Attieke, the National Dish of the Ivory Coast Gains International Recognition
The UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage met in Asuncion, Paraguay, from Dec. 2 to 6, inscribing 63 new elements on the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Among those that made it onto UNESCO’s prestigious list was the national dish of Ivory Coast, attieke.
Attieke is popular not just within the Ivory Coast but in other African countries, especially former French colonies. The dish involves peeling and grating cassava tubers before mixing them with previously fermented cassava. The pulp then gets pressed to remove the starch and is later processed manually, dried, and steamed before serving. The resulting dish has a unique tanginess and a fluffy yet granular texture, similar to couscous. It can be an alternative to rice and eaten with spicy or savory sauces and many different dishes, such as grilled chicken and fish.
Attieke is a dish traditionally reserved for special occasions such as weddings, baptisms, funerals, birthdays, and community meetings. However, many enjoy the dish so much that they eat it for every meal.
Women and girls take on the role of making this West African staple, the intricate process taking several days to complete. Passed down matrilineally, the steps to making attieke hold a significant part of Ivory Coast’s cultural and communal identity.
UNESCO’s Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage aim to raise awareness and ensure better protection of culturally significant practices, knowledge, and skills worldwide. Hopefully, with attieke’s addition to the list, people can enjoy the dish for generations to come.
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1. How is attieke made, and what is its texture comparable to?
2. What occasions is attieke traditionally reserved for?
3. Who is primarily responsible for making attieke, and how is the skill passed down?
4. Why is attieke significant to the culture of Ivory Coast?
1. Why do you think attieke holds such cultural importance in Ivory Coast?
2. Have you tried any food that is deeply tied to a specific culture? How did it reflect the traditions of that culture?
3. What impact does recognizing a cultural practice like attieke on UNESCO’s list have on global awareness of the culture?
4. How does food play a role in shaping a community's identity?
The UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage met in Asuncion, Paraguay, from Dec. 2 to 6, inscribing 63 new elements on the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Among those that made it onto UNESCO’s prestigious list was the national dish of Ivory Coast, attieke.
