Category Archives: Africa If I had to choose one word to describe the Mursi people of Ethiopia’s Omo Valley, I’d have to say “proud”. There are roughly 7,500 pastoralist Nilo-Saharan Mursi living across approximately 1900 square kilometres of semi-arid land in an isolated corner of southwestern Ethiopia, close to the border with South Sudan. A tall, good-looking people, […]  The Mursi people of Ethiopia’s Omo Valley have been called “one of the most fascinating tribes in Africa.” A pastoralist group originating in the Nile Valley, the roughly 7,500 Nilo-Saharan Mursi live in an isolated corner of southwestern Ethiopia, close to the border with South Sudan. Even today with improved roadways, their villages are remote: I was on […]  According to the guide books, the Mursi people have “an aggressive reputation”. This fierce reputation is probably what helps them maintain their cultural traditions and their animist practices in the face of the “artificial” geographic boundaries enforced by the Ethiopian state, the tensions between themselves and other tribes, and the onslaught of modern tourism. That reputation, […]  There is nothing romantic about nature. But, nor can you call nature “cruel”. Cruelty implies intention. I watched The Lion King again recently – I had grandchildren visiting – and it was interesting to reflect on the difference between that romanised version of life in the savanna and my memories of my time in Etosha […]  “We’re goin’ on a lion hunt, “We’re going to catch a big one – “I’m not scared. “What a beautiful day!” OK – it’s true: the popular children’s chant is about a bear hunt, but I was in a jeep, bumping across dusty gravel tracks in Northern Namibia, and we were in search of lions. The […] |
