[…] In many West African cultures, traditionally, adolescence is inseparable from the experience of initiation. All this energy, these aspirations, this immense potential must indeed be guided and harnessed, especially when talking about a continent where the median age is nineteen. And yet traditions are being lost with urbanisation and the modernisation of lifestyles. Phones and social networks it seems, have long since taken the place of the masters of old, whose mission—through ritual, philosophy, material and intangible knowledge, through poem and song, through nourishment of the body and spirit—was to enable the full realisation of the individual who sought to penetrate the mystery of things and of life.

It is this land of contrasts that holds Malick Bodian’s memories. […] here is the presence of ghosts from the past, sure, but also the very real daily experience of the talibés, and the young girls selling juice and other snacks, children and youth for whom this moment of lightness will not erase a chilling reality. And yet, one cannot help but be stunned by the smiles, the laughters, the mischief in the eyes that run through the pages of this book. […] I saw a princess in a golden dress, a motorcycle stunt champion, a great action-movie hero; inhabitants of an Edenic realm long thought lost, enjoying the coolness on the shore of a lake of emerald waters; we learn it is Lake Kivu, a natural border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. While the children share a touching moment of fraternity and play on the Rwandan side, across the water fear reigns, partly stoked by the government protecting the “miracle” on this side of the shore. The boys do not seem aware of this duality.

The beauty of adolescence perhaps lies in those remnants of childhood that sometimes blur the boundary between reality and fiction. For in Africa we are, viscerally, a continent of invocations, of conjurations, of projections, of manifestations. A land of spells, of panegyric verses, of mythical tales shared by moonlight. Things that are because they are told. — Olivia Anani, Cotonou, 15 September 2025

Contributors:
Foreword: Olivia Anani
Poems: Ramata-Toulaye Sy
Maps: Max Kohler
Painting on cover: Antonio Oba

Malick Bodian is a Senegalese photographer born in Mbao, Dakar in 1997. He lives and works between France and Senegal. Malick began his journey in front of the camera, but it was through his travels and encounters across different countries that he discovered a deeper passion for storytelling through images. His curiosity and desire for self-expression led him to photography, teaching himself the craft as a way to reconnect with his roots and his home. Through his lens, Malick seeks to capture moments of grace, identity, and contemporary life. His work reflects a genuine appreciation for the beauty and individuality of his subjects, portraying them with warmth and dignity. While collaborating with leading fashion brands and publications, he continues to develop personal projects that celebrate the richness and singularity of African stories.

Available for pre-order