As the title suggests it was just a large box or shipping trunk containing items of clothing which when worn could fire and inspire our innocent and expansive imaginations.
It is a sad sign of the times that any present day analysis of dressing up activity would be damning and judgemental on the grounds of reinforcing stereotypes, gender roles, sexuality and good old prejudices. I thought nothing of wearing a wide brimmed hat and flowing kaftan, a beaded necklace and hobbling about on very much oversized and impractical high heeled shoes. Read into that what you want.
I feel that I have reached a good adult age with no hang-ups or neuroses about such activity, indeed I feel that my broad outlook on life was enriched in a most natural way, through unconditional play.
I have not worn women's clothes since, well at least not persistently or seriously. You cannot match however the insulation characteristics of ladies tights under trackie bottoms during a winter football match or beneath a lycra bib suit on a long ride out on a mountain bike. You do have hopes that an injury or fall does not occur in fear of the hushed tones and inevitable pointing and sniggering of a physio or paramedic when such garb is revealed in the pursuit of first aiding.
Lipstick (did I mention the use of that earlier?) and costume jewellery may be firmly associated with femininity in western culture but amongst the fearsome male warriors of the nomad Wodaabe of Southern Niger region the matter of dressing up is fundamental to their love-lives and status as a married man.
These are hard men who, even though their traditional practices of raiders and caravan leaders have been curtailed in the modern world, will not leave their hut, tent or camp without their swords. The Woodabe tribe prize three things in life; beauty, cattle and family. Surprisingly for roughie toughie blokes it is beauty that holds top spot. Key characteristics and preferences are for light skin, pearly white teeth and clear whites of eyes. Such attributes can be cosmetically produced and enhanced in the western world but for a nomadic race must be much more difficult to achieve. The active lifestyle wandering around the borders of Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and the Central African Republic would certainly promote the desired physique of a thin, slender and fine featured form.
The women are considered to be the most beautiful in Western Africa and as a consequence the menfolk have to compete to win them over. It is not a case of aggression or a displays of prowess in fighting and hunting but in the adornment of make-up, adopting a flirtatious manner and sporting a bit of bling that is required in order to be chosen by a new lover or partner. This ceremony takes place at the gathering of the tribe annually when their cattle are brought to an area of Niger known for the salinity of the soil.
The "Beauty Contests" are a time for the young men to compete for the title of best looking man. Faces are made up with yellow ochre, lips are painted black, eyes are outlined and hair is fashioned in the traditional style with shaven forehead and 6 or 8 short pigtails at the nape of the neck. The paint is complimented by the wearing of their best embroidered clothing and there is always the option to accessorise with shiny, bright and colourful items such as safety pins, buttons, cowrie shells and in one instance even the display of a plastic ukelele over the shoulder. It is a sophisticated affair and leads to the inevitable outbreak of dancing and subtle movements to showcase their individual and group efforts. The photograph illustrates the meaning of the elements in the competition.
The ostrich plumes and pompoms emphasise height and athleticism. Narrowness of face is concentrated by red ochre face paint. Black eyeliner made from charred egret bones makes the eyes wider and the whites of the eyes shine. Facial symmetry is enhanced with black, yellow and white patterns. An aquiline nose is picked out with a white arrow stripe in earthen clay. Long braids and cowrie shells are to show fertility and wealth. White and regular teeth, a particularly prized asset glisten amongst black lipstick. Of course, all of this can only come together with being a good dancer with the sounds of beaded necklaces and bodices to attract the attention of the female judges.
The Wodaabe ceremony has attracted the media and wider interest but should not be regarded as a quaint old custom or even bit of a performance for the tourist industry. It is something to be valued in this fast changing world and is a challenge to western culture and its obsession with material wealth rather than any true substance or meaning.
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