"BEHIND THE CREATION OF..."
A series of blog posts highlighting the blend between fashion and culture. The campaign aims to raise awareness towards Africa's indigenous groups and showcase how culture could be preserved through contemporary streetwear.
The Wodaabe Tribe are nomads, migrating through much of the Sahel from northern Cameroon to Chad, Niger, and northeast Nigeria. They speak Fula, but do not read or write the language. In Fula, Woodabe means “people of the taboo”. The code of ethics (pulaaku) of the Wodaabe emphasises reserve and semteende (modesty), munyal (patience and fortitude), hakkilo (care and forethought), and amana (loyalty).
The Wodaabe places great emphasis on beauty and charm as this plays a vital role in their culture.
When it comes to establishing relationships, the responsibility falls to the man who is required to attract the attention of a woman. The Wodaabe tribe come together each year for arguably the most intense beauty pageant in the world – Gerewol festival. The major difference with this pageant is that it is the women judging the men - who are wearing makeup and dresses.
In the ultimate test of male prowess, the Yakke is the highlight of Gerewol, where men’s status as sex gods are set in stone or lie in tatters. The men spend six hours preparing themselves for their big moment when, like peacocks they can’t dance and show off in all their finery. They paint red clay onto their faces, applying thick, black eyeliner to highlight the whites of their eyes and matching lipstick to show off their teeth. To finish the look they put white ostrich feathers in their hair, which makes them appear taller.
During the dance the men are judged by three of the tribe’s most beautiful women. Each female judge gets to choose her own winner – thereby choosing to be 'stolen' by one of the better-looking men, leaving their husbands behind. The fact that the women watching may already have a husband is not important to this polygamous tribe. Wodaabe women have all the sexual freedom and are allowed more than one husband.
The Wodaabe are among the few African tribes which allows girls to take the lead in choosing their betrothed.
When creating the Woodabe Denim Jacket, BLUJUJ fused power, freedom and fortitude as practiced in the tribe. Our jacket channels the ancestral spirit of ‘breaking the taboo”.
For more infomtation, check our website: blujuj.com