About Author Richard Sidy
How the village of Sirasso became part of my life journey.
When President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps on March 1, 1961, it was what the soul of our generation was waiting for. There was no question in my mind that it would become a part of my life journey. Service to others became an important focus in my life.
From January 1969 to May 1971 I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the village of Sirasso in the northern Côte d’Ivoire I lived with the Senufo, a traditional agrarian people who were practicing animists. The Dyula (merchant class and weavers), and the Fulani (nomadic herders), both of whom practiced Islam, were also a part of the Sirasso community.
After a year in Sirasso I felt that I belonged, had a life there, had friends, and was fitting into the community. My partner, Bill Gaines, and I were each given a Senufo family name – he Ouattara, and me Coulibaly – indicating that we were part of an extended family. These were more than just names; they were invitations for us to join a network of social connections even beyond the village. We were no longer called “toubabou,” the name for white man or stranger. Only our first or family names were used. Alternatively, according to custom, we were called either “older brother,” or “younger brother.” Part of the elaborate greeting in those parts included stating your family name. In that way, even when meeting strangers, a connection and relationship were established.
Upon returning from the Peace Corps I worked for the Los Angeles City Volunteer Corps establishing community gardens and food co-ops, and became a teacher. As a retired teacher of over 35 years, I continue to advocate for sustainable education through writing and building community collaboration through non-profit organizations around the issues of food security, sustainable economic development, and environmental education.
My experiences in the Senufo region contributed tremendously to my understanding of traditional agrarian peoples and religions, the challenges of development, and the precarious survival of a way of life and cultures in post-colonial Africa. It introduced me to real world sustainable survival where agriculture and living harmoniously with the life cycles of nature coexist.
Now, some fifty years later I wish to share with gratitude what I learned from my Sirasso family. The Senufo are a proud people with a rich culture, and are currently promoting a cultural renaissance. I hope that this work, Senufo Art, Life, and Spirit honors this movement and contributes something of value.