Omo valley in southwestern Ethiopia

 The Mursi (or Murzu) are a Sub-Saharan African nomadic cattle herder tribe located in the Omo valley in southwestern Ethiopia close to the Sudanese border. The estimated population of the Mursi is around 3900.

Surrounded by mountains and three rivers, the home of the Mursi is one of the most isolated region of the country. Their neighbors include the Bodi, the Aari, the Banna, the Kara, the Bumi and the Chai. The Mursi have their own language, also called Mursi. Few are familiar with Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia, and their literacy level is very low.

(to be continued)

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Tribes in the lower Omo Valley

 The tribes that live in the lower Omo Valley are believed to be among the most fascinating on the continent of Africa and around the world. Tours are offered to several towns and villages. It is often you come into contact with the following tribes: Arbore, Ari, Bena, Bodi, Bumi, Daasanech (Geleb), Dorze, Hamer (Hamar), Kara (or Karo), Konso, Kwegu (or Muguji), Mursi, Tsemay, and Turkana when you tour the valley.

It is estimated that the
Omo Valley is home to over 200,000 tribal people. Among the ancient African tribes that live in the southern part of Ethiopia, there is a wide variety of wildlife as well.

(to be continued) / photos: Janin

Ancient Tribes Along The Omo River 2

Ethiopia is a museum of peoples, a rich and varied mix of ethnicities with 83 different languages and over 200 dialects. But even in this crowded cultural mosaic, the tribal diversity of the Omo River Basin is unparalleled: the Hamar, the Konso, the Borana, the Bumi, the Surma, the Anuak, the Nuer and the Bodi all belong to the world of ‘primitive’ Africa. Some like the Morsi – the subject of recent documentaries – have grown rapacious after contact with outsiders. Others like the Karo, who number only about 1,000 souls, may be heading for extinction. A few have never seen a white face. Most are cattle people or pastoralists who maintain huge herds of pale, long-horned cows, too precious to be butchered for food. They lack almost any form of material culture beyond personal adornment, yet they inhabit a richly symbolic universe.

Stanley Stewart  (to be continued)

photo: Janin