My first fantastic postcard from this West African country...one more off my "missing list" and a real treasure...a smiling little boy wearing a sea shell dress at his ceremony of initiation...Thank you very much Yassine!!❀◕ ‿ ◕❀
Ivory Coast is a coastal West African country bordered by Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea, the capital city is Yamoussoukro.
The country's name descend from the hunt of the domestic elephants and their tusks. The fauna is rich in species, unfortunately, elephants are, due to poaching, nowadays only common in wildlife parks.
Many rural ethnic cultures engage in rituals and initiation ceremonies: for example, Poro is an initiation ritual of the Senufo people that comprises three stages of seven years each. Senufo boys start taking part in the initiation rites at the age of seven and at about 28 they will be fully initiated and be respected elders in their communities.
It is the world's largest exporter of cocoa. Unfortunately thirty percent of children under age 15 in sub-Saharan Africa are child laborers, mostly in agricultural activities including cocoa farming.
Photo: Etienne Nangbo
Stamp:
Grand Bassam Unesco stamp???
(Issued 2015???)