IVORY COAST -- Expo 86

The giant carved wood doors that led into the Cote d'Ivoire Pavilion told of ancestral legends. Once inside, the visitor was invited to walk the mock docks of Abidjan and San Pedro harbours amidst the scents of cocoa and coffee. African music played in the background.

Guests were asked to guess the mood of African tribal masks that adorned the walls. Some masks appeared funereal and some seemed joyful, but the idea behind this exercise was to prove that ignorance between cultures tends to lead to false conclusions.

Cote d'Ivoire was celebrating 25 years of independence in 1986. With the anniversary, exhibits boasted that the country managed to become a self-sufficient world supplier while gaining back their traditional heritage. Further exhibits told the story of how communication through diplomacy was the key to bring the country up to its current status.

FROM THE BEST OF EXPO GUIDE:

The two massive wooden doors at the entrance serve to sum up what is on display inside this warm-hearted pavilion. The rich brown native hardwood, iroko, represents the colour of coffee and cocoa, chief export products of this agricultural nation. The bas-relief carvings on the door are an ancestral legend. There are also masks similar to those found in the pavilion.

HIGHLIGHTS:

-- Try to determine what emotions the masks represent -- some are funereal, others are joyful.
-- Enjoy playing with the musical instruments: a wooden xylophone, the "balafon," the drums called the "tamtam" and the "cora."
-- Free samples of cocoa and coffee are served.