Attiéké, Ivory Coast’s beloved staple made from fermented cassava flour, was recently added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
Pronounced “atchekay,” this ground cassava couscous, often eaten with grilled fish, is enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Originally from Ivory Coast’s coastal areas centuries ago, attiéké has become popular across West Africa, according to the BBC.
Ivory Coast’s UNESCO delegate, Ramata Ly-Bakayoko, noted at the 19th session on safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in Paraguay that attiéké is “deeply rooted in the daily lives of its communities.”
In Ivory Coast, attiéké is commonly served at weddings, baptisms, funerals, and community meetings.
Attiéké is more than a meal; it’s a livelihood and a path to financial autonomy for many women.
Traditionally made by women and girls, the process, which can take several days, involves peeling, grating, and mixing cassava root with previously fermented cassava.
The skills required to make attiéké have also been added to UNESCO’s heritage list.
The pulp of cassava is pressed to remove starch, then manually processed, dried, and steamed before being sold in local markets, typically in plastic bags containing a single ball of attiéké.
At its core, attiéké is a cultural connection passed down from mother to daughter, with its recipes, processes, and methods forming a key part of both individual and national identity, according to Ly-Bakayoko.
UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage highlights practices at risk, underscoring the need for preservation.
The inclusion of attiéké emphasizes its global cultural significance.
However, the dish has often sparked controversy, particularly in 2019, when Florence Bassono, founder of Faso Attiéké from Burkina Faso, won an award at the Abidjan International Agriculture Show, causing outrage in Ivory Coast.
Many Ivorians were upset that a foreigner won an award for their national dish, attiéké.
In response, the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization registered a collective trademark earlier this year to prevent cassava from other countries being sold under the name attiéké, similar to how champagne must be produced in France’s Champagne region.
