Zaouli Dancers

History Zaouli is a traditional dance of the Guro people (who speak the Guro language) of central Ivory Coast. The Zaouli mask, used in the dance, was created in the 1950s, reportedly inspired by a girl named “Djela Lou Zaouli“ (meaning “Zaouli, daughter of Djela“). However, stories on the origins of the characteristic mask are varied, and each mask may have its own symbolic history. It was inscribed in 2017 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Each Guro village has a local Zaouli dancer (always male), performing during funerals and celebrations. The dance is believed to increase the productivity of the village that it is performed in and is seen as a tool of unity for the Guro community, and by extension the whole country. Music “Blood on the Dance Floor“ is a song by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson, released as the first single from the remix album Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mi