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116-463: [REDACTED] Look up ivorian in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Ivorian may refer to: Country [ edit ] Something of, from, or related to the country of Ivory Coast A person from Ivory Coast, or of Ivorian descent (see Demographics of Ivory Coast and List of Ivorians ) Other [ edit ] In stratigraphy ,

232-479: A caravan trade across the Sahara in salt, slaves, gold, and other goods. The southern termini of the trans-Saharan trade routes were located on the edge of the desert, and from there supplemental trade extended as far south as the edge of the rainforest. The most important terminals— Djenné , Gao , and Timbuctu —grew into major commercial centres around which the great Sudanic empires developed. By controlling

348-591: A religiously diverse population, including numerous followers of Islam , Christianity , and traditional faiths often entailing animism . Before its colonization, Ivory Coast was home to several states, including Gyaaman , the Kong Empire , and Baoulé . The area became a protectorate of France in 1843 and was consolidated as a French colony in 1893 amid the Scramble for Africa . It achieved independence in 1960, led by Félix Houphouët-Boigny , who ruled

464-599: A syncretic way. Some sacred or holy locations for traditional religions include but not limited to Nri-Igbo , the Point of Sangomar , Yaboyabo , Fatick , Ife , Oyo , Dahomey , Benin City , Ouidah , Nsukka , Kanem-Bornu , Igbo-Ukwu , and Tulwap Kipsigis, among others. Traditional African religions have interacted with other major world religions in various ways, ranging from syncretism and coexistence to conflict and competition. These interactions have significantly shaped

580-565: A "Zone of Confidence", relations between Gbagbo and the opposition continued to deteriorate. Early in November 2004, after the peace agreement had effectively collapsed because the rebels refused to disarm, Gbagbo ordered airstrikes against the rebels. During one of these airstrikes in Bouaké, on 6 November 2004, French soldiers were hit, and nine were killed; the Ivorian government said it was

696-445: A "government of national unity". Curfews were lifted, and French troops patrolled the country's western border. The unity government was unstable, and central problems remained with neither side achieving its goals. In March 2004, 120 people were killed at an opposition rally, and subsequent mob violence led to the evacuation of foreign nationals. A report concluded the killings were planned. Though UN peacekeepers were deployed to maintain

812-472: A commission to establish the country's first solar plant in Boundiali , with an installation of 37.5 MW, backed by a 10-MW lithium battery energy storage system . On 6 October 2023, Ouattara dissolved the government and removed Prime Minister Patrick Achi from his position. The government is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The Parliament of Ivory Coast , consists of

928-432: A cultural identity that is passed on through stories, myths and tales, from one generation to the next. The community, one’s family, and the environment, play an important role in one's personal life. Followers believe in the guidance of their ancestors spirits. Among many traditional African religions, there are spiritual leaders and kinds of priests . These individuals are essential in the spiritual and religious survival of

1044-452: A culturally educated initiate or diviner, can provide insight into appropriate directions which the community (or individual) might take in accomplishing its goal. Followers of traditional African religions pray to various spirits as well as to their ancestors . This includes also nature, elementary, and animal spirits. The difference between powerful spirits and gods is often minimal. Most African societies believe in several “high gods” and

1160-412: A deep synergy between traditional African religions and Islamic mysticism. In contemporary Africa, many people identify with both traditional African religions and either Christianity or Islam, practicing elements of both in a form of religious duality. This syncretism is evident in rituals, festivals, and the spiritual lives of individuals who draw on the strengths of both their indigenous traditions and

1276-721: A highly centralised political and administrative structure under three successive rulers. It finally split into smaller chiefdoms. Despite the breakup of their kingdom, the Baoulé strongly resisted French subjugation. The descendants of the rulers of the Agni kingdoms tried to retain their separate identity long after Ivory Coast's independence; as late as 1969, the Sanwi attempted to break away from Ivory Coast and form an independent kingdom. Compared to neighbouring Ghana, Ivory Coast, though practising slavery and slave raiding, suffered little from

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1392-453: A large amount of lower gods and spirits. There are also some religions with a single supreme being ( Chukwu , Nyame , Olodumare , Ngai , Roog , etc.). Some recognize a dual god and goddess such as Mawu-Lisa . Traditional African religions generally believe in an afterlife , one or more Spirit worlds . Ancestor worship is an important basic concept in nearly all African religions. Some African religions adopted different views through

1508-470: A local drought sent shock waves through the Ivorian economy. The overcutting of timber and collapsing sugar prices caused the country's external debt to increase three-fold. Crime rose dramatically in Abidjan as an influx of villagers exacerbated unemployment caused by the recession. In 1990, hundreds of civil servants went on strike, joined by students protesting institutional corruption . The unrest forced

1624-575: A minister, the first African to become a minister in a European government. A turning point in relations with France was reached with the 1956 Overseas Reform Act ( Loi Cadre ), which transferred several powers from Paris to elected territorial governments in French West Africa and also removed the remaining voting inequities. On 4 December 1958, Ivory Coast became an autonomous member of the French Community, which had replaced

1740-521: A mistake, but the French claimed it was deliberate. They responded by destroying most Ivorian military aircraft (two Su-25 planes and five helicopters), and violent retaliatory riots against the French broke out in Abidjan. Gbagbo's original term as president expired on 30 October 2005, but a peaceful election was deemed impossible, so his term in office was extended for a maximum of one year, according to

