The extraordinarily diverse country of Ethiopia is home to some of the last true tribal people in all of Africa. In the south west of Ethiopia lies the Omo Valley, a living anthropological treasure of spectacular people.
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 Lower Omo Valley is one of the most fascinating regions in Ethiopia, and even the African continent, thanks to the cultural diversity of over a dozen tribes that coexist. The valley is mostly a dry savanna expanse fed by the Omo River –one of their most important resources. Along the river and throughout the valley region, hundreds of small tribal villages pepper the landscape, each of them with their unique customs and even their own language. These tribes have lived here for centuries, and since the discovery of human remains dating back nearly 2.5 million years, the Lower Valley region has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.The traditions of the Omo Valley tribes are deeply embedded, and each tribe’s identity is vividly clear, even to outsiders. Researchers have noted that this extraordinary wealth of traditional human cultures and small tribal groups exhibiting an amazing wealth of body decoration and adornment was due to their long isolation.
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. There are a fascinating range of cultural practices. The market towns offer the best opportunities for meeting local tribes people as they go about their trade and business. The villages are the best places to witness traditional ceremonies and gain a better appreciation for the diverse cultures and ways of life.As remote and foreign as it seems, it is possible to visit the Lower Omo Valley and several of its tribes. Due to their location, this tends to be challenging trip.There are dozens of tribes you can choose from but here are some of the most recognizable tribes.
These are considered to be among the most popular or most accessible ones:
• Hamar (Hamer) – Famous for their ochre hair & Bull jumping Ceremony.
• Karo (Kara) – Famous for their body paintings.
• Mursi – Renowned for their lip plates
• Dassanetch (Daasanach)
• Ari (Aari) – Famous for their beautiful green villages.
• Nyangatom (Bume) – Known to be fierce fighters & Hunting crocodiles.
• Bodi( Meen) – Known for Ka’el ceremony” (ceremony of fat men).
• Arbore – Know for high spiritual status.
• Banna (Bana, Bena)
• Bashada
• Dime.
• Kuwegu.
• Dorze – Outside Omo Valley.
• Konso – Outside Omo Valley.