THE Beauty Queens OF AL DHAFRA

Welcome to Al Dhafra’s camel beauty pageant, where the competition is tough

- Kester Schlenz

The fictional Hunchback of Notre Dame suffered from his hump. But here, 180 kilometres from the skyscrapers of Abu Dhabi, a really large growth is considered the height of beauty. And if black, bristly hairs sprout from it—even better. Add puffy, drooping lips, and the ideal of beauty is complete. We are talking about camels here—female camels.

In December 2021, German photographer Caspar Wündrich travelled to the United Arab Emirates to attend the Al Dhafra Festival’s camel beauty contest in the Gulf. What sounds bizarre to us is a big thing in the Arab world, because it’s all about glamour, honour and a lot of money. A total of ₹117 crores is up for grabs as the region’s uber-wealthy camel owners send their extremely valuable even-toed ungulates to compete on the camel catwalk.

The action takes place at the edge of the Rub al Khali, the world’s largest sand desert, a two-hour drive southwest of Abu Dhabi. All around there is hectic activity; photographers, TV crews, curious spectators and excited competitors.

From inside the gates of this huge festival that celebrates Bedouin culture, a very old-fashioned smell wafts out—an aroma of stables and camels. Entry to the competition is strictly guarded. After waiting a while, Wündrich was finally led through the entrance gate—a wire fence covered with hessian—by attentive guards.

There he entered a world where modern-day big money and Arab history combine to form an intriguing mixture of old and new culture.