Akpomi Gnôgnô Assiè
- meaning "May the earth bend before him who stands against me" in Baoulé.
Inspired by this proverb inscribed on a wall in the small village of Amanikro, this series seeks to show a new side of cocoa farmers in Côte d'Ivoire. Their portraits and daily activities reveal a community where spirituality, family and artistic expression are paramount.
Over the course of a week, I observed the lives of the villagers in Amanikro. While their daily routines revolve around cocoa production, they are guided by their faith in community and family unity. I focused on capturing moments of joy in the village - children playing at first light, men gathered around the awalé drinking homemade Koutoukou (traditional brandy), the women making fresh Attiéké. The aim of this series is to bring the public closer to the daily lives of the villagers of Amanikro and the communities behind cocoa production.
For this series, I chose to photograph using a medium-format film camera in order to match the slow, simple pace of the village and to be able to get closer to the cocoa-growing community, to integrate and share in their intimate lives and rituals.
This project was completed as part of the NOOR Foundation Visual Storytelling Programme in partnership with Tony's Chocolonely in Amanikro, Côte d’Ivoire.