All hell broke loose on social media after a photoshoot featuring a white model posing with the endangered Baka pygmies of Cameroon was reshared months after it was published. Shot in December 2017 by Luxembourg-based fashion and beauty photographer Awamu Moja, the project dubbed “Human Beings. One Humanity.” is facing heavy backlash for portraying a seemingly white saviour complex. The photos, published in September 2018 and shared by the photographer and crew, show the white model wearing bridal and dinner dresses and posing with the Pygmies in their village located in the Dja Faunal Reserve a UNESCO World Heritage Site in southeastern Cameroon. The elegant-looking white model sat and stood with the villagers and held their babies near their huts, in the rainforest and under trees while they looked on closely. The photographer described the concept as a “provocation”.“Photographing a model in a Grand Prix dress in the midst of Baka pygmies dressed in rags is a provocation. The price of the dress would be enough to bring, at this end of the world, what to live worthily [sic],” said Awamu Moja in a short statement explaining the photoshoot. He continued that the Baka live simple lives of hunter-gatherers and semi-nomadic people “who lack all that civilisation could bring them” but “have not asked anything”.“The Baka welcome the traveller, whoever he is, without thinking badly. Rich with a culture of wisdom and humility. So we throw on these photos a new look and we wonder: opposite ways of life, and then? Very smart who can say where is the true wealth,” the statement ended. This didn’t go down well with social media users who first criticized the concept after Cameroonian art entrepreneur Diane Audrey Ngako shared it on Twitter in late January 2019. She was forced to delete the post after heavy criticism from her followers for asking if the photoshoot was inspiring.
Kenya Daily Notion@NotionDailyReplying to @Voodart
Yes. White supremacy is very inspirational to Africans 
Diane Audrey Ngako✔@VoodartAnd if the model was black?
Diane Audrey Ngako✔@VoodartReplying to @JuniorKwasi
I’m asking a question. It’s all about debate. I want people to put words.
You had me at Black@JuniorKwasi_
It looks weird. This is not the image of Africa we want to see. Can y'all come up with something else!!? Always this Africa is poor blah blah. Is tired and thru. And putting that white girl in the photos, made it worse
Papi@auto_explorerReplying to @Voodart
This is pretty unoriginal. The white saviour/colonial imagery is so last century 
booty rubs@colourmequeerke
Was literally about to comment "the white saviour jumped out" for I saw your tweet.Also dewhyts...
Krystal #WeAreStarfleet@Arsenic82Replying to @Voodart
Jfc, who thought it was a good idea to go with the "white angel of civilization descends from heaven to bless the natives" theme? I mean, isn't it just a little old hat?4
The criticism continued on Instagram under the post of make-up artist and hairstylist, Valentina Becker, who was a member of the crew that made the photoshoot. She was also forced to make her Instagram account private.The behind-the-scenes video of the shoot posted on YouTube by the photographer was also made private and comments disabled after hundreds of criticism. On Wednesday, photojournalist Chirag Wakaskar posted a screenshot of the posts by Valentina Becker and called out the photographer. “And today in white saviour bullshit. Photographer Awamu Moja.” he tweeted and added the link to Becker’s Instagram post which is no longer accessible.
Chirag Wakaskar@chiragwakaskarAnd today in white savior bullshit.
Photographer - Awamu Moja.105 106 people are talking about this
Wakaskar’s critical post generated a lot of attention and more criticism against the photoshoot which is going viral for the wrong reasons.
Here are some more reactions to the photoshoot.
Chirag Sutar@sutarcvReplying to @chiragwakaskar
What nonsense is this!4
Sharell Cook✔@AboutIndiaReplying to @chiragwakaskar
This is bizarre, especially the wedding dress. I really don’t understand.
Daniella Zalcman✔@dzalcmanReplying to @dzalcman @chiragwakaskar
So... a team of white creatives from Luxembourg branded themselves with a Swahili name and make these images? Do I have that right? 17
Floating Hedgehog #SupportNickConrad@samael972
Intriguant .... @Voodart
Hilina Abebe@hilyciousReplying to @chiragwakaskar
If anything comes out of these images, it is the fact that they expose the truth about racism that still lives so comfortably and boldly.9
Marina Abey Thomas@MarinaAbeyReplying to @chiragwakaskar
The horror! I just can't bear these kinds of content. The one with the huts settlements is the worst 1