Ivory Coast's beloved staple, attiéké, created from fermented cassava flour, has been formally added to UNESCO's record of intangible cultural heritage.
Attiéké, pronounced atchekay, is a sort of couscous made with floor cassava roots. It’s so appreciated that many individuals eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Nicknamed “Ivory Coast couscous”, it’s normally eaten with grilled fish. It originated within the coastal areas of the Ivory Coast centuries in the past, however is now common all through West Africa.
The delegate of Côte d'Ivoire to UNESCO, Ramata Ly-Bakayoko, acknowledged within the 19th session on the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in Paraguay that attiéké is “deeply rooted within the every day lifetime of its communities.”
This yr, Japanese sake, an alcoholic beverage created from grains, was additionally added to the record.
In Ivory Coast, attiéké is commonly served at ceremonies similar to weddings, baptisms, funerals, and neighborhood gatherings.
However it’s greater than only a meal, it’s a livelihood for some folks and a path to monetary autonomy for a lot of ladies.
Attiéké is historically made by ladies and ladies. The method might take just a few days as there are a lot of steps rooted in custom.
The cassava root is peeled, grated and combined with beforehand fermented cassava.
The pulp is then pressed to take away the starch after which manually processed, dried after which steamed.
It’s then taken to native markets, the place it’s usually bought in plastic baggage, every containing a ball of attiéké.
However deep down, attiéké, there’s a cultural connection from one era to a different.
Recipes, processes and strategies are handed down from mom to daughter and the dish “is a pillar of their id and that of your complete Ivory Coast,” Ly-Bakayoko mentioned.
The UNESCO record highlights intangible cultural heritage that’s in danger, emphasizing the necessity to shield and protect conventional practices. The inclusion of attiéké highlights its significance for humanity as a collective, says UNESCO.
Earlier this yr, the African Regional Mental Property Group registered a collective trademark to forestall cassava produced in different nations from being bought beneath the title attiéké, simply as champagne should be produced within the space of France beneath that title. .
Ivory Coast sought this safety after different nations, together with in Southeast Asia, tried to capitalize on the recognition of attiéké.
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