The Moandzou or “Gabonese fly swatter” is one of the indispensable tools of traditional chiefs, particularly when they speak publicly. It also has other “mystical-practical” functions in Gabonese initiation traditions, which are combined with the Soki (rattle), another energy that complements the Moandzou.

The Moandzou supported by BOTF come from the workshops of two traditional craftsmen, Vincent Maghamou a.k.a “Ghekado” (Issika Association) and David Menvie Me Ndong a.k.a. “Mbilou (NGO Ebando).
Each of these two craftsmen has his own special way of making and decorating Moandzou.

Ghekado offers the Moandzou as it is traditionally made, with the main veins extracted from the leaves of a particular forest palm, giving the object great flexibility of movement but making it more fragile than the model made by Mbilou.

Mbilou makes the Moandzou from another, more common type of palm, with thicker veins that are more resistant but stiffer than the first model.