Wodaabe woman pounding millet, Abouza, Zinder-Tanout region, Niger

"In central Niger, between the great Sahara Desert and the Grasslands, lies an immense steppe in which the Wodaabe, commonly called Bororo, are virtually the only Fulbe group that has preserved the ancient nomadic tradition. Consumption of milk and millet varies, depending on the season. During the rainy season, milk is abundant and is the staple of the Woodabe diet. During the dry season, the lack of milk is made up for by millet dishes and sometimes by rice, wheat or sorghum cooked in water." [Beckwith/Van Offelen, 1983: Nomads of Niger, Harry N. Abrams Inc.]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon traveled to Africa from March 17, 1970 to July 17,1970.