For the s(n)ake of spirit

Sometimes eyes speak louder than words. They contain a quiet strength that reminds us that true beauty lives in the depth of tradition and the pride of one's own roots. And in their gazes lie that quiet power of those who know where they come from — and where they are meant to go. There is strength in their attitude. In their silence lies dignity. However, their future is uncertain as globalisation is reducing this diversity. Young Guéré girls protect the village by the animal spirits of the forest, particularly snakes. The so-called snake girls begin their initiation at the age of three. The community's shaman 'Simbo' teaches them to capture the essence of nature, in the form of the soul of a snake. Moreover, the girls were trained and drilled to perfect the technique of the snake dance - dance of the Jugglers. They are neither allowed to speak, communicate, nor to smile. During the dance the girls mimic snake movements, supposedly while in trance, and demonstrate spiritual protection. When they turn 10 years old, their relationship with this brotherhood ends, and they are released to live a normal life. The snake girl ritual is usually celebrated in communities that live in isolated and difficult-to-access regions in Ivory Coast and Liberia.