Wodaabe, Niger, Sept 23 - Nov 22, 2005

Picture Index

d2023_raw.jpg Wodaabe arrive at the General Assembly. Some rode for days to get here.

d2046_raw.jpg A Bodadoo, singular for Wodaabe, with a finely wrapped geefu (turban)

d2057_raw.jpg Prepare for the dance

d2070_raw.jpg Prepare for the dance

d2065_raw.jpg Prepare for the dance

d2082_raw.jpg A man's wealth is measured by the number of cattle, wives, and children he has. A woman's wealth is measured by the number and quality of her decorated calabashes. The festival time is when you show off your proudest possessions in front of your friends and relatives.

d2088_raw.jpg Wodaabe women

d2098_raw.jpg The Omala dance - men stand in a big circle, singing and clapping in unison.

d2106_raw.jpg Accessorize, accessorize

d2121_raw.jpg An elder, probably a fine dancer when he was young, gets in the middle of the ring to set the rhythm and cheer the dancers on.

d2131_raw.jpg Omala

d2155_raw.jpg Wodaabe set up temporary shelters at the festival.

d2157_raw.jpg Women in their party clothes

d2159_raw.jpg A meeting of the clan elders attracted plenty of curious onlookers.

d2168_raw.jpg A shaved forehead is a beautiful forehead.

d2169_raw.jpg A shaved forehead is a beautiful forehead.

d2177_raw.jpg Camels rest next to the camps.

d2180_raw.jpg Saddles are left out in the open unattended. Theft is pretty much unknown in Wodaabe country.

d2188_raw.jpg The 7-foot tribe - the shortest guy in the picture is about 6'5".

d2210_raw.jpg Spectators

d2211_raw.jpg The Yatche dance is usually performed in midday with dancers standing in a half-circle and charming the viewers by rolling their eyes and flashing their teeth.

d2218_raw.jpg Yatche

d2225_raw.jpg Yatche

d2229_raw.jpg Yatche

d2233_raw.jpg Yatche

d2267_raw.jpg To make the dance more exciting, old women tease and taunt the dancers.

d2299_raw.jpg Camel's eye view

d2337_raw.jpg The approaching sandstorm at sunset gives the sky an orange hue which blends perfectly with the rider's robe.

d2365_raw.jpg Yatche

d2384_raw.jpg Yatche

d2451_raw.jpg Yatche

d2457_raw.jpg If you like camels, this is THE place to be.

d2481_raw.jpg To get your dream girl you have to be either a pretty boy or a d#$% good camel jockey.

d2513_raw.psd

d2573_raw.jpg Young men race around the festival ground to show off their riding skills.

d2725_jpg.jpg Today's uniform is purple robe and white turban. Guirgui and his friends wait at the finish line of the camel race.

d2742_raw.jpg Sandstorm

d2840_jpg.jpg Pretty boys are more likely to be picked. One-night stand in the woods is quite common.

d2853_jpg.jpg The Wodaab General Assembly of 2005 lasted seven days and was well-organized and well-run. After seven exhausting and fruitful days, fruitful indeed, guests leave the festival on camels and horses.

d2875_raw.jpg Jura, Guirgui's first wife, and the kids

d3506_raw.jpg Baya milks the cow.

d3517_raw.jpg Everything needed to sustain a Wodaabe family - bed, table, cooking pot, and nursing cows to give you plenty of milk.

d3518_raw.jpg My tent, water supply for two weeks, and a four-legged visitor.

d3522_raw.jpg Milk and millet was my main diet for two months.

d3718_raw.jpg Cows come home before sunset and sleep right next to people.

d3809_raw.jpg Lack of clean drinking water is one of the main health concerns.

d3810_raw.jpg People and animals all drink from the same pond.

d5121_raw.jpg If you are wearing a skirt, hop on the donkey from its head.

d5526_raw.jpg Jura makes the thread that she will use later to sew the sheepskin waterbag.

d5531_raw.jpg With the tea brewing in the bonga, Dabu sews the sheepskin waterbag.

d5558_raw.jpg Dabu fills the finalu with kolh.

d7372_raw.jpg On my last day in Niger I took the women and kids to the Niamey zoo. Anatu, Guirgui's third wife, and Hajara, his sister-in-law, were facinated by the hippo.

d7399_raw.jpg I bought a scarf and a skirt when I was in the bush and Hajara was more than happy to model them for me.

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