alanguira and Assabou) to name only the most important groups; The Baoulé Culture Doors of the borrowing of gouro, malinké and Wan. This Malinké cultural influence on the Baoulé peoples manifests itself more directly in the north of the Baoulé region (Bandaman valley) in the department of Béoumi and Diabo. These sub-groups practice the young girl's initiation and excision ceremonies.

Djéla and Goli (sacred dance and the faith of rejoicing are widespread in the Bandaman Center region. They were borrowed from Gouro and Wan respectively. The origin of these dances is no doubt since they continue to be practiced in Gouro and Wan countries. The very characteristic round, `lunar" goli is surmounted by two horns. He was borrowed for a party by the Baoulé after 1900. Celebrating peace and joy, we sang, danced and drank palm wine. In the procession, the Goli preceded the four groups of dancers and represented young adolescents. The Goli `'came out" on the occasion of the new harvest, the visit of dignitaries or the funeral of notables. The masks correspond to three types of dances: the GBA GBA, the Bonu Amuen and the Goh. They never represent ancestors and are always worn by men. Of Gouro origin, the GBA GBA is employed at the funeral of women and during the harvest season. He celebrates beauty and age, hence the finesse of his features. The double mask represents the marriage of the sun and the moon or twins whose birth is always a good sign. The Adjanou is a sacred dance prohibited to the man who hunts malignant minds and conjures bad spells while protecting the community. The goldsmithery which is an Akan specialty has been taught at the Gouro de Sinfra (Les Goy or Baba) by the Baoulé. They speak Baoulé as the second language.

Crafts occupies a primordial place in social life; by the variety of its production and the destination of it. So we can talk about cleaning objects such as basketry (fans, baskets, etc.) pottery (canaries, plates, bowls etc.), mortar and pestle sculpture. The weaving of hunting, fishing nets and the sculpture of canoes, paddles and hoe sleeves are part of the Baoulé art with sacred objects such as masks and statuettes. The masks and statuettes of the Baoulés, aroused the enthusiasm of Westerners from their exhibition. They are considered one of the most completed successes of African art, which is why these sculptures always occupy a preponderant place in any exhibition or study dedicated to Africa. However, as important as their fame in the West, it has never been easy for anyone to see the representations of this art on the very places of its creation in the Baoulé villages.
The goldsmith ornaments (jewelry and ornaments) namely the weaving of the loincloths (Baouwlé Tanni) are Baoulé know-how. The weights to weigh gold, jewelry, gold decorated objects of all kinds have existed and exist in the Baoulé. These people have an admiration for gold which is a symbol of inheritance, opulence, power, and which must be avoided but deserve. The '' Baouwlé Tanni "are very popular for their quality and their patterns. The Baoulé Akouè and Ahitou of the regions of Yamoussoukro and Tiébissou are the best producers. If these works of art also sometimes serve the economy or politics, they mainly meet personal needs linked to the serenity of the mind or to physical health. They manage to integrate alongside natural persons, and this is an aspect that Baoulé healers use for their practice of psychological support, by helping to solve the problems by the medium of a privileged personal relationship with a sculpted figure. The Baoulé has undergone the cultural influence of gouro, senoufo, wan etc. They were allies to fight the common enemy who represented the white colonist. At the beginning of the 20th century, Baoulé society was characterized, according to Maurice Delafosse, by extreme individualism and great tolerance. Each village was independent of the others and decided for itself under the chairmanship of the council of the ancients. Everyone participated in palaver, including slaves. It was an egalitarian company.