Viajando por el mundo (CXXXVI) : Arabia Saudí (I) : Flower Men, an aromatic journey in the South of Arabia Saudi
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The Flower Men live in in the Asir region, in the foothills of the Habala Mountains that straddle Saudi Arabia's southern border with Yemen but take orders from neither government, instead living their lives under the dictates of tribal law. Flower men can also be found on the other side of the Saudi border, in Yemen. The war between Saudi and Yemen makes people uncomfortable as they say they share the same blood for centuries. It affects the local economy based on daily exchanges and brings lot of refugees in Saudi Arabia.
The Flower Men are descendants of the ancient Tihama and Asir groups of the area. Their flowers are part of a tradition that goes back more than 2.000 years. These garlands are made from herbs and flowers, including marigolds, jasmine, and basil. There are many reasons why they wear these unusual adornments. Some use them to look and smell nice and others have them for medicinal purposes, like warding off headaches. They go into the foothills of the Habala Mountains every morning in search of fresh herbs for their garlands. French photographer Eric Lafforgue, who spent years documenting marginalised communities around the world, travelled to Asir province with a police escort.
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