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Ivory Coast's 'big-bottom' craze
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7233565.stm ^

Posted on 02/18/2008 5:33:58 PM PST by traumer

A national dance craze in Ivory Coast has spawned a black market in treatments claiming to increase one's bottom size.

The dance in question has been inspired by DJ Mix and DJ Eloh's hit song Bobaraba, which means "big bottom" in the local Djoula language.

When it plays you can be guaranteed that the dance floor will be packed with people shaking their derrieres.

Even Ivorian footballers have adopted the moves and could be seen wiggling their bottoms in a curious on-pitch dance after each goal scored during the just-ended Africa Nations Cup.

However, doctors have warned of the possible dangers of some of the concoctions on sale.

While the dance has been embraced by both sexes, DJ Mix says it was inspired by women.

"We made it as a tribute to women, because African women are defined by the shape of their bottoms," he says.

"Move your bottom, jump, you see, it's alive."

Kady Meite, one of his dancers, says the song is a message for women.

"There are women today with large bottoms who are embarrassed, so it's to say don't be ashamed - be comfortable," she says.

The message seems to have been taken on board - so much so that some women are now going in search of a "bobaraba".

Injections

In the sprawling Adjame market just north of the city centre in Abidjan, women sell "bottom enhancers".

Adjame market Bottom enhancing treatments sell for $2

"You need to inject this liquid into your bottom once a day," says a market trader, showing a vial of coloured liquid labelled "Vitamin B12".

Each vial costs $2. The label claims it is made in China.

If you do not like the sound of injections, the same amount of money will also get you a small tub of cream.

There is no description of what the product contains or how to apply it; just the words "Big bottoms and big breasts", and two illustrating pictures.

Local gynaecologist Dr Marcel Sissoko is sceptical about the concoctions.

I do the bobaraba because I already have a big bum Dancer

"This medicine could be dangerous for your health because we don't know the ingredients. It's being used without a medical prescription," he warns.

"The health ministry hasn't authorised this and doctors don't know what's in there, so there are risks."

At the Micronutrient Information Centre at Oregon State University in the United States, Dr Victoria Drake says she knows of no scientific evidence that vitamin B12 can be used to treat anything except vitamin B12 deficiency.

'Danger'

DJ Mix admits there is now a growing fashion for young women to show off their bottoms.

Ivorian footballers doing the football dance The bobaraba craze is even visible on the football pitch

"If a woman goes dancing and wants to take two or three treatments, no problem," he says.

"But we don't say to girls that they must take treatment to enhance your bottom, no."

One man on the streets of Abidjan agreed: "Us boys, we appreciate these things because when women use the treatment it attracts us, but for women it's not good."

Most women I spoke to preferred to avoid the treatments.

"Me? I prefer to be natural so you can know your true value. It's best not to use these medicines. It's not good - it's actually very dangerous," one said.

Another woman was happy with what came naturally.

"I do the bobaraba because I already have a big bum. When I dance, everyone looks at me."


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: africa; babygotback; berthabutt; bigbottom; bigbottomcraze; ivorycoast
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To: traumer
OK, I've been waiting patiently, but somebody has to do it.


41 posted on 02/18/2008 6:05:10 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: TheRobb7
That is EXACTLY what I thought . . . Big Fat Fanny came to mind!

But let's be honest . . . that is one rockin' song
42 posted on 02/18/2008 6:06:58 PM PST by Xenalyte (Can you count, suckas? I say the future is ours . . . if you can count.)
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To: najida

Hey girl! You’re not a blue-eyed floozie, but you can jam to the link above. :)


43 posted on 02/18/2008 6:07:55 PM PST by Xenalyte (Can you count, suckas? I say the future is ours . . . if you can count.)
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To: sinanju
Bertha Butt Boogie
44 posted on 02/18/2008 6:08:23 PM PST by PapaBear3625
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To: traumer
WHY...oh WHY was I young when Twiggy was the ideal??????????????????????????????????????????????????
45 posted on 02/18/2008 6:08:27 PM PST by bannie (clintons CHEAT! ALLLLLWAYS!)
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To: Rb ver. 2.0

lol


46 posted on 02/18/2008 6:09:10 PM PST by Mr. Brightside ( Ronald Reagan Would Back McCain - http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1970504/posts)
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To: traumer
"We made it as a tribute to women, because African women are defined by the shape of their bottoms," he says.

