ARTWORKS
In northern Nigeria, the Gadawan Kura inherit a tradition built on coexistence with wild hyenas, baboons, and venomous snakes. From early childhood, they are initiated into close contact with these animals, consuming self-made potions and learning techniques passed down through generations.
As adults, they travel across the country performing dangerous, circus-like shows – placing their heads between hyenas’ jaws – to demonstrate mastery over the untamable. The spectacles serve both as spiritual theater and livelihood. Their animals, taken from the wild and unable to return, rely on them for survival. This symbiosis – fueled by risk, ritual, and financial need – is explored through intimate portraits that capture the fragile, contested bond between man and beast in a world of shrinking margins.
