August 2010

• August 18, 2010 – 9:56 am

  New Ethiopia Pics

  

  The Karo is an Omotic speaking group that lives in the South Omo Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region in Ethiopia. The group is closely related to their neighbors the Hamar and the Banna. The most striking thing about Karo people’s symbolic and ornamental expressions is the painted body and face decorations. This is an elaborate process, which ranges from fine and elaborate details to rough, but striking paintings traced with the palms or fingers.

  

  In common with their linguistically and culturally affiliated Tsemai neighbors, the Erbore migrated to their present homeland from Konso perhaps two centuries ago. Because they have ancestral and cultural links to Konso and the pastoralists of the surrounding lowlands, the Erbore traditionally played an important role as middlemen in trade between the Omo River and the Konso Highlands.

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  • in: blog, fotografie
  • onder: body, clay, clay disc, decoration, disc, Erbore, Ethiopia, foto, Karo, lip, Mursi, paint, photo, photography
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• August 11, 2010 – 1:25 pm

  Hamar ‘bull jump’ – a photo series

  The Hamar is a tribal people in southwestern Ethiopia. They live in Hamer Bena woreda (or district), a fertile part of the Omo River valley, in the Debub Omo Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region (SNNPR). They are largely pastoralists, so their culture places a high value on cattle.

  The Hamar people are semi nomadic pastoralists migrating every few months to find pastures for their goats and cattle. Huts are round and conical made from a dome frame of branches covered with grasses, mats and hides. About 20 huts around a meeting place where dancing and feasting occurs, and a cattle and goat pen make a village. The Hamar often trade with their neighbours for sorghum and corn, as they do not grow it themselves. Goats and cattle offer milk and meat. Sorghum is made into a pancake or porridge and eaten with a stew. Men typically wear a chequered skirt of cloth while women wear a cow skin skirt.

  A key tradition of the pastoral culture is the so-called cow jumping. This rite of passage for men coming of age must be done before a man is permitted to marry.

  

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  • in: blog, fotografie
  • onder: bull jump, ceremony, Ethiopia, Hamar, leaping of the bulls, photography, rite of passage, tribe
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