Too young to Wed

Photographer

Philipp Schmieja

Category

Editorial Photography - Culture

Company

Submission Group

Amateur

Year

2026

Country / Region:

Germany

Among the Mbororo tribe, marriage often occurs at a young age. These marriages are traditionally viewed as a mean of preserving chastity and ensuring the continuation of family lineage. Child marriage comes with a heavy costs for the young girls though. The Mbororo tribe is a branch of the Fulani tribe. They are nomadic pastoralists who are found in Cameroon, Niger and Chad. Scarification is a common form of their body modification and it is an integral part of their identity and traditions. The scarification process involves creating raised keloid scars in intricate patterns on the skin.