A moment of history
Dedicated to the Villagers of Sirasso
In the Village of Sirasso, the Ivory Coast 1969-1971
The Senufo are storytellers par excellence. Their art, music, songs, celebrations, costumes, and dances communicate and celebrate their stories and reinforce their sense of community.
Now in the twenty-first century, they are using the tools of modern technology to record and share their stories. There are at least four FaceBook groups dedicated to Senufo culture and community. There is a television station, Le Balafon du Nord, that documents and sponsors events showcasing their cultural renaissance.
During our stay in Sirasso for Peace Corps service starting in 1969, we were the only ones that had a camera to document the village experience at that time. We had a battery operated cassette tape recorder to record some of the music. After becoming a trusted part of the community, we were welcomed to witness and take part in their intimate activities. There was not any electricity, no television, no telephone, no internet. The only record of their way of life was their memories and the stories they passed down to future generations.
In these pages you can discover a moment in history recorded through our eyes, hearts and experience and see a Senufo world that would transition into today’s modern world in many ways over the following decades.
Next: An Integrated and Sustainable World
Today, industrialized countries are looking for ways of development and lifestyle that could solve the risks to which we submit Nature. When I started living and working with the Senufo people in 1969, a year before the first celebration of Earth Day, I found a society that lived largely in harmony with Nature. (Read More >>)