1856-569: A plan worked out by the African Union and endorsed by the United Nations Security Council . With the late-October deadline approaching in 2006, the election was regarded as very unlikely to be held by that point, and the opposition and the rebels rejected the possibility of another term extension for Gbagbo. The UN Security Council endorsed another one-year extension of Gbagbo's term on 1 November 2006; however,

1972-493: A regular basis. There are generally no prohibitions against the practice. Diviners (also known as priests) are sought for their wisdom as counselors in life and for their knowledge of herbal medicine. Ubuntu is an Nguni Bantu term meaning "humanity". It is part of a concept sometimes translated as "I am because we are" (also "I am because you are"), or "humanity towards others" (in Zulu , umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu ) . In Xhosa ,

2088-451: A small number of Westernized Ivorians were granted the right to apply for French citizenship. Most Ivorians, however, were classified as French subjects and were governed under the principle of association. As subjects of France, natives outside the civilized elite had no political rights. They were drafted for work in mines, on plantations, as porters, and on public projects as part of their tax responsibility. They were expected to serve in

2204-483: A spiritual connection with their living relatives. Most ancestral spirits are generally good and kind. Negative actions taken by ancestral spirits are to cause minor illnesses to warn people that they have gotten onto the wrong path. Native African religions are centered on ancestor worship , the belief in a spirit world , supernatural beings and free will (unlike the later developed concept of faith ). Deceased humans (and animals or important objects) still exist in

2320-433: A supreme creator god next to other gods and spirits, others follow a purely polytheistic system with various gods, spirits and other supernatural beings . Traditional African religions also have elements of totemism , shamanism and veneration of relics . Traditional African religion, like most other ancient traditions around the world, were based on oral traditions . These traditions are not religious principles, but

2436-543: A type of cotton fabric also traded there; and the Côte du Vent , the Windward Coast, after perennial local off-shore weather conditions. In the 19th century, usage switched to Côte d'Ivoire . The coastline of the modern state is not quite coterminous with what the 15th- and 16th-century merchants knew as the "Teeth" or "Ivory" coast, which was considered to stretch from Cape Palmas to Cape Three Points and which

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2552-510: A year-long U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation charged with procuring and illegal export of weapons and munitions: 4,000 handguns, 200,000 rounds of ammunition, and 50,000 tear-gas grenades, in violation of a UN embargo. Several other Ivory Coast officers were released because they had diplomatic passports. His accomplice, Michael Barry Shor, an international trader, was located in Virginia. The 2010 presidential election led to

2668-442: Is a large continent with many ethnic groups and cultures, there is not one single technique of casting divination. The practice of casting may be done with small objects, such as bones, cowrie shells, stones, strips of leather, or flat pieces of wood. Some castings are done using sacred divination plates made of wood or performed on the ground (often within a circle). In traditional African societies, many people seek out diviners on

2784-515: Is a republic with strong executive power vested in its president . Through the production of coffee and cocoa , it was an economic powerhouse in West Africa during the 1960s and 1970s, then experienced an economic crisis in the 1980s, contributing to a period of political and social turmoil that extended until 2011. Ivory Coast has experienced again high economic growth since the return of peace and political stability in 2011. From 2012 to 2023,

2900-491: Is associated with obedience or disobedience to God regarding the way a person or a community lives. For the Kikuyu , according to their primary supreme creator , Ngai , acting through the lesser deities is believed to speak to and be capable of guiding the virtuous person as one's conscience. In many cases, Africans who have converted to other religions have still kept up their traditional customs and practices, combining them in

3016-496: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Language and nationality disambiguation pages Ivory Coast Ivory Coast , also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire , is a country on the southern coast of West Africa . Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre

3132-469: Is largely because cosmology and beliefs are intricately intertwined with the natural phenomena and environment. All aspects of weather, thunder, lightning, rain, day, moon, sun, stars, and so on may become amenable to control through the cosmology of African people. Natural phenomena are responsible for providing people with their daily needs. For example, in the Serer religion , one of the most sacred stars in

3248-438: Is part of a larger and more significant relational, communal, societal, environmental and spiritual world. Virtue in traditional African religion is often connected with carrying out communal obligations. Examples include social behaviors such as the respect for parents and elders, raising children appropriately, providing hospitality, and being honest, trustworthy, and courageous. In some traditional African religions, morality

3364-775: Is the port city of Abidjan . It borders Guinea to the northwest , Liberia to the west , Mali to the northwest , Burkina Faso to the northeast , Ghana to the east , and the Atlantic Ocean 's Gulf of Guinea to the south. With 30.9 million inhabitants in 2023, Ivory Coast is the third-most populous country in West Africa . Its official language is French , and indigenous languages are also widely used, including Bété , Baoulé , Dyula , Dan , Anyin , and Cebaara Senufo . In total, there are around 78 different languages spoken in Ivory Coast . The country has

3480-540: Is thus now divided between the modern states of Ghana and Ivory Coast (with a minute portion of Liberia). It retained the name through French rule and independence in 1960. The name had long since been translated literally into other languages, which the post-independence government considered increasingly troublesome whenever its international dealings extended beyond the Francophone sphere. Therefore, in April 1986,

