Yaobou Village in Southern Côte d’Ivoire embraces Dipri Festival, blending tradition and identity
Deep in the heart of southern Ivory Coast, the village of Yaobou comes alive every year after the Christian celebration of Easter with the mystical Dipri festival. This traditional event is a cherished opportunity for locals to immerse themselves in the rich Abidji culture and strengthen their cultural identity.
The Dipri festival, steeped in local beliefs, serves as an initiation into Abidji culture.
Rituals during the festival, including symbolic acts like self-cutting with knives, are seen as sources of inner strength and are not seen as conflicting with the residents’ Christian beliefs.
This year, Koffi N’guessan has been appointed as the festival’s main initiator, a role passed down through generations within families.
N’guessan himself claims to have survived two attacks in Abidjan due to the power he gained during the Dipri festival.
During the festival, representatives from various families showcase their strength by symbolically injuring themselves with makeshift weapons.
This display of power is seen as a form of protection against external threats.
However, despite its cultural significance to the local community, the Dipri festival is sometimes viewed negatively by Christians in the region.
N’guessan emphasizes that he does not oppose religious practice but rather seeks to preserve cultural traditions integral to the Abidji identity.
Father Marius Hervé, a Catholic priest born and raised in Yaobou, also supports the importance of the Dipri festival.
He believes that traditional African beliefs can coexist with Christian faith and encourages residents to uphold their traditions while practicing their religion.
The Dipri festival, an annual post-Easter tradition, holds profound meaning for the Yaobou community.
It serves as a time to strengthen cultural bonds and preserve ancestral traditions in an ever-evolving world.
Source: africanews
