WALÉ, SECOND LOOK

WALÉ, SECOND LOOK

CREDITS

GUP Author

GUP TEAM

Artist

Patrick Willocq

Artist Website

patrickwillocq.com

For the Ekondas pygmies in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the most important moment in the life of a woman is the birth of her first child. The young mother is called Walé (‘primiparous nursing mother’). A walé carries both responsibilities and status: she returns to her parents, where she remains secluded for 2-5 years, and must adhere to several strict taboos during this time. She takes on a nickname to differentiate herself from walé rivals, and engages in an elaborate beautification ritual to draw attention to herself.

In this series from Patrick Willocq (1969, France), a continuation of his elaborate staged scenes with the walé, he portrays this characteristic ritual in ornate colour and intimate proximity. Willocq explains the presentation further: “She spreads a red preparation, a mixture of powder of ngola wood with palm oil, over her own body. The sophisticated hairstyles, made of a mud-like paste, a mixture of ashes from bopokoloko leaves and palm oil, are yet another way for walés to flaunt their uniqueness.”