Blogs from Jinka, Southern Nations Region, Ethiopia, Africa
November 28th 2011
Painted in white and wearing animal skins. Decorated with bones and walking on stilts. Carrying spears and wondering naked. You have been transported back in time. A time when the first adventurers stumbled across African tribes. A time when food was gathered by painted warriors, a time when only the strongest survived. Intimidated into paying a bribe for a bogus guide you head deeper into the Omo valley trusting only your driver. As an Ethiopian soldier jumps in the vehicle to offer protection, you can’t help but laugh at the poor state of his AK47. Carrying no bullets and speaking only Americ, he sits and smiles, expecting payment for his services. Driving through mountain terrain and stunning fields, its hard to believe you are in Ethiopia. A country that once struggled to feed its people. A ... read more
ETHIOPIA...Stretched Lips & AK47s...THE MURSI
Published: July 22nd 2011Africa » Ethiopia » Southern Nations Region » Jinka
July 22nd 2011
ETHIOPIA...Stretched Lips & AK47s...THE MURSI 25 January 2011 was an important day in Jinka, capital of the South Omo Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities & Peoples Regional State...not because we passed through that day on our way to see the Mursi...but because the President of Ethiopia was in town...for the 13th Annual Pastoralists Day Celebrations... and the news he brought will have far reaching consequences for the exotic tribes of the Lower Omo Valley. The President had cancelled all pre-booked accommodation for Western tourists in Jinka, so we suddenly had nowhere to stay...ended up in Konso, a few hours drive away...so early start that day...breakfast in Key Afar...with Ethiopian coffee...after all we are on a "coffee tour" of Ethiopia...soldiers everywhere...then onto Jinka...possibly my favourite name for a destination. Flags everywhere...there'... read more
More Tribes that Time Forgot
Published: December 30th 2010Africa » Ethiopia » Southern Nations Region » Jinka
July 29th 2010
Even though the first half of my journey to the Omo Valley introduced me to vastly different cultures, the second half would see me meet some truly extraordinary tribes. The next destination was a village called Kolcho inhabited by the Karo tribe who are renowned for their body painting. Our vehicle encountered the roughest dirt road conditions so far, and we occasionally needed to navigate around huge holes and carefully negotiate near vertical drops into dry river beds – Tsegaye’s driving was superb. After much jarring of bones, we arrived at Kolcho nestled near to a stunning lookout with a magnificent panorama over the Omo River. This was one village worthy of an entrance fee, for not only were the views impressive, but so too was the village. Covering a large area with a multitude of ... read more
February 15th 2010
It's a not so short hop to Sodo, skip to Arba Minch and a jump to Jinka that begins my final days in Ethiopia. The last leg into Jinka is hilarious. The road is lined with young children who bob up and down, springing in and out of a squat position whilst simultaneously waving their hands, (sometimes) with a coordinated salute. It is as if they are auditioning for a work-out video. The reason for this is that the region is surprisingly parched and they are providing "entertainment" for passing vehicles in the hope that passengers will give them some water. Some of my neighbours do just that, flinging a few half full bottles out the window to some of the more adventurous children who also do handstands and, in one case, back flips. I am ... read more
March 20th 2009
Some vids from the traditional Hamer coming of age ceremony I went to near Lala... read more
March 20th 2009
Some vids from the traditional Hamer coming of age ceremony I went to near Lala... read more
Think you've got a little something on your lip there...
Published: December 25th 2008Africa » Ethiopia » Southern Nations Region » Jinka
November 20th 2008
The slice of lip separated from the rest of her face sways around as she shakes her head at me, wrinkled in its limp, un-stretched form. The crescent-shaped hole under her jaw gapes with its big, empty space. I want to punch my fist through to see if it will fit, but the look in her eyes doesn't seem so welcoming. With that, she takes her left hand to her mouth and stretches the bottom lip outwards and down. Her right hand places a 20cm in diameter clay disc on the edge of the lower lip, carefully laying the flesh down in the groove running around the side of the plate, snapping the top of the disc in place right under her lower set of teeth. Quite impressive. The Mursi tribeswoman shakes her head again, the ... read more
