SAPE: Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes Avec l’arrivée des Français au Congo au début du XX siècle, naquit le mythe de l’élégance parisienne parmi les jeunes qui travaillaient pour les colons. Ils étaient nombreux à considérer l’homme blanc comme supérieur pour sa sophistication et son élégance. En 1922, G.A. Matsoua fut le premier Congolais à revenir de Paris habillé comme un vrai Monsieur Français, provoquant une grande admiration auprès de ses compatriotes. Il devint ainsi le premier grand sapeur. Respectés et admirés par leur communauté, les sapeurs d’aujourd’hui se considèrent comme des artistes. Avec leurs manières raffinées et leur style vestimentaire impeccable, ils apportent une touche de glamour dans leur humble entourage. Chacun d’eux possède son propre répertoire de gestes qui le distingue des autres. Ils poursuivent un grand rêve : voyager à Paris et revenir à Brazzaville en tant qu’ambassadeurs de l’élégance.
The sapeur Lamame leaves his home, in very poor condition since the last civil war (1997-2001), to show off on a Sunday afternoon. Brazzaville, Congo.
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The sapeur Lamame, also known as the Old Parisian, walks on the rocks of the Congo river falls which, despite their name, are only some rapids. They are supposed to be a touristic attraction. Some young naked men are taking a bath and washing their clothes in the river as usual when Lamame arrives to visit the site.
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The sapeur Lamame cleans his shoes with a tissue whereas his pipe lies on a blue plastic table of a Cafe-Bar on the Avenue Matsoua, Brazzaville. There are lots of peanut peels on the ground: they are a popular snack in the Congo.
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Stephane Mouzieto is followed by some children when he walks in an unpaved street of the Bacongo neighborhood of Brazzaville. He imitates his uncle, the famous KVV Mouzieto, a grand sapeur who lives in Paris. He also covers his eye with an eye patch like his uncle.
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A young sapeur adjusts his yellow tie inside the Catholic church of Notre Dame, Brazzaville, Congo. Today, a mess dedicated to the youth of this poor area is taking place. Young, almost debutant sapeurs are encouraged to exhibit their clothing and gestures so as to give them confidence and pride. The father of this Catholic church used to be a well-known sapeur who lived in Paris for some time.
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One of the most active groups of sapeurs, the Picadilly group walk down an avenue of the Mungali neighborhood on a Saturday night. These sapeurs are among the most innovative sapeurs nowadays, wearing kilts and other clothes as yet unknown in Brazzaville.
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The group of sapeurs from the Bacongo neighborhood of Brazzaville, Congo, poses during the concert of The Paradise Orchestra, belonging to the former Health Minister Mr. Opimba. From left to right: Walkise, Willy Covary, Nguaby and Doyen Germain.
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The sapeur Walkese, an important sapeur of the Bacongo neighbourhood, checks himself in the mirror of his room before going out to show off, Brazzaville, Congo.
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Aymard Champion, a sapeur of the Picadilly group takes a ride in a taxi to go to a wedding celebration in the city centre. He holds a golden box of cigarettes on his right hand while he gestures with a unlit cigarette.
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Burial of a well known sapeur called Jean Patrice "Damas" Massamba at the "Ma Campagne" christian graveyard in the outskirts of Brazzaville.
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The sapeur Bienvenu Mouzieto stands in a hairdressing salon in the Bacongo suburb of Brazzaville. One of the rules of the sapeurs elegance is that one can combine a maximum of three different colours.
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The sapeur Lamame is about to leave his home to have a strut around on a Sunday afternoon, Brazzaville, Congo.
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The sapeur Lamame takes a ride in a taxi to the outskirts of Brazzaville. On this occasion he is dressed in a tail coat and covers his right eye with a black patch.
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The sapeur Severin sits with his old sick father in the living room of the family's house. Having a fridge and electricity at home is a symbol of status in such a place as Congo.
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The sapeur Severin, also known as the Japanese ambassador, shows a portrait of his father in the living room of the family home. It is decorated with many portraits of relatives and religious propaganda. Most Congolese are quite religious; Catholic and Christian evangelist churches are preferred among sapeurs. Brazzaville, Congo.
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Hassan Salvador, the leader of the Picadilly group of sapeurs walks in a Poto Poto neighborhood street, in front of a building severy damaged during the combats of the last civil war (1997-2001).
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Hassan Salvador, the leader of the Picadilly group of sapeurs, prepares himself in his room before going out.
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The sapeur Willy Covari, one of the most admired sapeurs of the Bacongo neighbourhood of Brazzaville, Congo, walks on his property with his two children.
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Severin Mouyengo, sapeur since the seventies, is about to cross Avenue Matsoua, the historical avenue of the Bacongo neighbourhood that used to be the only runway of the first Brazzaville and Congolese airport.
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The sapeur Delagrace, also known as the icon of beautiful colours, walks along an unpaved street of Brazzaville, Congo.
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The sapeur Lamame shows off on Matsoua avenue, Brazzavile, Congo.
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The sapeur Lamame drinks a local beer while a little girl stares at him astonished. They are in a bar in Avenue Matsoua on a Sunday afternoon, the moment where most sapeurs like to show themselves.
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A group of sapeurs sit in a terrace bar after attending a friend's funeral. As usual in Africa, neighbours and friends party after the burial.
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Some sapeurs from the Picadilly group from Mungali show off in a Poto Poto avenue one Saturday evening. Brazzaville, Congo.
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The sapeur Delagrace, also known as the icon of beautiful colors, gets a jacket from the hanger of the wall of his room.
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Severin Mouyengo, who has been a sapeur since the seventies, shows some of the pictures that prove his historical involvement in the Sape movement. In the dining room of his house in Brazzaville, Congo.
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The sapeur Delagrace, also know as the Beautiful colors icon, arrives at home after being at the press office where he works. His girlfriend is waiting for him.
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The sapeur Bienvenu Mouzieto is about to finish dressing himself up in his room before going out in the Bacongo neighborhood of Brazzaville, Congo.
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The sapeur Allureux decides to put on his brown socks because they match his bow tie. The rule of the three colours - one should not match more than 3 colors at a time - is one of the principles of Sape elegance. Brazzaville, Congo.
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Hassan Salvador, the leader of the Picadilly group of sapeurs, dresses himself up in his room.
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A young relative of the sapeur Lamame helps him to put his bow tie on properly in the entrance of this room. There are many bullet holes on the wall as a result of the combats of the last civil war (1997-2001). Brazzaville, Congo.
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The sapeur Yves François Ngatsongo, also known as Yves Saint Laurent, is the president and founder of the France Libre association. He walks up the stairs of the tall building were he lives in downtown Brazzaville, Congo. This and other buildings, somewhat damaged by the combats of the last civil war (1997-2001) have been squatted mainly by Northern army-related people.
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The sapeur Delagrace, also known as the icon of beautiful colours, walks along an unpaved street of Brazzaville, Congo.
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The sapeur Bienvenu Mouzieto poses in front of his house in the Bacongo neighbourhood of Brazzaville, Congo.
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