3596-704: Is witnessed and understood, adherents are privy to a way of contemplating the pure or symbolic embodiment of a particular mindset or frame of reference. This builds skills at separating the feelings elicited by this mindset from their situational manifestations in daily life. Such separation and subsequent contemplation of the nature and sources of pure energy or feelings serves to help participants manage and accept them when they arise in mundane contexts. This facilitates better control and transformation of these energies into positive, culturally appropriate behavior, thought, and speech. Also, this practice can give rise to those in these trances uttering words which, when interpreted by

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3712-492: The 2010–2011 Ivorian crisis and the Second Ivorian Civil War. International organizations reported numerous human-rights violations by both sides. In Duékoué , hundreds of people were killed. In nearby Bloléquin , dozens were killed. UN and French forces took military action against Gbagbo. Gbagbo was taken into custody after a raid into his residence on 11 April 2011. The country was severely damaged by

3828-572: The Constitutional Council , charging massive fraud in the northern departments controlled by the rebels of the New Forces. These charges were contradicted by United Nations observers (unlike African Union observers). The report of the results led to severe tension and violent incidents. The Constitutional Council, which consisted of Gbagbo supporters, declared the results of seven northern departments unlawful and that Gbagbo had won

3944-575: The Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Republic of the Congo , Rwanda , Burundi , Zambia , and Malawi . The people in these countries who follow traditional religious practices often venerate ancestors through rituals and worship the land or a " divinity " through "regional cults " or " shrine cults", respectively. Jacob Olupona , Nigerian American professor of indigenous African religions at Harvard University , summarized

4060-516: The Dinka people largely rejected or ignored Islamic and Christian teachings. Bandama and Babalola (2023) states: The view of science as "embedded practice," intimately connected with ritual, for example, is considered "ascientific," "pseudo-science," or "magic" in Western perspective. In Africa, there is a strong connection between the physical and the terrestrial worlds. The deities and gods are

4176-579: The French Union . By 1960, the country was easily French West Africa's most prosperous, contributing over 40% of the region's total exports. When Houphouët-Boigny became the first president, his government gave farmers good prices for their products to further stimulate production, which was further boosted by a significant immigration of workers from surrounding countries. Coffee production increased significantly, catapulting Ivory Coast into third place in world output, behind Brazil and Colombia. By 1979,

4292-641: The Senegal and the Niger . Concerted French exploration of West Africa began in the mid-19th century but moved slowly, based more on individual initiative than on government policy. In the 1840s, the French concluded a series of treaties with local West African chiefs that enabled the French to build fortified posts along the Gulf of Guinea to serve as permanent trading centres. The first posts in Ivory Coast included one at Assinie and another at Grand-Bassam, which became

4408-485: The United States , Voodoo is more predominant in the states along the Gulf of Mexico. Highly complex animistic beliefs build the core concept of traditional African religions. This includes the worship of tutelary deities , nature worship , ancestor worship and the belief in an afterlife , comparable to other traditional religions around the world. While some religions have a pantheistic worldview with

4524-579: The slave trade . European slave and merchant ships preferred other areas along the coast. The earliest recorded European voyage to West Africa was made by the Portuguese in 1482. The first West African French settlement, Saint-Louis , was founded in the mid-17th century in Senegal, while at about the same time, the Dutch ceded to the French a settlement at Gorée Island , off Dakar . A French mission

4640-627: The French named the Côte d'Ivoire and the Portuguese named the Costa do Marfim —both meaning "Coast of Ivory"—lay between what was known as the Guiné de Cabo Verde , so-called "Upper Guinea" at Cap-Vert , and Lower Guinea. There was also a Pepper Coast , also known as the "Grain Coast" (present-day Liberia ), a " Gold Coast " ( Ghana ), and a " Slave Coast " ( Togo , Benin and Nigeria ). Like those,

4756-399: The French were helping either side was not established as a fact, but each side accused the French of supporting the opposite side. Whether French actions improved or worsened the situation in the long term is disputed. What exactly happened that night is also disputed. The government claimed that former president Robert Guéï led a coup attempt, and state TV showed pictures of his dead body in

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4872-698: The Ivorian substage is the upper part of the Tournaisian stage, itself part of the Lower Carboniferous Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Ivorian . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ivorian&oldid=1243940137 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Demonyms Hidden categories: Short description

4988-553: The ancestors became equal in power to deities. The defining line between deities and ancestors is often contested, but overall, ancestors are believed to occupy a higher level of existence than living human beings and are believed to be able to bestow either blessings or illness upon their living descendants. Ancestors can offer advice and bestow good fortune and honor to their living descendants, but they can also make demands, such as insisting that their shrines be properly maintained and propitiated. A belief in ancestors also testifies to

5104-582: The assimilation doctrine was implemented through the postwar reforms, though, Ivorian leaders realized that even assimilation implied the superiority of the French over the Ivorians and that discrimination and inequality would end only with independence. Félix Houphouët-Boigny , the son of a Baoulé chief , became Ivory Coast's father of independence. In 1944, he formed the country's first agricultural trade union for African cocoa farmers like himself. Angered that colonial policy favoured French plantation owners,

