Photos

Hi,
This photo is part of a series of photos I want to send about Ivory Coast. Each of them tries (and probably struggles to succeed) to illustrate some of the events that happened in Digba (small village close to Daloa) in October 2002, while I was paying a visit to the family of a good Ivorian friend of mine living abroad now.

Kamy is a little Bete girl from a small village called Digba, 15 km from Daloa city. I developed a special relationship with Kamy during my stay in the village as she used to be my “Alarm clock”, every morning jumping on my bed at 6 am sharp: “Mr White, you have to wake-up”. And every morning same answer from me: “Why me…?”. And every morning same reply from her: “If you don’t get-up I’ll call my grandmother and she’ll do witchcraft to you”. And every morning same reaction from me “Fine, I’m coming… ”

This photo has been taken 2 days before the Bete of Digba started looting, setting fire to the Dioula’s houses and mosque. This happened in October 2002. As most of you know, this was the time when the effects of the cultural identity crisis (on which I won’t come back in those lines) that has stricken Ivory Coast started being visible. That day, Kamy did her share of the looting, bringing back home some paddy of rice, cocoa and coffee beans for her mother who gave her indications about the dioulas’ houses in which there were good chances to find something interesting to steal.

See a photo of the day in question

Vincent