Gerewol Festival

The Gerewol Festival is the most famous festival or annual courtship ceremony among the Woddabe Fula people of Niger. Young men dressed in elaborate makeup and traditionally painted faces gather in rows to dance and sign autographs, each vying for the attention of young single women. The Gerewol Festival occurs every year when the traditional nomadic Wodaabe herders gather at the southern edge of the Sahara before dispersing southward over their dry season grasslands.

The most famous festival gathering spot is In-Gail in northwest Niger, where a great festival, market, and series of clan meetings for both Wodaabe and pastoral Tuareg take place. The actual dance event is known as the Yaake, while other factors are less well known, such as the dowry exchange; Competitions or camel races between suitors make up the week-long festival. The Gerewol Festival is found wherever Wodaabe gathers.

• Organization time: September every year
• Location: Niger