5220-693: The assumed superiority of French culture, in practice the assimilation policy meant the extension of the French language, institutions, laws, and customs to the colonies. The policy of association also affirmed the superiority of the French in the colonies, but it entailed different institutions and systems of laws for the colonizer and the colonized. Under this policy, the Africans in Ivory Coast were allowed to preserve their own customs insofar as they were compatible with French interests. An indigenous elite trained in French administrative practice formed an intermediary group between French and Africans. After 1930,

5336-416: The belief in spirits and ancestors is the most important element of African religions. Gods were either self-created or evolved from spirits or ancestors which got worshiped by the people. He also notes that most modern African folk religions were strongly influenced by non-African religions, mostly Christianity and Islam and thus may differ from the ancient forms. Traditional African religions generally hold

5452-459: The beliefs of life after death (a spirit world or realms, in which spirits, but also gods reside), with some also having a concept of reincarnation, in which deceased humans may reincarnate into their family lineage (blood lineage), if they want to, or have something to do. There are often similarities between traditional African religions located in the same subregion . Central Africa , for instance, has similar religious traditions in countries of

5568-462: The care of resident merchants. The trading post at Grand-Bassam was left in the care of a shipper from Marseille , Arthur Verdier , who in 1878 was named Resident of the Establishment of Ivory Coast. In 1886, to support its claims of effective occupation, France again assumed direct control of its West African coastal trading posts and embarked on an accelerated program of exploration in

5684-672: The coast. Ivory Coast stood out as the only West African country with a sizeable population of European settlers; elsewhere in West and Central Africa, Europeans who emigrated to the colonies were largely bureaucrats. As a result, French citizens owned one-third of the cocoa, coffee, and banana plantations and adopted the local forced-labour system. Throughout the early years of French rule, French military contingents were sent inland to establish new posts. The African population resisted French penetration and settlement, even in areas where treaties of protection had been in force. Among those offering

5800-474: The colonial control of the French. Until 1958, governors appointed in Paris administered the colony of Ivory Coast, using a system of direct, centralized administration that left little room for Ivorian participation in policy-making. The French colonial administration also adopted divide-and-rule policies, applying ideas of assimilation only to the educated elite. The French were also interested in ensuring that

5916-408: The colony's first capital. The treaties provided for French sovereignty within the posts and for trading privileges in exchange for fees or coutumes paid annually to the local chiefs for the use of the land. The arrangement was not entirely satisfactory to the French, because trade was limited and misunderstandings over treaty obligations often arose. Nevertheless, the French government maintained

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6032-483: The community. There are mystics that are responsible for healing and 'divining' - a kind of fortune telling and counseling, similar to shamans . These traditional healers have to be called by ancestors or gods. They undergo strict training and learn many necessary skills, including how to use natural herbs for healing and other, more mystical skills, like the finding of a hidden object without knowing where it is. Traditional African religions believe that ancestors maintain

6148-608: The conflict. The United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution recognising Ouattara as the winner of the elections, based on the position of the Economic Community of West African States , which suspended Ivory Coast from all its decision-making bodies while the African Union also suspended the country's membership. In 2010, a colonel of Ivory Coast armed forces, Nguessan Yao, was arrested in New York in

6264-675: The contributions of ancient Africa to the global history of science and technology . This list is limited to a few well-known traditions. Afro-American religions involve ancestor worship and include a creator deity along with a pantheon of divine spirits such as the Orisha , Loa , Vodun , Nkisi and Alusi , among others. In addition to the religious syncretism of these various African traditions, many also incorporate elements of Folk Catholicism including folk saints and other forms of folk religion , Native American religion , Spiritism , Spiritualism , Shamanism (sometimes including

6380-660: The cosmos is called Yoonir ( the Star of Sirius ). With a long farming tradition, the Serer high priests and priestesses ( Saltigue ) deliver yearly sermons at the Xooy Ceremony (divination ceremony) in Fatick before Yoonir's phase in order to predict winter months and enable farmers to start planting. Traditional healers are common in most areas, and their practices include a religious element to varying degrees. Since Africa

6496-415: The country until 1993. Relatively stable by regional standards, Ivory Coast established close political-economic ties with its West African neighbours while maintaining close relations with the West , especially France . Its stability was diminished by a coup d'état in 1999 and two civil wars—first between 2002 and 2007 and again during 2010–2011 . It adopted a new constitution in 2016. Ivory Coast

6612-502: The country was the world's leading producer of cocoa. It also became Africa's leading exporter of pineapples and palm oil. French technicians contributed to the "Ivorian miracle". In other African nations, the people drove out the Europeans following independence, but in Ivory Coast, they poured in. The French community grew from only 30,000 before independence to 60,000 in 1980, most of them teachers, managers, and advisors. For 20 years,

6728-549: The country's humid climate. However, newly found weapon and tool fragments (specifically, polished axes cut through shale and remnants of cooking and fishing) have been interpreted as a possible indication of a large human presence during the Upper Paleolithic period (15,000 to 10,000 BC), or at the minimum, the Neolithic period. The earliest known inhabitants of Ivory Coast have left traces scattered throughout

6844-513: The creator) were present within Africa, before the introduction of Abrahamic religions. These indigenous concepts were different from the monotheism found in Abrahamic religions. Traditional African medicine is also directly linked to traditional African religions. According to Clemmont E. Vontress, the various religious traditions of Africa are united by a basic Animism . According to him,

