Niger : Nouvelles Impressions d'Afrique

On the one hand, this is a return to places explored before (Niamey and its surrounding areas, the bush near Say), on the other hand, it is an extension of the journey towards the West (Boubon, Tillabery, as far as the approaches to the border with Mali, Ayorou). The time before (last year already), led by an indefatigable frontier runner with wings on his feet*, a first attempt at an imaginary cartography was drawn up of the improbable country made of sand and dreams, of trees struck by lightning and marvellous white cows, of droll devilry and preserved childhood. "Here is Ganji Kan Gamourou Gamourou, the bush that is further than far", Jean Rouch told me, indicating the red space stretching to the horizon. He added with a laugh : "It is the country of nowhere". "It is the country of the bogyman", wrote Albert Londres, without laughing. Jean-André Fieschi. * "Mosso, Mosso, Jean Rouch as if...".