Miss World 2021: Olivia Yace celebrates Akan women through her national costume
Olivia Yace tells the story of the Akan woman with her national costume at this year's Miss World
Olivia Yace, Miss World Cote d’Ivoire 2021 has unveiled the national costume she will present at this year’s Miss World pageant.
The costume, a unique ensemble of a dress accessorised with cowries, complete with a statement kente print and cowries embossed head piece, “tells the story of the Akan woman of Cote d’Ivoire.”
The Costume
In a post on her Instagram page, the Ivorian model and beauty queen explained the symbolism of her national costume.
“This traditional outfit tells the story of the AKAN woman of Cote d’Ivoire. It represents the beauty, femininity, and braveness embodied by the woman of this ethnic group. This costume, which was totally handmade and carefully crafted with AKAN woven loincloth, celebrates the woman as a child-bearer and a life-giver,” she wrote.
“The cowrie shells that make up the centre piece come from the ocean and symbolize creation, life, and protection. They are interlaced and run all along the body to portray the beautiful waves and waterfalls of Cote d’Ivoire. The headdress represents a calabash full of water that the AKAN woman carries on her head as she returns from the river. It is a source of life, and it symbolizes hard work. The orange stripe of the Ivorian orange-white-green flag expresses the splendour of national blossoming,” Olivia Yace added.
The 23-year-old beauty queen who holds a bachelor’s degree in management and marketing from Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania, United States says she traces her ancestry to the legendary Queen Abla Pokou of the Baoule people in Cote d’Ivoire.
Queen Abla Pokou of Ashanti and Baoule
Legend has it that in the 18th century, Abla Pokou, (Abena Poku) the niece of King Osei Tutu, first king of the Ashanti Confederation led the Baoule people from Ghana to Cote d’Ivoire to escape persecution.
On the death of Osei Tutu, trouble stirred amongst the royals as to who will succeed him. In the successional war that ensued, Abla Pokou lost her brother Dakon. Sensing danger, she fled with her family, servants, loyal soldiers and all affiliated with her or Dakon. But they got trapped when they reached the raging waters of Comoe and the geniuses of the river demanded a sacrifice; a human sacrifice in order for them to pass. Nobody was willing to offer their child and their pursuers were closing in on them.
Abla Pokou was faced with a difficult choice; to wait and perish at the hands of her enemies or to offer her only child to the gods. She bravely opted for the latter, raised her boy above her, contemplated him for the last time and threw him into the turbulent waters of Comoe to save her people.
The waters suddenly receded and the queen with her people crossed without incident. On reaching the banks, the queen sobs and says: “Ba wouli,” which translates: “The child is dead.”
Her people will later be called “Baoule” in memory of her son and her sacrifice.
The Baoule people occupy the cities of Bouake and Yamoussoukro in present day Cote d’Ivoire and like most Akan tribes in Ghana, they name their children according to the days they were born and the circumstances which met their birth.
Miss World
Olivia Yace was crowned Miss World Cote d’Ivoire at the final held at Abidjan Hotel Ivoire on 4 September 2021.
She represents Cote d’Ivoire at this year’s Miss World beauty pageant which takes place at Jose Miguel Agrelot Coliseum, the biggest outdoor arena in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Nana Abena Boakye-Boateng
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