Although they look like an African version of the famous Russian babushka dolls, the baskets reflects a man’s dignity among the Karaboros in Burkina Faso.

In a traditional Karaboro wedding, the future husband buys a set of Bobochiaas, which is a set of ”wedding baskets” (10 pieces), for his fiancée, which he will present to her on their wedding day. He is obligated to do this in order to prove to her and her family that he is a good farmer and thereby an honourable husband.

When the husband present the baskets to his wife, they will be filled with cowrie shells, corn, sesame, peanuts, powder from Parkia tree, salt, chili, rice, millet, and sumbala.

//Phine Kjær