Gadawan Kura – The Hyena Men
These photographs by Pieter Hugo for a book in the same name “Gadawan Kura” – The Hyena Men have certainly caught my attention. These men and their pet Hyena’s and or Baboons, in Nigeria are fierce modern warriors with the penultimate “Bad Ass” pets. Some of these men are rumored to be robbers, bodyguards, drug dealers, debt collectors, and an equal amount of myth surrounds them. This photographers journey began after seeing an image of one of these Hyena guides/handlers or “Gadawan Kura” that appeared in the Nigerian newspaper. Captivated by the image, the Photographer tracked down the group of men. It turned out that these men whom Myth had overcome were actually a group of itinerant minstrels, performers who used the animals to entertain the crows and sell traditional medicines. These “Gadawan Kura” were all related to each other in some way and were practicing a tradition that had been passed down from generation to generation. I think these images are awesome, scary and amazing. Look for the book from Michael Stevenson/Pieter Hugo called “Gadawan Kura” The Hyena Men. For more information contact +27 (0)21 421 2575 or fax +27 (0)21 421 2578 or email info@michaelstevenson.com.
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