6960-510: The early part of the 14th century. The territory of the Mali Empire in Ivory Coast was limited to the northwest corner around Odienné . Its slow decline starting at the end of the 14th century followed internal discord and revolts by vassal states, one of which, Songhai , flourished as an empire between the 14th and 16th centuries. Songhai was also weakened by internal discord, which led to factional warfare. This discord spurred most of

7076-422: The eastern and western boundaries of the colony, but the northern boundary was not fixed until 1947 because of efforts by the French government to attach parts of Upper Volta (present-day Burkina Faso ) and French Sudan (present-day Mali) to Ivory Coast for economic and administrative reasons. France's main goal was to stimulate the production of exports. Coffee, cocoa, and palm oil crops were soon planted along

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7192-407: The economy grew by an average of 7.1% per year in real terms , the second-fastest rate of economic growth in Africa and fourth-fastest rate in the world. In 2023, Ivory Coast had the second-highest GDP per capita in West Africa, behind Cape Verde . Despite this, as of the most recent survey in 2016, 46.1% of the population continues to be affected by multidimensional poverty . In 2020, Ivory Coast

7308-514: The economy maintained an annual growth rate of nearly 10%—the highest of Africa's non-oil-exporting countries. Houphouët-Boigny's one-party rule was not amenable to political competition. Laurent Gbagbo , who would become the president of Ivory Coast in 2000, had to flee the country in the 1980s after he incurred the ire of Houphouët-Boigny by founding the Front Populaire Ivoirien . Houphouët-Boigny banked on his broad appeal to

7424-595: The elections with 51% of the vote – instead of Ouattara winning with 54%, as reported by the Electoral Commission. After the inauguration of Gbagbo, Ouattara—who was recognized as the winner by most countries and the United Nations—organized an alternative inauguration. These events raised fears of a resurgence of the civil war; thousands of refugees fled the country. The African Union sent Thabo Mbeki , former president of South Africa, to mediate

7540-454: The emissaries of the supreme God and the patrons in charge of the workability of the processes involved. In the Ile-Ife pantheon , for example, Olokun  – the goddess of wealth – is considered the patron of the glass industry and is therefore consulted. Sacrifices are offered to appease her for a successful run. The same is true for ironworking . Current scholarship has reinforced

7656-531: The end of the 1880s, France had established control over the coastal regions, and in 1889 Britain recognized French sovereignty in the area. That same year, France named Treich-Laplène the titular governor of the territory. In 1893, Ivory Coast became a French colony, with its capital in Grand-Bassam, and Captain Binger was appointed governor. Agreements with Liberia in 1892 and with Britain in 1893 determined

7772-403: The end of the civil war, water and sanitation infrastructure had been greatly damaged. Communities across the country required repairs to their water supply. The presidential elections that should have been organized in 2005 were postponed until November 2010. The preliminary results showed a loss for Gbagbo in favour of former Prime Minister Ouattara. The ruling FPI contested the results before

7888-418: The enduring influence of traditional African religions. Islam's spread across North and West Africa also had a significant impact on traditional African religions. Traditional African religions and Islam have coexisted for centuries, often blending elements of Islamic belief with traditional practices. In regions like Senegal and Mali, Sufi Islam often integrates aspects of local spiritual practices, reflecting

8004-465: The following decades. Similarly, Bedié excluded many potential opponents from the army. In late 1999, a group of dissatisfied officers staged a military coup , putting General Robert Guéï in power. Bedié fled into exile in France. The new leadership reduced crime and corruption, and the generals pressed for austerity and campaigned in the streets for a less wasteful society. A presidential election

8120-410: The gods or spirits is sought by the believer also through consultation of divinities or divination . Traditional African religions embrace natural phenomena – ebb and tide, waxing and waning moon, rain and drought – and the rhythmic pattern of agriculture. According to Gottlieb and Mbiti: The environment and nature are infused in every aspect of traditional African religions and culture. This

8236-713: The government declared that Côte d'Ivoire (or, more fully, République de Côte d'Ivoire ) would be its formal name for the purposes of diplomatic protocol and has since officially refused to recognize any translations from French to other languages in its international dealings. Despite the Ivorian government's request, the English translation "Ivory Coast" (often " the Ivory Coast") is still frequently used in English by various media outlets and publications. The first human presence in Ivory Coast has been difficult to determine because human remains have not been well preserved in

8352-418: The government forces had secured Abidjan. They had lost control of the north of the country, and rebel forces made their stronghold in the northern city of Bouaké . The rebels threatened to move on to Abidjan again, and France deployed troops from its base in the country to stop their advance. The French said they were protecting their citizens from danger, but their deployment also helped government forces. That

8468-518: The government to support multi-party democracy. Houphouët-Boigny became increasingly feeble and died in 1993. He favoured Henri Konan Bédié as his successor. In October 1995, Bédié overwhelmingly won re-election against a fragmented and disorganised opposition. He tightened his hold over political life, jailing several hundred opposition supporters. In contrast, the economic outlook improved, at least superficially, with decreasing inflation and an attempt to remove foreign debt. Unlike Houphouët-Boigny, who

