The inspiration for the name The NZASSA Company is rooted in a word commonly used in the Ivory Coast.
The word NZASSA refers to a collage of discarded material sewn together into one unique and beautiful patchwork fabric.
Originally, as the story goes, people would gather outside the local tailor’s shop collecting discarded fabrics until enough were gathered to commission the tailor to assemble them into a single item of clothing. These colorful patchwork clothes reflected a deep sense of resourcefulness and a certain colorful style. At its essence this fabric represents the amazing beauty that unfolds when the many parts are brought together into a harmonious whole still showcasing the individuality of the pieces. These beautiful “quilts” eventually came to be known as NZASSA.

We At The NZASSA Company believe that the beauty, creativity and resourcefulness of each person can be brought out just as the beauty of each piece of fabric is brought out when they are artfully sown together. Each NZASSA Company workshop, class and performance uses the varied beauty of dance, music, poetry and voice to touch the spirit and the creative soul of each person.

The NZASSA Company provides cultural exchange and educational programs. The NZASSA programs consists of dance, music, poetry and theatre performance drawn from the wide diversity of West African cultural, spiritual and historical life- from the masks of the Ivory Coast to the oral histories handed down through several hundred years by the griots of Mali.

In this sense, NZASSA reflects the philosophy of this organization whose goal it is to raise awareness of West Africa’s rich history of music and dance and to bring people together through the common appreciation of Africa’s cultural resources.