Prayer Portrait: Wodaabe
- Amy Van Fossen
- Nov 15, 2020
- 2 min read
The Wodaabe are nomads who live in the Sahara desert in Niger (mostly). They are a subgroup of the Fulani and speak Fula. However the other Fulani regard the Wodaabe as wild people and the Wodaabe refer to other Fulani as Wodaabe who lost their way.
The Wodaabe have camels, donkeys, goats and sheep, but their main livelihood comes from their long-horned Zebu cattle. They move about looking for grazing land and water. Some have modern tents but most live in grass huts or have no shelter. It can be hard to find them as they travel a lot and the tracks of them are not able to be traced in the sand.
Droughts in the 1970s and 80s depleted the herds, and many Wodaabe have had to resort to earning wages in towns. Government policies also favor farm settlements, allotting land for fields at the expense of open grazing land. The Niger government has adopted a "food-for-work" program that gives the Wodaabe food in return for planting seeds. However, this plan doesn't provide for restocking cattle, and the Wodaabe generally leave the program as soon as they can. They want to live according to their tradition of "mbodangaku" - the way of their ancestors.
Like the other Fulani, Wodaabe have acquired some knowledge of Islam and invoke the name of Allah in times of death or difficulty. However, they have not fully embraced Islam and have kept all of their traditions. More than any religion, they value beauty, patience, and fortitude. Physical beauty - a long nose, round head, light skin, and white teeth - is one ideal quality, particularly for men but for women as well.
The men dance during some of their festivals and that can sometimes last seven days. Central cultural institutions are the dances - Geerewol, Worso, and Yakke - held during tribal gatherings in the rainy season. The young women are picked as judges by the male tribal elders on the basis of their fortitude and patience. They appraise the men on appearance, charm, and dancing ability.
Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
- Matthew 28:18–20
Watercolor on Canson 140lb (300gsm) cold pressed paper
8x10”
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