Marie-José HOURANTIER An author from the Ivory Coast writing in French [Return to French — Page originale en français]

Marie-José Hourantier (also known as Manuna Ma-Njock) is a French woman who, for many years, has lived in Abidjan (2003) where she teaches at l'Ecole Normale Supérieure. In the 1980s, she contributed to the renewal of aesthetic aspects of ritual theatre with Werewere Liking, an artist with whom she collaborated until 1985. Nowadays, Hourantier directs the Bin Kadi So, a theatre troup which she set up in the Ivory Coast after breaking with Werewere Liking. Each year she also organises an artistic exhibition "Arkadi" and contributes to the publication of the newsletter L'Arc a dit. In his essay on African Theatre published in 2003, Koulsy Lamko wrote :
"In order to enliven its theatrical space, Bin Kadi Theatre sometimes utilises a type of theatrical technique built on improvisation, the art of story-telling and body movement: the cafe-maquis-theatre. Refreshments are sold to the audience during these performances. For some years now, the Bin Kadi So Company organises the annual cultural event called "Arkadi", a festival of theatre putting the spotlight on a promising writer and organising a large exhibition of visual art in which prominent artists, both national and international, take part."

Publications

Le Chant de la colline. Abidjan: Les Nouvelles Editions Africaines, 1980 (86p.).

A la rencontre de . . . . Abidjan: Les Nouvelles Editions Africaines, 1980. (142p.). ISBN 2 7236 0552 3. Novel.

Orphée dafric. Paris: L'Harmattan, 1981(128p.). ISBN 2 85802 208 9. Novel.

Spectacles rituels. Dakar, Abidjan, Lomé: NEA, 1987. (158p.). ISBN 2 7236 0925 1. Theatre.

La Hargne des ballonnés (Rituel pour un dîner d'affaire). Abidjan: Nouvelle Editions Africaines, n.d.. (40p.). ISBN: 2 7336 1036 5. Theatre.

Une Cour au pays du masque. Paris : L'Harmattan, 1997, 1997. (138p.). ISBN 2 7384 5382 1. Novel.

Ma sogona ma laide : théâtre. Paris ; Budapest ; Torino : l'Harmattan, 2001, 62 p. ISBN 2-7475-1443-9.

Stenka - Penser avec les mains. Paris: L'Harmattan, 2004. (76p.) Foreword by Bottey Zadi Zaourou. ISBN: 2 7475 6994 2. Biography of Ivorian painter and artist Stenka.

Editor ([email protected])
The University of Western Australia/French
Created: 12 January 2004
Updated: 2 June 2006
Archived: 2 March 2012
https://aflit.arts.uwa.edu.au/HourantierMJEng.html