1. "The Wodaabe" focuses on a group of nomadic pastoralists who herd cows and goats in the Sahel desert of Chad and Niger, Africa. Note that they practice horizontal transhumanc e, or migrating from season to season. They are Muslim, so you will see them praying to Allah.
2. This video is subtitled, without any narration. While it does not explain this pastoral way of life, it presents an excellent an visual image of their way of life and will give you a feeling of the significance of a nomadic pasto ral way of life for these people. Focus on these visual images, rather than trying to take a lot of notes.
3. What you will want to get out of the video are the following points:
a. What does it mean to the Wodaabe to be herders? How do they view this way of life vis-a-vis other cultures, such as peasants and urban dwellers? What do they think about changes, such as m oving to town, attending school, etc.?
b. What is the most significant factor affecting their lives?
c. What do they believe causes the draught?
d. Note the gendered division of labor: what tasks do women do? men?
e. Note that they must go to town to trade at the market for food, since they to not cultivate crops