“Pokot Dancers”, Vanishing Africa Cover

The cover of Mirella’s seminal work - “Vanishing Africa” published in 1971. The Pokot Tribe live in the plains of eastern Uganda across the highlands of northwestern Kenya. Singing, storytelling, and decorative arts, especially bodily adornments, are highly valued. Most Pokot tribal art is associated with body ornamentation, including beadwork, scarification and intricate coiffures and wigs that are worn by young men to signal their belonging to the tribe. Singing accompanies the ceremonies and dances.