For almost three decades, the Ziguehis have marked the history of Abidjan.

Depending on the context, they have been seen as thugs, delinquents, urban heroes, power brokers, or gang leaders. The shaping of their body and the use of violence helps them escape marginalisation and invisibility while gaining belonging and recognition. Power and strength made them legends.

In the early 1970s, Côte d'Ivoire, on its way to modernity, underwent remarkable economic expansion. With high prices for coffee and cocoa, Abidjan strived to mirror major Western cities. Skyscrapers, grand hotels, and spacious residences flourished across the city, as did the first cinemas, providing a unique window on a world that looked like Hollywood.

Young people gathered there, emulating the styles and feats of Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and Jackie Chan. Dojos, gyms, and sports academies sprang up rapidly. In the neighbourhoods, youths filled their spare time with weightlifting. But the miracle short-lived. By the early 1980s, the nation faced a severe economic crisis. As crime rates climbed, self-defence militias began to form. Former weightlifters soon found themselves on the streets…

This marked the birth of the Ziguehi movement. Over three decades, it developed to culminate in the 2010-11 ‘microbes’ phenomenon.

The Ziguehis fueled fights, extorted money, and protected neighbourhoods. They shaped a distinctive urban identity that from the very bottom of the society became a norm for an entire generation.  They developed Nouchi, a Creole language, blending French syntax, local languages from their parents and cinematic references, as well as music and dance styles.

Following Prophétiqueand Filles-Pétroles in2023, Nadia beugré delves into the margins of Abidjan, examining on how youths build distinct identities through the construction of their body. She investigates how muscle and violence drove youth’ quest for recognition and self-creation, their insatiable needto rise, seize the limelight and become legends…