In Niger, West Africa, there is a Fulani tribe called the Wodaabe. The tribe's men are viewed as being extremely conceited since they constantly carry mirrors and think they are the most attractive group of men.
The women in the tribe are free to have as many sexual partners as they choose before marriage, and marriage is always entered into infancy.
The Gerewol, an annual festival of the tribe, features extravagant costumes, make-up competitions, and pageants for men. Men dress to impress the wives of other guys during the event.
The culture believes that beauty can be measured by the whiteness of the eye, the firm straight bridge of the nose and white teeth. The purpose of the makeup is to draw attention to these traits.
The men spend six hours getting ready before the festival starts so they can dance and flaunt their skills.
They use red clay to paint their faces, eyeliners to make their eyes look whiter, and lipstick that will also whiten their teeth. Also, they have white ostrich feathers in their hair that make them look taller.
Three of the tribe's most attractive women are selected to evaluate as the males perform a circle-dancing dance as part of the celebration.
Other women, already wives of other men, admire the man they most desire to choose as their second husband. A man automatically becomes her husband and the union is recognized if he successfully snatches her without being discovered.
The tribe is a polygamous one so the wife theft is largely acceptable. Despite this, some men refuse to let their spouses attend the event because they don't want their women to be taken.
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