Awoulaba

Awoulaba figurines in Ivory Coast
Awoulaba statue in Ivory Coast

Awoulaba is a Baoulé-language term from Ivory Coast meaning "queen of beauty", which refers to women who have plump and curvaceous bodies featuring large buttocks and wide hips. An Awoulaba is characterized by having buttocks that are visibly fuller and plumper compared to the rest of her body, so that her body resembles a distinctive "guitar shape".[1][2] Ivorian photographer Joana Choumali describes Awoulaba as "beautiful women of impressive dimensions: a face with fine features, large breasts, a well-defined waist and, above all, big buttocks".[3][4][5]

Since 2011, locally manufactured mannequins depicting the Awoulaba body shape have become a familiar sight throughout numerous clothing shops in Abidjan, Ivory Coast and they are distinguished from foreign imported mannequins that depict slim women (described as Taille Fine, meaning "thin waist").

  1. ^ de Sairigné, Guillemette (5 May 2004). La beauté en plus. Fayard. ISBN 9782213656786.
  2. ^ "Feature: The 'Awoulaba/Taille Fine' Photo Project, by Photographer Joana Choumali". Afropunk. October 13, 2015. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  3. ^ "Joana Choumali met les corps dans tous leurs états" [Joana Choumali shows the Body in all its Forms]. Hamaji (in French). 29 May 2018.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference guardian was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "" Awoulaba/Taille fine " de l'Ivoirienne Juana CHOUMALI". Phenixwebtv.com (in French). 23 March 2018.