The Wodaabe Courtship: A festival where men dress up to woo women for marriage

GUÉREWOL FESTIVAL Where men attract women with their weird charm and beauty

Unlike other cultures where women have to dress up to woo their partners, the Wodaabe tribesmen get to dress up in vibrant colours so that women get to pick up thier husbands

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The people of Wodaabe live in various parts of western Africa - Nigeria, Chad, Senegal, Niger to Sudan.

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Although they are an Islamic community, they are known for their creativity, which is mostly expressed through fashion style, dyed cloth, jewelry, hairstyles, face decoration, and scarification.

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Wodaabe culture values male beauty more than female beauty.

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The men and women complete their morning beauty rituals religiously, as their physical appearance speaks to their ideals of self-respect.

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The term ‘Kayeejo Naawdo’, which means ‘hurting man’, is used to describe a man who is painful to look at because of his beauty.

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Young Wodaabe women

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Young Wodaabe women

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Young Wodaabe women

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GUÉREWOL FESTIVAL Where men attract women with their weird charm and beauty

Unlike other cultures where women have to dress up to woo their partners, the Wodaabe tribesmen get to dress up in vibrant colours so that women get to pick up thier husbands

The people of Wodaabe live in various parts of western Africa - Nigeria, Chad, Senegal, Niger to Sudan.

Although they are an Islamic community, they are known for their creativity, which is mostly expressed through fashion style, dyed cloth, jewelry, hairstyles, face decoration, and scarification.

Wodaabe culture values male beauty more than female beauty.

The men and women complete their morning beauty rituals religiously, as their physical appearance speaks to their ideals of self-respect.

The term ‘Kayeejo Naawdo’, which means ‘hurting man’, is used to describe a man who is painful to look at because of his beauty.

Young Wodaabe women

Young Wodaabe women

The tribe holds an annual festival called the Gerewol during which men dress elaborately, wear make-up and hold a beauty pageant of some sort

Young Wodaabe women

The tribe holds an annual festival called the Gerewol during which men dress elaborately, wear make-up and hold a beauty pageant of some sort

Wodaabe men's beauty pageant