Dourbali

Dourbali is an ordinary Sahel town that matters for one thing, the Gerewol gathering the Wodaabe hold in the grazing country around it as the rains end. Two clans bring their herds together and the young men paint their faces in ochre, put on tall headdresses and dance the yaake and the gerewol in long lines while young women walk the row and choose. It runs for several days and the date moves with the rainfall, so it is confirmed only weeks ahead. There is nothing built for visitors and groups camp beside the cattle on the open pasture, which is the whole point of coming.