Shaking your booty is popular on the Ivory Coast

by Amy Judd | February 18, 2008 at 02:37 pm

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Remeber about 10 years ago when the Macarena was really popular and everybody knew the dance - whether you wanted to admit to it or not? Well now the Ivory Coast has its own answer to the famous song, complete with a cheesy video and a signature dance, but now it seems it's becomming a health risk for anyone wanting to be more involved - and it's all to do with the size of your bum.

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, as much fun as this may be at any time of the day, women now want to have bigger bottoms in order to maximize their booty shaking potential, and that's leading to questionable drugs on the black market that claim to do just that.

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

"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.

"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."