Gerewol
A Wodaabe courtship festival in Niger and Chad where men dance and are chosen by young women.
Also: guerewol, yaake
Gerewol is a gathering of the Wodaabe, a Fula pastoral people of Niger and Chad, at the end of the rainy season. Young men dress in make-up, ornaments and feathers, and line up to dance the yaake, rolling their eyes and showing their teeth, while young women judge and may choose one for a love match or marriage. It is a courtship event and is not itself a wedding, but marriages can follow, and many Wodaabe marry within their families by arrangement. The festival has become known to visitors and photographers.
Region: Sub-Saharan Africa