FOREWORD

Hello dear readers,

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, but not far from you, and still not far from today, a people composed of several peoples…

There was a red earth carrying with it a vast blue sky. And there I could breathe in the true magic of wisdom, of a united love… what sunshine!

I can tell you that this is Africa as I had never touched it before.

This book is the first in a major collection entitled “Spotlight on Gabon.”

It consists of ten fundamental books whose mission is to promote and introduce, to both national and international audiences, the rich heritage of the peoples of Gabon, vast swathes of which still remain invisible… This does not mean that everything will be revealed to you, as some knowledge will forever remain transmitted only orally.

The “Spotlight on Gabon” project was created by Martha Ccolque and brought to life with the indispensable support

of Herman Moussodou, a researcher and doctoral student in Anthropology, a member of the Bantu People’s Charter for UNESCO, and here director of the Gabon book collection.

The fulfillment of this goal is presented in the “Art, Fashion, and Culture” universe, a space

I created in the Martha Ccolque publishing house, which brings together a multidimensional array

of cultural encounters and insights.

Here, through a series of books dedicated to this heritage, Spotlight on Gabon highlights the cultural diversity that characterizes the country, while warning of the risk of certain traditions disappearing if no safeguarding action is taken.

It is in this spirit that the Matha Ccolque publishing house was founded, with the aim of serving and promoting cultural heritage to give free rein to these identities, the emergence of which has become essential today. This project aims to convey the vision, identity, and expression of knowledge in the most authentic and accessible way.

To convey it on different levels so that it can find its place in contemporary dynamics.

This book is dedicated to raffia, Gabon’s emblematic plant, because where we are, is a living land composed

of weavings of threads, composed of lives.

Here, together, we plant our first seed for a series of publications.

I wish you an excellent read as you discover the fascinating history of this plant heritage,

a true bond of unity between peoples in their diversity.

Martha Ccolque