The group of dancers and singers of the "long mask" ford Gblin, better known as the stilt walker, originates from the Yacouba country.

 

It is generally found in the regions of Man, Danané, Touba, Koonan... Perched on stilts several meters high, the dancers perform a thousand perilous acrobatics.

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Ford Gblin, the great sacred mask, has two powers:

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a spiritual, supernatural power, which gives him the power to communicate with geniuses and to be the spokesperson, a temporal power that gives him agility, and address, which allows him to perform unusual acrobatics with which he amazes his audience.

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The bearer of the ford Gblin mask undergoes a rigorous and secret initiation, and no one around him should know that he is the holder of the ford Gblin secret, not even his wife.

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The accompanying drummer singer first invokes the grace of the genies before the stilt walker begins to dance.

 

These incantations put our mask directly in communion with the protective spirits who then tell it the steps to perform.

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The mask is not a simple artistic expression; it is the fundamental element of the organization of traditional society because it is the intermediary between men and god, the guarantor of stability.

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The stilt-walker mask takes part in all the demonstrations of the city, its social function is preeminent.

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His mystical power makes him respected, even feared. He is also the supreme judge of the traditional court.