Mbororo For Life

The Wodaabe of Western and Central Africa are nomadic cattle-herders and traders who, with their Zebu ("cows"), cover hundreds of kilometers in and around the harsh environment of the Sahel Belt every year on their way to wherever grass grows next. Wodaabe literally means "people of the taboo". Taboo, perhaps, because the Wodaabe are wildly polygamous and permit sex before marriage, even if Islam was introduced to them some 500 years ago.¹ Wodaabe religion is considered Islamic in essence, but it be would wrong not to call it unorthodox, too.

It appears that stigmatisation of sexual liberalism has not occured in this part of the world. In this sense, the Wodaabe way of life has, in the various countries that they cross, largely avoided the influence of colonial powers for almost a hundred years, and that of Islam for even longer. And they have done so, perhaps, by simply wandering off every time.

The Wodaabe are known for their colorful dresses and eccentric dances, and they are famous for what is sometimes described as an unparalleled appreciation for beauty. Michael Palin, one of the Monthy Python guys, had an encounter with the Wodaabe in his BBC travel documentary Sahara. In what is essentially an annual beauty contest, Wodaabe men put on their elaborate outfits and very heavy make-up to dance for hours if not days and, by doing so, prove their worth and vie for the attention of the women who come over one by one to take a close look and, after careful consideration, give their verdict.

In any case, it would be rather strange if they seriously thought of themselves as "people of the taboo"; and they probably don't, because the Wodaabe people refer to themselves as Mbororo. When they say "Hello", they say djam bandu-naa. So next time, on your way to the supermarket, if you bump into one of these nomadic tribesmen from West/Central Africa, you will know how to greet him in his native tongue. He will be delighted.

Then again, it need not be a nomadic tribesman. Fulfulde is the language spoken by the Fulbe, of whom the Wodaabe are technically a small subgroup but who mostly don't live as nomads anymore. Fulfulde is, in fact, the lingua franca in Northern Cameroon, a region that the Fulbe have long dominated, first militarily, then commercially. The former president of Cameroon, for instance, was a Fulbe. Their cellphones and chase after prosperity are in stark contrast to the Wodaabe's centuries-old, unchanging way of life.²

The Wodaabe don't manipulate land but live off their cattle, their activity and cyclic movement presumably forming an equilibrium with their environment. Isn't that living in perfect harmony with nature? Surely, if our ancestors hadn't settled down at some point in history to give farming a try, humanity wouldn't have come quite this far and could by no means support such a large population. However, imagine, for just a second, the upsides of living the life of a Wodaabe. They are completely comfortable in their own skin and they adhere to a code of behavior³ that leaves little room for such things as cynicism or sarcasm. Also, their diet consists of 100% organic foods.

Everywhere they go, they are different from the strangers they meet. However, that is not something they gnaw at. It is simply so. But when the Fulbe in Cameroon refer to them as Mbororo, it is in a derogatory manner.⁴ This I have learnt from my Cameroon pocket guide and was confirmed by an acquaintance, a Fulbe who, upon hearing what I had just read, laughed out loud and joked about himself being a Mbororo. Basically, they are made fun of for being constantly on the move and not having a permanent home. And so it would have been insensitive from me to choose this title or URL if it wasn't actually out of self-irony.. :)



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¹ According to Amanda, unmarried Wodaabe girls may have sex whenever and with whomever they wish. And although everyone has to suffer through an arranged (first) marriage at a young age, a married woman can leave her husband for a new "love marriage" with another man, if she manages to leave him [the husband] without getting caught in the process.
² Ideas worth sharing: It was a first time to hear that our modern, equal-opportunity, success-driven society had such a side effect. Well worth a look, this video. Good insight into the nature of modern men's envy towards one another, and what Greek tragedies can do for us.
³ (with emphasis on reserve and modesty (semteende); patience and fortitude (munyal); care and forethought (hakkilo); and loyalty (amana))
⁴ It is comparable, for example, with the British use of the term "pikey"; watch the movie Snatch again, if necessary.