Water Vendors in Niamey: Considering the Economic and Symbolic Nature of Water

Abstract

This article considers the impact of commodification, urbanization, and technology on water systems and cultural relations in the urban context of Niamey, Niger. We focus on the lives and work of water vendors (called ga’ruwa in Hausa) working in the informal economy. Fieldwork in 2013 and 2014 sought answers to two related questions. First, why are ga’ruwa jobs in Niamey dominated by immigrant men? And, second, why do Nigerien men in Niamey avoid this job, even in light of high unemployment? We argue that ga’ruwa offer a conduit for understanding key cultural symbols, values, and social relationships that lead to answers to these questions, but that we also must understand symbols, values, and social relationships to understand the ga’ruwa themselves.