African Infantryman of the Year 2009

[throdgrain]

Thank god, it's a update for everyones favourite competition.

The bystander looks a bit confused -

Rather sad

 

[Macey]

The fairy wings say so much...

 

[Dukat]

Its amazing how well grenades fit into those school bags, I need to get one for my grenades too!

Will that crazy jumping RPG guy from 2008 be making a comeback? I was sure he'd be about to defend his title?!

 

[Sparx]

that last pic is fantastic

 

[Chilly]

fantastic

 

[dysfunction]

 

[Mabs]

almost on topic

 

[old.user4556]

*bracka bracka bracka!*

 

[Mey]

Has anyone found out why they dress up like this out of interest?

 

[Grotnob]

Has anyone found out why they dress up like this out of interest?

It's a mixture of tribal trophy-taking and adornment tradition, superstition, religion and khat.

I remember watching a program a year or so back following the life of one Somali child soldier. There was a militiaman in his group of friends who had a particular hat that he wore because the local juju man told him it would make him bulletproof.

I'm not saying this is the definitive answer for all the individuals in these photos, but also in mind that a lot of these "soldiers" spend a large amount of their day stoned to bejeebus on khat, and probably don't care any more about their looks than we would care about what a drunken fry-up looks like.