8584-569: The greatest resistance was Samori Ture , who in the 1880s and 1890s was establishing the Wassoulou Empire , which extended over large parts of present-day Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ivory Coast. Ture's large, well-equipped army, which could manufacture and repair its own firearms, attracted strong support throughout the region. The French responded to Ture's expansion and conquest with military pressure. French campaigns against Ture, which were met with fierce resistance, intensified in

8700-432: The inclusive nature of traditional African spirituality by positing that deceased progenitors still play a role in the lives of their living descendants. Olupona rejects the western/Islamic definition of monotheism and says that such concepts could not reflect the complex African traditions and are too simplistic. While some traditions have a supreme being (next to other deities), others have not. Monotheism does not reflect

8816-583: The indirectly elected Senate and the National Assembly which has 255 members, elected for five-year terms. Traditional African religions Adherents of traditional religions in Africa are distributed among 43 countries and are estimated to number over 100 million. Christianity and Islam , having largely displaced indigenous African religions, are often adapted to African cultural contexts and belief systems. African people often combine

8932-470: The influence of Islam or even Hinduism. There are more similarities than differences between all traditional African religions, although Jacob Olupona has written that it is difficult to truly generalize them because of the sheer amount of differences and variations between the traditions. The deities and spirits are honored through libation or sacrifice of animals , vegetables, cooked food, flowers, semi-precious stones, or precious metals. The will of

9048-504: The interior. In 1887, Lieutenant Louis-Gustave Binger began a two-year journey that traversed parts of Ivory Coast's interior. By the end of the journey, he had concluded four treaties establishing French protectorates in Ivory Coast. Also in 1887, Verdier's agent, Marcel Treich-Laplène , negotiated five additional agreements that extended French influence from the headwaters of the Niger River Basin through Ivory Coast. By

9164-466: The kings of the Grand-Bassam and Assinie regions, making their territories a French protectorate. French explorers, missionaries, trading companies, and soldiers gradually extended the area under French control inland from the lagoon region. Pacification was not accomplished until 1915. Activity along the coast stimulated European interest in the interior, especially along the two great rivers,

9280-441: The latter term is used, but is often meant in a more philosophical sense to mean "the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity". It is a collection of values and practices that people of Africa or of African origin view as making people authentic human beings. While the nuances of these values and practices vary across different ethnic groups, they all point to one thing – an authentic individual human being

9396-619: The many traditional African religions as complex animistic religious traditions and beliefs of the African people before the Christian and Islamic "colonization" of Africa. Ancestor veneration has always played a "significant" part in the traditional African cultures and may be considered as central to the African worldview. Ancestors (ancestral ghosts/spirits) are an integral part of reality. The ancestors are generally believed to reside in an ancestral realm (spiritworld), while some believe that

9512-507: The market city of Begho . Bondoukou developed into a major centre of commerce and Islam. The kingdom's Quranic scholars attracted students from all parts of West Africa. In the mid-17th century in east-central Ivory Coast, other Akan groups fleeing the Asante established a Baoulé kingdom at Sakasso and two Agni kingdoms, Indénié and Sanwi . The Baoulé, like the Ashanti, developed

9628-425: The mid-1890s until he was captured in 1898 and his empire dissolved. France's imposition of a head tax in 1900 to support the colony's public works program provoked protests. Many Ivorians saw the tax as a violation of the protectorate treaties because they felt that France was demanding the equivalent of a coutume from the local kings, rather than the reverse. Many, especially in the interior, also considered

9744-450: The migrations southward toward the forest belt. The dense rainforest covering the southern half of the country created barriers to the large-scale political organizations that had arisen in the north. Inhabitants lived in villages or clusters of villages; their contacts with the outside world were filtered through long-distance traders. Villagers subsisted on agriculture and hunting. Five important states flourished in Ivory Coast during

9860-617: The military and were subject to the indigénat , a separate system of law. During World War II, the Vichy regime remained in control until 1943, when members of General Charles de Gaulle 's provisional government assumed control of all French West Africa. The Brazzaville Conference of 1944, the first Constituent Assembly of the Fourth Republic in 1946, and France's gratitude for African loyalty during World War II, led to far-reaching governmental reforms in 1946. French citizenship

9976-441: The multiplicity of ways that the traditional African spirituality has conceived of deities, gods, and spirit beings. He summarizes that traditional African religions are not only religions, but a worldview, a way of life. West and Central African religious practices generally manifest themselves in communal ceremonies or divinatory rites in which members of the community, overcome by force (or ashe , nyama , etc.), are excited to

10092-505: The name "Ivory Coast" reflected the major trade that occurred on that particular stretch of the coast: the export of ivory . Other names for the area included the Côte de Dents , literally "Coast of Teeth", again reflecting the ivory trade; the Côte de Quaqua , after the people whom the Dutch named the Quaqua (alternatively Kwa Kwa); the Coast of the Five and Six Stripes, after

10208-819: The newer religions. However, tensions have arisen, particularly where aggressive proselytism by Christian or Islamic groups has sought to replace traditional African religions entirely. These tensions have sometimes led to the marginalization of traditional African religions, though it continues to play a vital role in the cultural and spiritual life of many African communities. Traditional African religions have faced persecution from Christians and Muslims. Adherents of these religions have been forcefully converted to Islam and Christianity , demonized and marginalized . The atrocities include killings, waging war, destroying of sacred places, and other atrocities. Because of persecution and discrimination, as well as incompatibility with traditional society, culture and native beliefs,