I know a bunch of Ivory Coast and Liberian folk. I've not seen an especial emphasis on the size and shape of a woman's butt. This is far more overshadowed by just the general level of mad copulatory mania. Virtually everyone has someone else on the side. In a group that comprises over a hundred people, I know of 5 guys who are actually living with their "wife" and most of them have several other "little wives" on the side. Most of the boys dress and act like rapper videos and most of the girls dress like whores. I know of one 18 year old who was involved with a 25 year old woman (who is just plain nuts even by the standards of the other Liberian women) at the same time he's involved with a 17-year-old and who got a 14-year-old in another state pregnant. The Liberian/Ivorian women basically just tut-tut and laugh it off, even his filming of his activities with the 25-year-old and printing out inch thick stacks of photos that he gave to them. Why? Because it is behavior that is totally within the norm of their particular socio-economic group in Liberia. They are all uniformly illiterate, steeped in magic, fear of witches and spells, lovers of pro-wrestling and Jerry Springer.

A study in the not-too-distant past has about 50% of all Liberian women have had their first child by the age of 15 and over 90% by the age of 19. I know of one who was ridiculed as being an "old woman" with a "sick womb" because she had not yet gotten pregnant by the age of 18 or 19. I saw her 15 year old niece bragging to some 11 year old girls at a party that next year she was the one who was going to be pregnant.

Yet they look down on American blacks as having no character. And these are folks who are church-goers. I've heard them say that God doesn't expect us to live without sin because that's what forgiveness is for.
47 posted on 02/18/2008 6:11:06 PM PST by aruanan
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To: Iron Munro

lol.

I’m getting arterial sclerosis just reading that list of her food!


48 posted on 02/18/2008 6:15:09 PM PST by do not press 2 for spanish
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To: traumer

See Jennifer Lopez for big-bottoms. Pre-pregnancy that is.


49 posted on 02/18/2008 6:24:28 PM PST by lilylangtree (Veni, Vidi, Vici)
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To: traumer

There are very few times when I can appropriately use the word “steatopygia”. This one of them.


50 posted on 02/18/2008 6:25:25 PM PST by Blennos (High Point, NC)
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To: traumer

“Big Bottom” - Spinal Tap

The bigger the cushion
The sweeter the pushin’
That’s what I said

The looser the waistband
The deeper the quicksand
Or so I have read

My baby fits me like a flesh tuxedo
I like to sink her with my pink torpedo

Big bottom
Big bottom
Talk about bum cakes
My girl’s got ‘em
Big bottom, drive me out of my mind
How can I leave this behind?

I saw her on Monday
‘Twas my lucky bun day
You know what I mean

I love her each weekday
Each velvety cheekday
You know what I mean

My love gun’s loaded and she’s in my sights
Big game is waiting there inside her tights

Big bottom
Big bottom
Talk about mudflaps
My gal’s got ‘em
Big bottom, drive me out of my mind
How can I leave this behind?

My baby fits me like a flesh tuxedo
I like to sink her with my pink torpedo

Big bottom
Big bottom
Talk about bum cakes
My girl’s got ‘em
Big bottom, drive me out of my mind
How can I leave this behind?


51 posted on 02/18/2008 6:27:19 PM PST by RedStateRocker (Nuke Mecca, deport all illegals, abolish the IRS, ATF and DEA.)
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To: lilylangtree

52 posted on 02/18/2008 6:27:34 PM PST by traumer
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To: traumer
One for the fellas...
53 posted on 02/18/2008 6:32:46 PM PST by cyborg (Nursing school, another marathon and a cherry on top)
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To: aruanan

interesting...must be a regional thing


54 posted on 02/18/2008 6:34:55 PM PST by cyborg (Nursing school, another marathon and a cherry on top)
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To: traumer

This is in no way any crazier than some of the things American women do to themselves. In fact, what some women do is way more dangerous.


55 posted on 02/18/2008 6:37:09 PM PST by ktscarlett66 (Face it girls....I'm older and I have more insurance....)
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To: traumer

The Hottentot Venus

"The Hottentots were particularly interesting to Europeans not only because of the unpronounceable click in their language but also the physical characteristics of their women. The most significant of these were their external hanging genitalia and their large, pronounced bottoms – both of which posed a significant contrast to the bodies of women in Europe.

Don't look here if you don't want to see Hottentot genetalia.

56 posted on 02/18/2008 6:39:23 PM PST by blam (Secure the border and enforce the law)
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To: Blennos

Steatopygia

57 posted on 02/18/2008 6:44:22 PM PST by blam (Secure the border and enforce the law)
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To: sinanju
Bertha, Bella and Bathsheba Butt...

I can't believe I remember that song... 8th grade, I think.

58 posted on 02/18/2008 6:55:58 PM PST by tgslTakoma
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To: PapaBear3625; sinanju

How could I forget poor Betty?


59 posted on 02/18/2008 6:58:21 PM PST by tgslTakoma
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To: traumer
Whole Lotta Rosie

Rock on!

60 posted on 02/18/2008 7:04:04 PM PST by ovrtaxt (Member of the irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.)
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