A Fulani cattle herder prepares to drive his cattle up the steep banks of the Niger River.Fulani villagers living on the islands in the Niger River prepare for the return of their herds. The mudbrick buildings in the villages, which date back to the Islamic empires of the Middle Ages, are some of the best examples of Sudanese architecture in the Sahel region.Before crossing, the herders assemble on the shore with their hundreds of animals. Owners keep their herds segregated within the large group, identifying each beast by its individual natural markings. The herdsmen have named each of their cattle, and taught them to respond to a distinctive flute call if they stray.Young male relatives of the herdsmen who have not accompanied the dry season migration come from the village to celebrate the arrival of the herds. Chanting, they wave long round-headed cattle sticks in anticipation of the crossing. As they approach the herds, the youths belonging to an owner’s family carry a large strip-woven blanket, which they hold up as a canopy over the heads of the cattle before they enter the river.As spectators watch from both sides of the river, two rifle shots are fired to signal the beginning of the great crossing, called Luumbal. Some of the herdsmen swim with their cattle, whipping the water with their sticks to spur on the animals.Occasionally, a smaller cow will sink in the fast moving water, and a herder will pull it to the surface and prod it on its way. On the far shore, herdsmen enter the water to drive the cattle up the slippery banks.Shallow-draft pirogues make many trips across the river to collect the herders who have not driven cattle across. Women and children who have traveled with the herdsmen load their few possessions, including the precious hollowed-out gourds called calabashes, aboard the waiting pirogues for the final stage of their homeward journey.A Fulani woman’s most treasured possessions are her calabashes. Strong and light in weight, the calabashes shown here are working vessels, used daily to store food and other possessions. Other highly prized decorated calabashes represent a woman’s wealth, and are used for ceremonial display. Women carry the calabashes on their heads, balanced on coiled cloths and stacked up to several feet in height.Great lovers of beauty, the Fulani appreciate individual cattle for more than the wealth they represent. Herders groom and decorate their favorites by painting their hides, heads, and horns with pale indigo dye in a variety of geometric patterns based on family emblems.After the cattle have completed their crossing, the villagers hold a celebration called Yaaral. Performers from a neighboring village of Bozo fishermen, wearing large rectangular masks, conduct a ritual dance to celebrate the success of the crossing.At left: The griot responsible for the tribe’s oral tradition sings to the accompaniment of his Hoddu lute, extolling the virtues and telling the history of each herder family. At right: A musician keeps the beat by rhythmically tapping his silver finger rings on a calabash as he bends his agile body backward in a feat of balance and strength.After their long absence, the return of the young herders stimulates an intense period of courtship in the village. Seductive eyes are concealed by mirrored sunglasses, which the young men have bought in market towns on their way home.As evening approaches, the herders radiate flirtatious charm.Young women help one another prepare for these long-awaited occasions, adorning themselves with gold and amber jewelry. The girls below, whose lips and gums were tattooed with blue ink for beauty when they were children, wear magnificent large gold earrings called Kwottenai Kanye that only wealthy families can afford to give to their unmarried daughters.The nighttime celebration of the cattle crossing ends with a courtship dance in the market square of the village. Young girls greet the herders who gather before them. The chosen herder, along with his best friend, responds by strutting out with rhythmic footsteps toward the semicircle of girls, subtly acknowledging with his eyes the girl who has chosen him. At the end of the dance the more adventurous girls indicate the men of their choice by tugging on their turbans.
