The Baule people live in central Ivory Coast and are known for the elegance and beauty of their arts including ceramics, sculpture, gold casting and weaving. The name "Baule" dates back to the 18th century when Baule people migrated from the Ashanti region of Ghana. According to legend, Queen Aura Pokou made a great sacrifice in order to secure safe passage across the Comoe River.
 
Baule pottery was traditionally made by women for practical uses-carrying water, cooking, serving and eating, as well as for ritual purposes. Skills are traditionally passed down from mother to daughter. Clay, dug from the banks of streams, is pounded and strained of impurities, then shaped using the "coil" technique.  Pottery is fired on open flames and blackened by placing it on smoldering sawdust and then brushing it with a liquid made of leaves and tree bark, giving it a shiny and somewhat waterproof surface.
 
Because it is fired at low heat, Baule pottery can be placed directly on the burner of a gas or electric stove and used for cooking. When brought to the table for serving, it makes a highly decorative effect. Our collection includes traditional items like cooking pots and also other forms like the ram vase, which are creations of individual artists.
 
The Museum's pottery is made by a women's cooperative in the village of Tanoh Sakassou. Proceeds from the sales go directly to the makers and are the main source of income for village women who traditionally pay school fees and health costs for their children and support their own parents. During the past ten years of civil unrest in the Ivory Coast, this income has been essential.