In pictures: The men competing for love in the deserts of Chad

By Fiifi Malik February 27, 2017

How the men of Chad’s Wodaabe culture put on their make-up and don their best clothes to impress would-be brides at a week-long festival.

Wodaabe men perform ritual Yaake dance — Image captionWodaabe means “people of the taboo” – these are subgroups of Fulani and Tuareg, who have migrated around this part of Africa for centuries. Here a Wodaabe man wakes up as dawn breaks in the Sahel desert – his donkeys and very basic shelter his only possessions.

Children play in the sand as their mother wakes up. — Image captionThe Wodaabes mostly live on milk and ground millet, with yoghurt, sweet tea and occasionally the meat of a goat or sheep. Here a child here shakes the milk in a calabash and churn it into yoghurt.

Wodaabe men paint their faces with make-up — Image captionMen start preparing for the Gerewol at daybreak. From early on there is a mounting sense of anticipation, as some years see more than 1,000 people gather for the festivities. The men paint their faces with make-up made from clay, stones and animal bones crushed and turned into a paste. Some men were said to paint their lips black with chemicals from batteries to emphasise their white teeth.

Man inspects his appearance in mirror — Image captionThis participant has shaved his hairline to elongate his forehead and is practising the eye-rolling, teeth-baring aspect of the dance, which shows off the features Wodaabe women find desirable.

Wodaabe home — Image captionA Wodaabe family shelter from the blazing sun in their basic home. Their wooden beds house all their possessions and the whole family sleep together.

Man pours cup of tea — Image captionA Wodaabe man pours his morning brew. Drinking tea is an important ritual in this culture. During Gerewol, men drink a tea made with fermented bark which is said to have a hallucinogenic effect, and also enables them to dance for hours on end

Men help each other get ready for the festival — Image captionPreparations for the Gerewol festival are communal and everybody pitches in to help the men look their best. The hours the men spend on their clothes and make-up has led to the Wodaabe being called “the vainest tribe in the world”.

Man’s face made up with lipstick and eyeliner — Image captionSome make-up is believed to have magical powers and the Wodaabe go to great lengths to secure it. The orange face powder is only to be found beside a special mountain near Jongooria in central Niger, and some clans must undertake a 1,400km (870-mile) round trip on foot to secure a supply.

Man fixes hat in place — Image captionGerewol only happens once a year, so the pressure and anticipation is huge and finding a wife is so important.

Man helps another to fix hat — Image captionWodaabe men make some last-minute adjustments to their costumes for the night’s festivities, checking their reflections in brightly coloured pocket mirrors – indispensable accessories for the Wodaabe male. They look at them constantly, a bit like some people and their smartphones.

Wodaabe girl — Image captionAlthough the girls wear less make-up than the men, they also take great pride in their appearance, plaiting and decorating their hair. The tattoos on this girl’s face are caused by scarification at a young age and indicate tribal affiliations, as well as strength and valour.

Man grimaces — Image captionHere Wodaabe men grimace during the dance to show off their white teeth. The ostrich feathers in their hats emphasise their height.

Line of men and boys sways back and forth — Image captionA long line of Wodaabe men and boys, wearing bejewelled leather tunics and sparkling crowns and feathers, sways rhythmically backwards and forwards.

Men take a break from the dancing — Image captionTwo Wodaabe men take a break from dancing to catch their breath. The Gerewol festival is a gruelling test of endurance for the men, who dance for hours in stifling heat in the hopes of impressing a woman.

Woman selects husband with the slightest touch of the hand — Image captionThis is the moment at the end of the week-long ceremony where, with the slightest of hands, a woman selects her husband at Gerewol. It all happens very subtly and quickly, she does not even look him in the eye. The festival is an inter-clan affair, in which women of separate lineages will pick men from opposing clans.

Men at sunset — Image captionAt sunset the ostrich feathers in the mens’ caps resemble palm trees. They make the Wodaabe, already an incredibly tall and lean people, even taller. Once the week-long festival is over, the Wodaabe return to their day-to-day life as nomadic herders.

Pictures and words by Tariq Zaidi.

Source: BBC

Fiifi Malik

African News Archives Photo Gallery

Related To This Article

Two men shake hands in a hallway at an indoor event, smiling as others watch in the background.

Ibrahim Mahama promises bigger bonus for Black Stars after impressive World Cup start

Two men in a formal setting exchange a glossy booklet or program, with the man in camouflage handing it to the man in a dark suit.

Africa Football

President John Mahama promises Black Stars ‘special package’

Five men stand in front of a Ghana Football Association backdrop posing for a photo at an event.

President Mahama sends delegation to Black Stars Camp ahead of Croatia World Cup clash