Ivory Coast’s largest ethnic group, the Baoule, fled Ghana 300 years ago. On their journey they had to cross a river. In a popular Baoule proverb, a river god requested the queen sacrifice her child to cross this river. In doing so, a bridge was made of crocodile backs. The Baoule were successful in their journey, because of the crocodiles’ obedience to the river god, to allow the Baoule to walk across their backs and to safety.
Ivory Coast’s first and longest serving president, Felix Houphouet-Boigny, was president during my father’s childhood here. Houphouet-Boigny was from the Baoule people and in 1993, he was buried in his palace in Yamoussoukro. His tomb is surrounded by a moat of crocodiles — his ancestors’ sacred animal.
These photo were taken at feeding time. Those who work the grounds near Houphouet-Boigny’s palace throw live chickens in once a day.
