We've just finished our annual trip to Chad's Gerewol festival. In a world where experiences can sometimes seem to be becoming more commodified, contrived and inauthentic, this is the real deal - not a 'tourist show' but a genuine celebration for the Wodaabe themselves, at which we're privileged to be allowed to attend, and where we have the opportunity to spend time with the Wodaabe and immerse ourselves in their customs and culture.
The Gerewol festival takes place at the end of each rainy season, and the specific place is chosen according to where local elders deem there to be the best grazing for their cattle. The Gerewol occurs at the same time as the ‘cure salee’, when cattle are brought to grazing grounds that are rich in salt and minerals; the minerals help to strengthen the cattle and rid them of parasites. The festival is an opportunity for scattered groups of Wodaabe to meet once a year, exchanging news and embarking on a series of dances. The purpose of these is for the young Wodaabe men to show off their beauty, with the intention of finding partners – the mean usually range from about 17 to 25 in age, although ‘noble’ men, those who have the potential to become chiefs or sultans, do not take part.
The dances themselves involve the men standing in a line, singing traditional rhythmic songs and chants while doing their best to show the whites of their eyes and baring their teeth, two symbols of male beauty. Every so often a dancer will step forward, almost as if in a trance, with jerky movements which imitate the courtship dances of local birds. These songs and dances can last for a long time, seemingly without stop, during which time some of the dancers seem to almost enter into a different consciousness, trembling as they continue with their rituals.
This happens once a year, and we'll be going again in October 2025. If you'd like to join, you can see the full details here:
https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/the-gerewol-festival/
We’ve just confirmed our annual trip to Chad’s Gerewol Festival to run, starting on 12 October.
Held each year at the end of the rainy season, this is an opportunity for the nomadic Wodaabe clans to gather, with young Wodaabe men donning their finest outfits, decorating themselves with elaborate make up and performing songs and dances to attract partners.
We spend several days with the Wodaabe to experience the festival on its full glory. In true African fashion the schedule can sometimes be ‘fluid’, and being here for several days allows us to be sure of seeing the highlights.
This isn’t a festival for tourists. Over the past decade we’ve built up solid relationships with the Wodaabe which enable us to spend time experiencing their traditions and customs in depth – this isn’t a show put on for a day or so, or the type of contrived experience one can so often find these days, but a week long event that is far more important for the Wodaabe than it is for us. Each year the festival takes place in a different area, depending on where the Wodaabe find the best grazing for their livestock, and to reach it the only way is to travel with a guide from the clan who can find their way through the dense, trackless bush to the exact spot where they gather.
If you’re thinking of joining, this video was taken on one of our previous trips.
You can see the full details of our 2024 trip here: https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/the-gerewol-festival/
Native Eye - Experts in the Unusual
