In Niger, there are rituals that withstand the test of time, such as the "Hawan Kaho". This form of traditional bullfighting takes place every year, on the eve of the Ramadan and Tabaski festivals, in the Sultanate of Damagaram, a former pre-colonial Muslim state whose capital is the city of Zinder.

Yesterday, Wednesday, March 18, a huge crowd gathered in the courtyard of the Sultan's palace to witness this ceremony which pits young butchers against furious bulls.

The bulls are not killed

These slaughterers, in a trance-like state, challenge the cattle by climbing onto their heads, aiming to immobilize them by firmly grasping their horns. In doing so, they demonstrate to the sultan, who is watching the spectacle, their bravery, their dexterity, and also the power of their mystical abilities. The fundamental difference between "Hawan Kaho" and a bullfight is that the animals are not killed by the bullfighters, who can be likened here to butchers.

As soon as the slaughterman manages to immobilize the bull, his victory is proclaimed and the animal is returned to the herd.

Young butchers follow an initiation program

The "Hawan Kaho" ceremony held yesterday, Wednesday, took place in the presence of the Sultan and the Sarkin Fawa, the head butcher of the Sultanate. The man told the website Lesahel.org that these young men undergo an initiation process before facing the bull. "It is neither chance nor modern techniques that allow us to face the bull. There is knowledge inherited from our ancestors that must be learned from those who possess this knowledge," he explained.