Zarma - Songhay culture:
Waffa braiding
(part 3)
Waffa turuyaη,
Waffa braiding, part 3
The foundations has been laid, what follows is the finishing
off of the work of art. Two layers of braids are needed to
cover the Comal completely. The first layer is used to keep
the Comal in place. The second layer serves to hide the
Comal from view. Although Koran verses are used in the
amulet, the Marabous claim that the Koran forbids the use of
the Comal in braiding and that the Comal will transform into
a snake that will kill the wearer. The true reason,
according to Djamo, is that the cloth takes op moistures
during the ritual washing. She complains women are less
interested in the old fashion and customs, and that,
therefore, she has to adapt herself to the modern hair
styles. This part of the video shows, as an interlude, some
domestic activities of the Wogo women. The finishing touch
of braiding consist of making two fine thin braids to which
decorations can be attached. As decorations coins of former
times are used, which are thoroughly cleaned and polished.
Each type of coins has its own significance and value. Djamo
leaves the attachment of the coins to a younger women, an
old apprentice, as Djamo doesn't see that well anymore. At
the end, the woman with newly braided hair dresses herself
with a traditional garments and she performs a dance.
Background information
This video is the third part of a film by Ibrahim Labo Kalla titled "La
tresse Waffa" and which was made in 2006 by order of
the ´Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision du Niger´. The two
other parts can be viewed as well. The film has been
released as part of the series 'Alter metier' and is
shot in Niger. The length of the original film is 25 minutes
and the film has been broadcasted in October 2006 by RTBF 3.
Comments and subtitles are in French. However, the people in
the movie speak Songhay-Kaado
en Zarma. This third part takes almost ten minutes.
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Waffa
braiding (part 1 to
3) |
|
Turuyaŋ, part 1 |
Turuyaŋ, part 2 |
Turuyaŋ, part 3 |
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About the film
This film shows in its own
peculiar way that hairdressing is not only meant to make
someone beautiful, or at least immaculately dressed, but
also that hairdressing is an integral part of the culture
of a people [1]. We see picture of the market and
the river, both an essential part of the Zarma/Songhay
civilisation. At the same time, we learn that de Zarma/
Songhay-Kaado language is spoken by several distinguishable
ethnic groups. We get to see the role of the women in the
maintenance of the house. The mud walls weather and erode by
the extreme weather in the Sahelian zone, and the people
have to regularly skim or daub the wall with a fresh layer
of mud. But, above all, we obtain insight into the art and
rituals of hair braiding, the Waffa braiding to be precise. .
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The
Wogo
is an ethnic group, that settle in the area between
Ayerou
en
Tillabéri
(Niger) around 1800. They often live on the isles in
the Niger river [2,
p.388]. They speak
Songhay-Kaado,
just like the other ethnic groups that live in this
area.
This Songhay-dialect is almost similar to Zarma and
also they culture of the Wogo is very alike to that
of the Zarma
[2, p.360]. |
More information
[1] Regina Paul. About Hair Braiding.
ehow.com
[2] Jean-Paul Olivier de Sardan (1978)
Marriage among the Wogo. In: David Seddon (ed.),
Relations of production. Marxist approaches to economic
anthropology. Frank Cass and Company Limited, Oxon,
pp. 357-388.