Tag Archives: Omo Valley

Every society that has been studied by history, anthropology, or sociology, celebrates the passage of its individuals from one social or religious status to another. The ceremonial events that mark these rites of passage can take very different and colourful forms. Many are private affairs, with elders initiating others into secrets that are not shared […]

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One of the beauties of travelling with a photo-tour is that you have more time to immerse and explore at locations. This was certainly true for me in the Omo Valley, in southern Ethiopia. Even with improving roads, the region is difficult to access. But, once I and my fellow-photography enthusiasts got there, we had […]

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When I was young, I had a book with pictures of children around the world in their traditional National Costumes. I found the concept difficult to understand, given that where I lived, people dressed differently from each other, and fashion trends changed with every season. I find it even more remarkable, these countless years later, […]

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The Hamar captivated me. A tall, good-looking people who are mostly relaxed and unselfconscious in front of a camera, the Hamar are a delight to visit and photograph. They are possibly the most distinctive of the many ethnic groups living in the far reaches of Ethiopia’s Omo Valley, near the border with South Sudan. There […]

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Village visits in the Omo Valley in Ethiopia are like nothing I’ve experienced before! The region is still tribal, and each ethnic group maintains its own customs. What all the tribes have in common is a “pay-per-shot” mentality, meaning that visiting tourists pay for each picture they take. While I see this as entirely fair […]

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