Sacred mask that protects the Mandinka community in Senegal and Gambia. It accompanies young initiates in their transition to adulthood. This symbolic figure also provides protection against evil spirits. It embodies justice, tradition, and social continuity, preserving ancestral knowledge in initiation rites. The Kankuraŋ has been listed as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO since 2005.
Masque sacré qui protège la communauté mandingue du Sénégal et de la Gambie. Il accompagne les jeunes initié-e-s dans leur transition vers l’âge adulte. Cette figure symbolique assure également la protection contre les esprits maléfiques. Elle incarne à la fois la justice, la tradition, et la continuité sociale, préservant un savoir ancestral dans les rites d’initiation. Le Kankuraŋ est classé au patrimoine immatériel de l’humanité par l’Unesco depuis 2005.
A person whose role is to be a historian, storyteller, poet and musician. They ensure the transmission of culture and oral history by preserving the m...
Originellement issu du Fɔ̀ngbè, le terme désigne un autel portatif fait de métal principalement, et réalisé pour commémorer un-e défunt-e qui, de son ...
Bracelet whose name means “metal of the Tchamba,” the tchambaga symbolizes the iron shackles of enslaved people and is used to contact ancestors, as w...
Protective amulet common in Togo and other parts of West Africa in various forms. The term gris-gris is apparently more widespread for protective amul...
Tea prepared on the ground in a teapot and served in cups. This way of making tea has its roots in the Arab world.
Traditional Senegalese dish with fish, rice, and vegetables. In 2021, the dish was classed by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage.
Porridge made with 'Sunguf' cereal flour, such as millet. The term Sunguf is also used to refer to any kind of flour.
Animist people from the Kédougou region (South-East Senegal). Their religion is subject to stereotypes, as is the case for other religions, such as Vo...
Square cap worn by men and women alike. This word, of North African origin, is rejected by certain Senegalese socio-cultural groups, who use Mbakhana*...
Conical straw hat often used by Fulani people when accompanying their herds.