10324-628: The northern areas of contemporary Ivory Coast. The Ghana Empire , the earliest of the Sudanic empires, flourished in the region encompassing present-day southeast Mauritania and southern Mali between the 4th and 13th centuries. At the peak of its power in the 11th century, its realms extended from the Atlantic Ocean to Timbuktu. After the decline of Ghana, the Mali Empire grew into a powerful Muslim state, which reached its apogee in

10440-426: The period following World War II , governmental affairs in French West Africa were administered from Paris. France's policy in West Africa was reflected mainly in its philosophy of "association", meaning that all Africans in Ivory Coast were officially French "subjects" but without rights to representation in Africa or France. French colonial policy incorporated concepts of assimilation and association. Based on

10556-677: The point of going into meditative trance in response to rhythmic or driving drumming or singing. One religious ceremony practiced in Gabon and Cameroon is the Okuyi , practiced by several Bantu ethnic groups. In this state, depending upon the region, drumming or instrumental rhythms played by respected musicians (each of which is unique to a given deity or ancestor), participants embody a deity or ancestor, energy or state of mind by performing distinct ritual movements or dances which further enhance their elevated consciousness. When this trance-like state

10672-403: The population, who continued to elect him. He was criticized for his emphasis on developing large-scale projects. Many felt the millions of dollars spent transforming his home village, Yamoussoukro , into the new political capital were wasted; others supported his vision to develop a centre for peace, education, and religion in the heart of the country. In the early 1980s, the world recession and

10788-536: The practice of their traditional beliefs with the practice of Abrahamic religions . These two Abrahamic religions are widespread across Africa, though mostly concentrated in different regions. Abrahamic religious beliefs, especially monotheistic elements, such as the belief in a single creator god, were introduced into traditionally polytheistic African religions rather early. West African religions seek to come to terms with reality, and, unlike Abrahamic religions , are not idealisations. They generally seek to explain

10904-508: The pre-European early modern period . The Muslim Kong Empire was established by the Dyula in the early 18th century in the north-central region inhabited by the Sénoufo , who had fled Islamization under the Mali Empire. Although Kong became a prosperous centre of agriculture, trade, and crafts, ethnic diversity and religious discord gradually weakened the kingdom. In 1895 the city of Kong

11020-486: The presidency. This sparked violent protests in which his supporters, mainly from the country's north, battled riot police in the capital, Yamoussoukro. In the early hours of 19 September 2002, while Gbagbo was in Italy, an armed uprising occurred. Troops who were to be demobilised mutinied, launching attacks in several cities. The battle for the main gendarmerie barracks in Abidjan lasted until mid-morning, but by lunchtime

11136-669: The reality of personal experience by spiritual forces which underpin orderly group life , contrasted by those that threaten it. Followers of traditional African religions are also found around the world. In recent times, religions, such as the Yoruba religion and the Odinala religion (a traditional Igbo religion), are on the rise. The religions of the Igbo and Yoruba are popular in the Caribbean and portions of Central and South America. In

11252-453: The religious landscape in Africa. The introduction of Christianity by European missionaries brought profound changes to the religious practices in Africa. While some communities fully embraced Christianity, others blended Christian teachings with their traditional beliefs, leading to syncretic practices. For example, in parts of West Africa, certain Christian denominations incorporate traditional rituals and symbols into their worship, reflecting

11368-511: The resolution provided for strengthening of Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny 's powers. Gbagbo said the next day that elements of the resolution deemed to be constitutional violations would not be applied. A peace accord between the government and the rebels, or New Forces , was signed on 4 March 2007, and subsequently Guillaume Soro , leader of the New Forces, became prime minister. These events were seen by some observers as substantially strengthening Gbagbo's position. According to UNICEF, at

11484-401: The small but influential Ivorian elite was sufficiently satisfied with the status quo to refrain from developing anti-French sentiments and calls for independence. Although strongly opposed to the practices of association, educated Ivorians believed that they would achieve equality in the French colonial system through assimilation rather than through complete independence from France. After

11600-448: The spirit world and can influence or interact with the physical world. Forms of polytheism was widespread in most of ancient African and other regions of the world, before the introduction of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism . An exception was the short-lived monotheistic religion created by Pharaoh Akhenaten , who made it mandatory to pray to his personal god Aten (see Atenism ). This remarkable change to traditional Egyptian religion

11716-521: The street; counter-claims stated that he and 15 others had been murdered at his home, and his body had been moved to the streets to incriminate him. Ouattara took refuge in the German embassy; his home had been burned down. President Gbagbo cut short his trip to Italy and on his return stated, in a television address, that some of the rebels were hiding in the shanty towns where foreign migrant workers lived. Gendarmes and vigilantes bulldozed and burned homes by

11832-545: The tax a humiliating symbol of submission. In 1905, the French officially abolished slavery in most of French West Africa. From 1904 to 1958, Ivory Coast was part of the Federation of French West Africa . It was a colony and an overseas territory under the Third Republic . In World War I, France organized regiments from Ivory Coast to fight in France, and colony resources were rationed from 1917 to 1919. Until

