Ethiopia – Omo Valley Private Photo Tour with Mike Dexter

The Hamar women, with their glistening red ochre skin, red ochre braided hair, multi coloured beaded necklaces, leather skirts, iron and copper bracelets and dazzling white smiles, are truly wonderful to spend time with and photograph. The men, muscled, weathered and well armed, emanate a mix of refined dignity and warrior awe. I must say however that on this Omo Valley tour it was the children who stole the show. The unbridled excitement, the genuine smiles and carefree laughter are reminiscent of children everywhere – they bridge the cultural gap which in this land that time left behind, seems unbridgeable.

We were fortunate enough to visit two Hamar villages and bear witness to the famous (and famously controversial) bull jumping ceremony. First I want to explain what I mean by village: The Hamar live in small extended family groups where there will be a handful of clay and thatch huts and a few small kraals made out of branches for protecting the cattle and goat herds at night. When we arrive at a village we begin by negotiating with the chief for permission to photograph the family. Once negotiations have been settled we shoulder our cameras and start exploring the village for candid scenes and striking subjects. Occasionally someone is reluctant to have her/his photo taken so we politely move on, for the most part however, they are willing, relaxed and authentic subjects. Everyone enjoys seeing their photographs on the back of the camera, mirrors being albeit absent in their lives. Children in particular love the novelty of having photographers in their midst.

The second tribe that we visited was the Karo who live in a village in a beautiful setting overlooking the Omo River. We left our accommodation early as it takes an hour to reach the village and we wanted to be there before the sun peaked above the mountains in the east. It was fascinating watching the village come to life as the morning progressed, with more and more eager models emerging as the hours passed. The Karo are famous for their body painting and intricate beadwork and we were certainly not disappointed.

In no-man’s land between Ethiopia and Kenya lies the land of the Dassenech. A tribe that has a fundamentally different culture to the Hamar and Karo, differences which are reflected in their architecture, dress, adornments and traditions. Their dome shaped huts are constructed of corrugated iron, wood and thatch – protecting them from the strong winds and dust that prevail in the harsh area that they call home. We spent a full morning photographing and interacting with the Dassenech – having a little glimpse into what their day to day lives entail.

For the second leg of the Omo Valley photo tour we were based in Jinka and our primary focus was the Mursi. That didn’t stop us however from spending a rewarding afternoon with the Ari people on the fertile mountain slopes that tower above the town. The Ari are a more prosperous and westernised tribe than the others but that is not to say that the experience, and the photographic opportunities, were any less rich. To the contrary, their colourful way of life is in such stark contrast to the others that it is a most worthwhile and rewarding excursion.

We were privileged to spend two mornings with the Mursi in two different villages. Both experiences were rich in their own right and the difference between the two reflected the extent to which, even within the same tribe, there is variation in values and lifestyle. The Mursi are arguably the most traditional of the Omo Valley tribes, famous for the lip plates and intricate scarification of the women and the warrior countenance of the men. They can at times be an intimidating people but we were greeted with broad smiles and open arms and came away with truly remarkable images.

When the tour came to an end it was, as always, a bittersweet moment. Eager for some well earned rest after a week of early mornings and long days, excited to start sifting through the images, satisfied with the new memories made, but also reluctant to leave this magical land and its fascinating people.