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Ivory Coast View gallery (20 photos)

The Sambo sent on 29 Gennaio 2026 (10:01) by Roberto Pazzi. 1 comments, 221 views.

at 34mm, 1/100 f/5.0, ISO 3200, hand held.

A spiritual leader from the Guéré ethnic group, known also as Sambo, with his Snake Girls (Ivory Coast). HUMANKIND, my premium, limited-edition, museum-quality standard book featuring over 200 large-format photos. Available here: https://robertopazziphoto.com #book The Guéré people are an ethnic group residing in the western part of Ivory Coast. The Guéré practise the age old dance of the Snake Girls, where young girls, supposedly while in a trance, perform contortionist moves and are even thrown around by the spiritual leader known as Sambo, a male adult performer. Through this dance, the participants commune with nature and animals considered sacred, in this case snakes. These girls, chosen from a young age for their gift, undergo training with the Sambo to serve the community as guides. The dance is described as physically demanding and spiritually meaningful. The girls' movements are often portrayed as serpentine, with extreme flexibility and sudden shifts in posture that reinforce the idea of trance rather than ordinary choreography. Drumming and repeated rhythms are frequently mentioned as creating a trance like atmosphere and marking transitions in the performance. The Sambo is presented as the figure who directs the ritual and mediates between the girls, the community, and the sacred animal presence symbolized by the snake. Accounts also stress early selection and long training, shaping the girls into ritual specialists valued for helping connect people with the natural and spiritual world. This dance originates from the Dan people in neighbouring Liberia. Website: https://robertopazziphoto.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/roberto_pazzi_photo

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10 persons like it: -rossogeo-, Alberto Tirri, Buttura Roberto, Gaia Alessandro, Jonathan68, Loribert, Maurocomi8, Paolo Gualandris, Peppe Cancellieri, Stampedli

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Buttura Roberto

sent on 29 Gennaio 2026 (10:19) | This comment has been automatically translated (show/hide original)

excellent , by aqpplausi

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