11948-495: The territory. Historians believe that they were all either displaced or absorbed by the ancestors of the present indigenous inhabitants, who migrated south into the area before the 16th century. Such groups included the Ehotilé ( Aboisso ), Kotrowou (Fresco), Zéhiri ( Grand-Lahou ), Ega and Diès ( Divo ). The first recorded history appears in the chronicles of North African ( Berber ) traders, who, from early Roman times , conducted

12064-470: The thousands, attacking residents. An early ceasefire with the rebels, which had the backing of much of the northern populace, proved short-lived and fighting over the prime cocoa-growing areas resumed. France sent in troops to maintain the cease-fire boundaries, and militias, including warlords and fighters from Liberia and Sierra Leone , took advantage of the crisis to seize parts of the west. In January 2003, Gbagbo and rebel leaders signed accords creating

12180-422: The trade routes with their powerful military forces, these empires were able to dominate neighbouring states. The Sudanic empires also became centres of Islamic education . Islam had been introduced in the western Sudan by Muslim Berbers; it spread rapidly after the conversion of many important rulers. From the 11th century, by which time the rulers of the Sudanic empires had embraced Islam, it spread south into

12296-607: The treaties, hoping to expand trade. France also wanted to maintain a presence in the region to stem the increasing influence of the British along the Gulf of Guinea coast. The defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War in 1871 and the subsequent annexation by Germany of the French province of Alsace–Lorraine initially caused the French government to abandon its colonial ambitions and withdraw its military garrisons from its West African trading posts, leaving them in

12412-504: The union members united to recruit migrant workers for their own farms. Houphouët-Boigny soon rose to prominence and was elected to the French Parliament in Paris within a year. A year later, the French abolished forced labour . Houphouët-Boigny established a strong relationship with the French government, expressing a belief that Ivory Coast would benefit from the relationship, which it did for many years. France appointed him as

12528-538: The war, and it was observed that Ouattara had inherited a formidable challenge to rebuild the economy and reunite Ivorians . Gbagbo was taken to the International Criminal Court in January 2016. He was declared acquitted by the court but given a conditional release in January 2019. Belgium has been designated as a host country. Ouattara has ruled the country since 2010. President Ouattara

12644-466: Was established in 1687 at Assinie near the border with the Gold Coast (now Ghana). The Europeans suppressed the local practice of slavery at this time and forbade the trade to their merchants. Assinie's survival was precarious, however; the French were not firmly established in Ivory Coast until the mid-19th century. In 1843–44, French Admiral Louis Édouard Bouët-Willaumez signed treaties with

12760-417: Was granted to all African "subjects", the right to organize politically was recognized, and various forms of forced labour were abolished. Between 1944 and 1946, many national conferences and constituent assemblies took place between France's government and provisional governments in Ivory Coast. Governmental reforms were established by late 1946, which granted French citizenship to all African "subjects" under

12876-474: Was held in October 2000 in which Laurent Gbagbo vied with Guéï, but it was not peaceful. The lead-up to the election was marked by military and civil unrest. Following a public uprising that resulted in around 180 deaths, Guéï was swiftly replaced by Gbagbo. Ouattara was disqualified by the country's Supreme Court because of his alleged Burkinabé nationality. The constitution did not allow noncitizens to run for

12992-489: Was however reverted by his youngest son, Tutankhamun . High gods, along with other more specialized deities, ancestor spirits, territorial spirits, and beings, are a common theme among traditional African religions, highlighting the complex and advanced culture of ancient Africa. Some research suggests that certain monotheistic concepts, such as the belief in a high god or force (next to many other gods, deities and spirits, sometimes seen as intermediaries between humans and

13108-473: Was re-elected in the 2015 presidential election . In November 2020 , he won a third term in office in elections boycotted by the opposition. His opponents argued it was illegal for Ouattara to run for a third term. Ivory Coast's Constitutional Council formally ratified President Ouattara's re-election to a third term in November 2020. In December 2022, Ivory Coast's electric production company, Compagnie ivoirienne d'électricité  [ fr ] launched

13224-530: Was sacked and conquered by Samori Ture of the Wassoulou Empire . The Abron kingdom of Gyaaman was established in the 17th century by an Akan group, the Abron, who had fled the developing Ashanti confederation of Asanteman in what is present-day Ghana. From their settlement south of Bondoukou , the Abron gradually extended their hegemony over the Dyula people in Bondoukou, who were recent arrivals from

13340-415: Was the world's largest exporter of cocoa beans and had high levels of income for its region. The economy still relies heavily on agriculture, with smallholder cash-crop production predominating. Originally, Portuguese and French merchant-explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries divided the west coast of Africa, very roughly, into four "coasts" reflecting resources available from each coast. The coast that

13456-554: Was very careful to avoid any ethnic conflict and left access to administrative positions open to immigrants from neighbouring countries, Bedié emphasized the concept of Ivoirité to exclude his rival Alassane Ouattara , who had two northern Ivorian parents, from running for the future presidential election. As people originating from foreign countries are a large part of the Ivorian population, this policy excluded many people of Ivorian nationality. The relationship between various ethnic groups became strained, resulting in two civil wars in

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