COTE D’IVOIRE’S quintessential dish, attieke, a fermented cassava meal celebrated for its cultural and culinary significance, has been inscribed on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage. The announcement, made during UNESCO’s 19th session in Asuncion, Paraguay, highlights the dish’s pivotal role in Ivorian identity and tradition.
‘A key dish in [Cote d’Ivoire’s] rich culinary heritage, attieke is deeply rooted in the daily lives of its communities,’ said Ramata Ly-Bakayoko, the country’s permanent delegate to UNESCO. She described it as a staple not just for daily meals but also for significant ceremonies like weddings, christenings, and funerals.
Attieke, pronounced ‘atchekay,’ resembles couscous and takes days to prepare using precise, age-old techniques. The process involves fermenting ground cassava and forming it into semolina, a skill traditionally passed down from mother to daughter.
This cherished practice has become a defining feature of Ivorian culture, symbolising both community and continuity. ‘The making of attieke represents a pillar of identity for Ivory Coast and its people,’ Ly-Bakayoko told AFP.
The dish’s popularity extends beyond Cote d’Ivoire, finding fans across West Africa and beyond. However, protecting its authenticity has been a challenge. In mid-2024, the African Intellectual Property Organisation established a collective trademark, ensuring that cassava meals from other countries cannot be marketed as attieke.
As Cote d’Ivoire basks in this global recognition, attieke’s inclusion on UNESCO’s list reinforces its status as a cultural treasure, uniting tradition and gastronomy.
