Patrick Willocq, I am Walé Respect Me —
New mothers live in seclusion with their parents for two to five years, and ultimately return to celebrations marked by dancing and ritual. During this celebration, they sing the story of their loneliness. For his series, Willocq asked a number of Walé to pose in staged photographs. Each image is a visual representation of the song sung by the participant.
"I've always been fascinated by native tribes because I feel they have a wealth that we have somehow lost," says Willocq.
"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?"