Jen and I decided to do a self-portrait photo shoot on Christmas morning wearing traditional Beninese outfits. We are both wearing boombas. Men’s boombas pair matching pants and top while women’s include a top and a wrap. Boombas are everyday wear or formal wear depending on the style of the tailoring and the quality of the material. The boombas we are wearing in the photo above are outfits that would be worn to work or to go out on the weekend. Unlike Americans, Beninese do not typically smile in photographs so we have our serious faces on for this photo.
In the photo below we are sporting our American-photo smiles with our matching boombas. It is common for families to buy one print of fabric and have matching outfits made for a variety of occasions including weddings, funerals, anniversary parties, graduation parties, Christmas parties and New Years parties. These matching outfits are from our swearing-in as Peace Corps volunteers in Benin in September, 2012.
I was to quick to comment about the photo sans smiles. Just read the blog and now I get it.
You look great, keep up the good work!
Love Dad (Mark)