AHOLIA

the history

Hunter Aholia's history is drawn out a traditional Attie (ethnic group of southern Ivory Coast) story. The main character brave and curious decides to verify if the prohibition to go hunting the fifth day of the week, has a real reason to be respected. Disobeying to the law, he leaves the village on the forbidden day, traditionally reserved to the "Genies" (spirits of the forest) and their ceremonies.
At dusk, Aholia and his companions are surrounded and captured by the Genies that hold them imprisoned for many days. Finally only after having submitted them to hard tests, they release their bold prisoners. During the the captivity the Genies nourish them with the Igname and on his return to the village Aholia begins the inhabitants to the cultvation of the tuber, until then unknown.
The disobedience of Aholia, therefore, rather than to be punished it was rewarded and, till today the village celebrates every year the memory of his enterprise.

 

the authors

This story has been written by Louis Akin, director of "Ballet National de Cote d'Ivoire".
Giguywassa proposes a new version revisited by Alain Nahi and Faustin Dogbo leading character of the performance in its native version.

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