NOMADS WHO CULTIVATE BEAUTY. Wodaabe Dances and Visual Arts in Niger

Why do young men use mirrors and makeup more than girls? Why do the Wodaabe nomads of West Africa have beauty parades for men? Wodaabe’s extraordinary and unique live performan-ces are often misunderstood by outsiders. The book pro-vides some answers about these aesthetic activities. The author describes Wodaabe cultural choices as "active archaisation". Different art forms are analysed in the light of identity construction by the Wodaabe.