I dove deeply into an initiation ritual of the Ekonda pygmies in DR Congo. The Ekondas
believe that the most important moment in the life of a woman is the birth of her first
child.
The young mother (usually 15 to 18) is called Walé ("primiparous nursing mother"). She
returns to her parents where she remains secluded for a period of 2 to 5 years. During her
seclusion, a Walé is under very special care. She must also respect a taboo on sex during
the whole period and is given a similar status to that of a patriarch. The end of her
seclusion is marked by a dancing and singing ritual. The choreography and the songs have a
very codified structure but also contain unique qualities specific to each Walé. She sings
the story of her own loneliness, and with humor praises her own behavior while
discrediting her Walé rivals.
I've always been fascinated by native tribes because I feel they have a wealth that we
have somehow lost. Today, many initiation rituals in the Congo are disappearing. The
ritual of the Walé woman has resisted the pressures of modern life — but for how long? To
document this beautiful tribute to motherhood, fertility and femininity, I proposed to
some Walés to participate in staged photographs. Each set-up worked as a visual
representation of one of the subjects that the Walé would sing about on the day of her
release from seclusion.
This series is a personal reflection of women in general and the Walé ritual specifically.
But first and foremost, it is the result of a unique collaboration with young pygmy women,
their respective clans, an ethnomusicologist, an artist and many artisans of the forest.
Working together, our mutual experiences become richer giving birth to "I am Walé Respect Me".
Self-taught photographer for the last 25 years, my passion for travel, discovery, and learning about different cultures, my desire to document the realities that I witness since my childhood have been closely intertwined. Currently 44 years old, I have lived 32 years outside France, out of which 7 years in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 2012, the growing need to express my creativity through photography pushes me to devote myself entirely to it (I was working for multinationals in Asia Pacific for over 20 years).
Awards Finalist SFR Jeunes Talents Paris Photo 2012
Winner Best Photo Story Award and Grant AFD 2012
Finalist LensCulture Exposure Awards 2013
Part of British Journal of Photography "the Ones to Watch" in 2014
Nominated Prix Découverte Rencontres Arles 2014
