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Discover Ethiopia’s unique history, people, nature, culture,
landscape, … tours. Ethiopia also is known as a museum of
peoples as it represents a mosaic of national/ linguistic
communities or nations, speaking more than 83 different
languages, with about 200 dialects, and professing different
religions. It is a land of contrast and diversity boasting
numerous interesting and wonderful tourist attractions. The
natural beauty of Ethiopia amazes the first time visitor as the
country is a land of rugged mountains (some 25 are over 4,000
meters high), broad savannah lakes and rivers. The great and
unique Rift Valley is a remarkable region of volcanic lakes with
their famous collections of flora and fauna, and bird life,
great escarpments and stunning vistas. The diversity of history,
culture and geography, which so overwhelm the visitor to
Ethiopia, is no accident of place, it is indicative of quite an
extra-ordinary past.
The Hamar People
The Hamar occupy a mountainous region in the eastern part of the
lower Omo Valley. Their name is also spelled Hamer. The “Jumping
the bull” ceremony is the most spectacular rite of passage in
Southern Ethiopia. This ceremony marks the initiation of young
men in to adult hood. The main players are the initiates, those
who are going to jump the bulls and the maz, those recently
initiated whohavealreadyundergonethisrite.
The initiate boys are required to jump in to the backs of
formidable obstacle jump down on to the other side and then
repeat the entire procedure on the day after the “ jumping the
bull” ceremony, women gather together, beautifully attired in
their bedded skins and iron jeweler. Hammer women wear their
hair in dense ringlets smeared with mud and clarified butter4
and topped off with a head featuring oblongs of gleaming
aluminum courtship daces follow and continue for the following
two days and night.
Their dance styles called “evangadi” and “ camp fire” ritual has
attracted many scholars artists and visitors to their land from
different parts of the globe.
Konso
Konso people who are famous for their traditional
terracing system, and the compound of Konso’s chief house, Waka
Totem (Grave Wooden Totem). It symbolizes the heroism acts of
the dead when he was acting as an important leader. The hero’s
sculpture can be easily identified by its phallic decoration and
relatively larger size. His slain enemies whom he had defeated
and they will be represented with smaller and without phallic
sculpture will surround it.etc.
The Tsemay People
Tsemay are personally located in the southern region,
with no more than 10,000 people. In rural areas of Ethiopia,
girls are mostly requiring to keep their virginity until they
get married Nevertheless this custom is not generalized
throughout the county. The Tsemay can engage in premarital
relations, and amongst youngsters having sexual partner is not
un common.
The Mursi People
The Mursi are cattle hardier and cultivators whose
number about 6000 and live in the lower valley of the river Omo.
The Mursi are renowned for the strange customs followed by their
women who are reaching maturity have their lower lips slit and
circular clay inserted. The plates made from mud (reddish or
black) or wood. There are different sizes and shapes (circular
or trapezoidal) they may be decorated with cuts or incisions on
the wood or mud. Some times the center is hollow, forming a
large labial ring. The larger the disc the more desirable the
wearer.
The Dorze People
They are famous for their beehive huts all over the
posters and photos.it is measures as long as 12m with a central
pillar carrying the whole load o the tukul. It then woven with
bamboo in vertical and horizontal styles. The down word nature o
the structure is to resist the torrential rainfall of the area
and the house well built may last half a century without any
major maintenance. The Dorzes having this remarkable experience
will produce the famous weaving in the country
The Dassanetch (Geleb) People
The Dassenetch or Geleb occupy land on both sides of
the Omo River. The Dassanetch are known all concern the same
people. The most important ritual of Dassanetch is the So-called
dime. The daughter is most important in the dimi ceremony. The
whole population of a tribal section attends this ceremony
where, for six weeks. The dime ritual is directly connected to
the upcoming marriage of the daughters and consists for the
larger part of slaughtering large quantities of cattle. By the
end of the ceremony the participants are well dressed, with
ostrich feathers in their clay hair, oxtails around their arms,
leopard skins over their shoulder.
The Karo Peopel
The Karo people, who live in the Southern Omo Zone or
Omo Valley, are a small group only about 1000 people. The Karo
are considered the master of body painting in which they engage
when preparing for a dance feast or celebration. They are
physically attractive because of their elaborate body decoration
and modification. This is an elaborate process which ranges from
fine and elaborate details to rough, but striking paintings
traced with the palms or fingers. The most beautiful expression
is in the facial and chest paintings that combine white (chalk),
black coal, yellow, Ochre, and red Minerals, Suri, Karo and
Nyangtom women apply Ornamental Scarification, on abdomen, arms
and back, which enhance their beauty in the eyes of man.
The Nyangatom(Bume)
The Nyangatom also known as Bume, the Nyangatom (Bume)
belong to the Nilo Saharan linguistic group. Nyangatom(Bume)
women are known for their enormous bead necklaces and for their
use red ochre in their hairdo. Ornamentation of the women is
designed not only for beauty, but also to assert the woman’s
social status. The number, color, and variety of necklaces worn
make a social declaration. Nyangtom men use the delicately
colored clay head caps decorated with feather. They use natural
clay and pigments found in their area, the Omo River basin.
Colors are made from chalk; soft red, bluish, grey and yellow
stones; and charcoal powder. In addition, both men and women
also insert lip plugs of ivory, aluminum or wood on the lower
lip. Scarification on bodies is a typical decoration for both
men and women. They made little dots to highlights their eye and
cheekbones.
The Surma People
The Surmas used to be nomadic pastoralists, but now
depend on substance cultivation of sorghum and maize. The most
famous tradition the Surma is ‘Donga’ or stick fighting. At a
certain age, they must face each other with long wooden clubs
(donga), around two meters in length and whose ends have phallic
form. Each contestant wears a dueling kit which both protective
and decorative.