Relay Column: Learning from the Dandy Men of Kinshasa, "the Sapeurs" – The Importance of Pride & Self-Satisfaction (Ken Hiruma)

In the central and southern parts of the African continent lies a vast land called Congo. Most of it is tropical rainforest. Today, there are the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) as nations.

The capital of the former is Brazzaville, while the capital of the latter is Kinshasa, one of the largest cities on the continent. The number of languages spoken there exceeds 200 by some counts. Therefore, since the late 19th century, the colonial languages of France and Belgium, French, have continued to function as the only official language.

In a 2014 video produced by the British beer company Guinness titled "The Men inside the Suits / Sapeurs," strikingly dressed men walk through the streets of Kinshasa. They are the Sapeurs. Adorned in vibrant, bold colors, their appearance is stylish and neatly coordinated, typically limited to three colors (three systems), maintaining a unique dignity.

Although they gained independence from Belgium in 1960, the country has since been plagued by civil wars and political instability, making it one of the world's major resource-rich nations. The uniqueness they exude is intense. Their presence began to attract attention in Japan around ten years ago. After being featured in an NHK documentary in 2014, two books by Japanese photographer Sap Chano, and two by Italian photographer Daniele Tamagni, who first introduced Sapeurs to the world, as well as a book by British photographer Tariq Zaidi (translated into Japanese), have been published alongside various online articles, bringing the Sapeurs of Congo into the spotlight.