Eid in Senegal: Pictures of Dakar’s Korité fashion

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The Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. In the Muslim-majority country of Senegal, both men and women often get new clothes especially made for the occasion, known locally as Korité. Photojournalist Ricci Shryock took these pictures of the style on show in Dakar.

Twenty-two-year-old Rokhaya waits at a bus stop in her new outfit

Twenty-two-year-old Rokhaya works at a restaurant. Here she is waiting for a bus in the capital city Dakar in her new Korité outfit.

After morning prayers at the mosque, many families grill meat at home for a huge afternoon feast. As the sun sets, both children and adults walk around their neighbourhood greeting each other while showing off their new finery.

Boubacar Diallo wears a blue boubou

Boubacar Diallo, 23, is a businessman in the food industry. He enjoys the annual tradition in Senegal of having a new boubou, or long robe made to celebrate Korité. This boubou is made from “bazin” material and took a local tailor two weeks to cut and embroider.

Khady Diouf wears a red dress and Aissatou Cissé is in blue. They sit outside on chairs

Khady Diouf (left) is a house cleaner and says it was important to get a new dress for Korité to impress her husband.

Aissatou Cissé (centre) has three children and spent the day making food for family and friends. In the evening she was able to relax and sit outside in her new outfit, watching the neighbourhood go by.

Taxi driver Fallou Sene poses for the camera in an orange boubou

Taxi driver Fallou Sene, 44, gets a new boubou every year and this time spent 45,000 CFA francs ($85; £60).

“We celebrate the end of Ramadan, but we do not want it to end. We want it to last three or four more months,” he says. This year he prayed for Covid-19 to stop spreading, and for no other illnesses to appear.

Dienaba Balde wears a blue outfit plus red accessories

“Right now it’s hard to celebrate with your family, so it’s important to make a nice new boubou for the party,” says Dienaba Baldé.

The 24-year-old philosophy student says her favourite thinker is Socrates.

Mamadou Diokhame poses for the camera

Mamadou Diokhame, 60, is a sound technician at a local television station. He pairs this boubou that he’s owned for about three years with what he calls a “Hausa hat” from Niger, bought recently from Dakar’s “large Nigerien community”.

Mamadou Diokhame carries prayer beads in his hands

Mamadou also carries prayer beads after his visit to the mosque.

Cheirno Mohamad Sanogo, Adama Traoré, Papa and Yoro stand in a line

After the morning prayers in Dakar, 10-year-old Thierno Mohamad Sanogo (left) poses next to accountant Adama Traoré and his son Papa, plus 23-year-old Yoro.

“It’s a time to have fun,” Adama says. “And to think of God,” adds Thierno.

Adja Assisi has her headscarf adjusted by another woman

A woman helps Adja Assisi adjust her headscarf. Adja, who is in her 60s and has three children, greeted people walking in and out of the prayer area of the mosque in Dakar’s Pointe E neighbourhood.

Same Ama Faye poses in a black boubou

Nineteen-year-old student Same Ama Faye, modelling his new “grand boubou” here, says he is excited to celebrate the end of Ramadan after fasting for a month.

Ami Badji wears a pale blue boubou

And 27-year-old Ami Badji also wears a brand new outfit for Korité – hers in pale blue.

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