Altar statue of Baoulé ancestors from Ivory Coast. Old piece over 50 years old.

The Baoulé are a people of Côte d'Ivoire living mostly in the center of the country. There are approximately three million individuals and are part of the Akan group. In the 17th century they were guided by members of the royal Baoulé clan headed by Queen Abla Pokou. The name Baoulé or ''ba ou li'' means the child is dead. This sacrifice gave them the right to cross the Comoé River while they were being pursued by the enemy.

Queen Abla Pokou will extend her hegemony over the center of the country and create city-states organized into eight clans: Oualèbo, Nzikpli, Saafwè, Faafwè, Ahitou, Nanafwè, Agba and N'gban.

The Baoulé universe is made up of three realities: first the firmament which is the domain of God (Annangaman Nyamien) then the terrestrial world domain of human, animal, plant and genius living beings. And finally the afterlife (blôlô), domain of supernatural beings where the souls of the ancestors reside.

The Baoulé believe in a creator god (Nyamien), intangible and inaccessible. The god of the earth (Asiè) controls men and animals. The spirits or Amuen are endowed with supernatural powers. The real world is the opposite of the spiritual world (blôlô) from which souls come at birth and where they will return when they die. The religion is based on the idea of ​​death and the immortality of the soul. The Baoulé are traditionally animists and despite the introduction of new religions (Catholic, Protestant, Déïma and Muslim), the vast majority remain so. The ancestors are the object of worship but are not represented. This brings us back to individual worship. Generally the earth spirits 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 have fits of jealousy when their partner abandons them. The Bonu Amuen (the spirits of the bush) protect the village from external threats, he imposes discipline on women and appears at commemorations of the deaths of notables. Bush spirits have their own shrines where they receive sacrifices. When they intervene in community life, they take the form of a wooden helmet representing a buffalo or an antelope and are worn with raffia costumes and metal ankle bracelets; the snout has teeth which embody the strength of the ferocious animal which must defend them. The Djè and Dô dances are named Amuen because of their power. They have a function of protection against envious people and evildoers. These Amuen need to be reactivated through sacrifices to maintain their powers. The Baoulé always fear the villages where individuals who are fond of the Amuen.

The Baoulé are very mobile, which facilitated the movement of crops. They imported various types of dance during their travels. Baoulé history is remarkable for the recent nature of the constitution of the ethnic group; before 1730, the Baoulé as such did not exist; by the extremely heterogeneous nature of the original background made up of Gouro, Sénoufo (Tagouana, Djimini, Djamala) and Akan (Alanguira and Assabou) to name only the most important groups; Baoulé culture bears the influence of the 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 departments of Béoumi and Diabo. These subgroups practice initiation and excision ceremonies for young girls.

The Djéla and the Goli (sacred dance and faith of rejoicing are widespread in the central Bandaman region. They were borrowed from the Gouro and the Wan respectively. The origin of these dances is beyond doubt since they continue to be practiced in Gouro and Wan countries. The very characteristic round, 'lunar' shaped Goli is topped with two horns. It was borrowed for a party by the Baoulé after 1900. Celebrating peace and joy, people sang, danced and drank palm wine. In the procession, the Goli preceded the four groups of dancers and represented the young adolescents. The Goli ''came out'' on the occasion of the new harvest, the visit of dignitaries or the funerals of notables. The masks correspond to three types of dances: gba gba, bonus Amuen and goh. They never represent ancestors and are always worn by men. Of Gouro origin, the gba gba is used at women's funerals and during the harvest season. It celebrates beauty and age, hence the finesse of its features. The double mask represents the marriage of the sun and the moon or the twins whose birth is always a good sign. Adjanou is a sacred dance forbidden to men which chases away evil spirits and wards off bad spells while protecting the community. Goldsmithing, which is an Akan specialty, was taught to the Gouro de Sinfra (the Goy or baba) by the Baoulé. They speak Baoulé as a second language.

Crafts occupy a primordial place in social life; by the variety of its production and its destination. So we can talk about common household objects such as basketry (fan baskets, baskets, etc.), pottery (canaries, plates, bowls, etc.), mortar and pestle sculpture. The weaving of hunting and fishing nets and the sculpture of canoes, paddles and hoe handles are part of Baoulé art with sacred objects such as masks and statuettes. The masks and statuettes of the Baoulés have aroused the enthusiasm of Westerners since their exhibition. They are considered one of the most accomplished successes of African art, which is why these sculptures always occupy a prominent place in any exhibition or study devoted to Africa. However, as important as their reputation is in the West, it has never been easy for anyone to see the representations of this art in the very places of its creation in the Baoulé villages.
Goldwork ornaments (jewelry and ornaments) namely the weaving of loincloths (baouwlé tanni) are Baoulé know-how. Weights for weighing gold, jewelry, objects decorated with gold of all kinds existed and exist among the Baoulé. These people have an admiration for gold which is a symbol of heritage, opulence, power, and which must be avoided but earned. The “baouwlé Tanni” are very popular for their quality and their patterns. The Baoulé Akouè and Ahitou of the Yamoussoukro and Tiébissou regions are the best producers. If these works of art also sometimes serve the economy or politics, they above all satisfy personal needs linked to serenity of mind or physical health. They come to integrate alongside physical people, and this is an aspect that Baoulé healers use for their practice of psychological support, helping to resolve problems through the medium of a privileged personal relationship with a sculpted figure. The Baoulé have suffered the cultural influence of the Gouro, Senoufo, Wan etc. they were allies to fight the common enemy which represented the white settler. 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 presidency of the council of elders. Everyone participated in the palaver, including the slaves. It was an egalitarian society.