Tunic (faroumban)

A man who feels sick or depressed, or who runs out of luck, consults a traditional healer, usually a herbalist. Sometimes the healer prescribes a special garment to be worn next to the skin, made of pure cotton and loaded with talismans. These talismans, made of cotton and wool, are reminiscent of the little leather amulets attached to hunters' garments. In the Senegalese Wolof language this type of tunic is called farumbaam, which means donkey ribs. The name refers to the way in which the front and back of the tunic are connected by narrow strips of cloth.