# Pieter Hugo's photos: Hyena people of Nigeria - Author: Joichi Ito - Date: 2005-07-28T15:12:44Z Copyright Pieter Hugo Xeni Jardin @ Boing Boing BlogPieter Hugo's photos: Hyena people of Nigeria The thought that popped into my head when I first saw this incredible photo was, "next time you feel smug or badass, remember this and say -- no you are not tough. This is tough." Pieter Hugo's photo series "Hyena People of Nigeria" is the result of a ten-day trek the South African photographer took with a group of wandering minstrels and their animal companions: three hyenas, two pythons and four monkeys. Shown here: "Mallam Mantari Lamal with Mainasara, Nigeria, 2005" Here's a snip from a "making of" interview with Hugo:‘Last year I saw a picture on a website that was taken from a car window in Nigeria,” says Pieter Hugo. “It showed a man with a hyena on the streets of Lagos.” Seated on a restaurant balcony overlooking Cape Town’s city bowl, the tall, athletic photographer says it was this crude photograph that motivated him to visit Nigeria. “The caption said he was a debt collector,” he continues, a glass of wine and salad placed in front of him. “The photograph really intrigued me.” Through a local researcher Hugo was introduced to Adetokunbo Abiola, a Nigerian journalist who emailed him to say he knew of the men (there were more than one) in the picture. A few weeks later Hugo nervously exited Lagos airport on his first visit to the country."Link. See this post on Clayton Cubitt's blog for a slew of additional links about Hugo's work. Previously on Boing Boing: Hyenas and baboons for pets I remember linking to a picture of these Hyenas last year. The picture was amazing, but honestly, it didn't motivate me to visit Nigeria. I'm glad it motivated Hugo though. Technorati Tags: hyena, nigeria --- #### Categories Global Voices, Photo