Embroidered Man's Tunic

Fulani peoples, Wodaabe group

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The Wodaabe, also known as Bororo, are among the last nomadic peoples of Africa. A sub-group of the Fulani, they live in the steppe region of central Niger, between the Sahara desert and the grassfields. Yearly, Wodaabe clans assemble, and young men of two lineages compete in beauty. Richly embroidered tunics, complex jewelry and make up are among the adornments worn by men on this occasion. The tunic are made of thin strips of indigo-dyed cloth imported from neighboring Nigeria, and are enhanced with colorful embroidery, filled with symbolic significance.

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