ETHIOPIA

E T H I O P I A DON LANG

for Karen

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

8

AFFAR TRIBE

12

OMO DELTA

30

HAMAR TRIBE

39

KARO TRIBE

51

BUMI TRIBE

55

MURSI TRIBE

74

LALIBELLA

91

GUMBELLA NATIONAL PARK

99

TRIGAI

109

ETHIOPIA / SUDAN BORDER

132

DANAKIL DEPRESSION

139

VILLAGE PEOPLE

150

OUR ETHIOPIA FELLOW ADVENTURES

160

INTRODUCTION

A photographic journey that invites you to delve into

the rich tapestry of culture, spirituality, and natural beauty that defines this enigmatic land. Ethiopia, often called the “Roof of Northeast Africa or “The Water Tower of East Africa” because of its height, large land mass and water resources. It’s a country of mesmerizing contrasts, where ancient traditions coexist with the modern world, and where landscapes range from rugged mountains to verdant valleys.

This book, embarks on a visual expedition that takes us

deep into the heart of Ethiopia’s remote regions, where time seems to stand still and where ancient ways of life persist

against the backdrop of a rapidly changing world. The focus lies on two distinctive aspects of Ethiopian heritage: the isolated indigenous tribes and the awe-inspiring mountain churches that dot the landscape.

Ethiopia is renowned for its diverse ethnic groups,

each with its own unique customs, languages, and beliefs.

My photos are portraits of the remarkable people who call these remote corners of Ethiopia home, some of whom had only met tourists such as ourself, for the first time. From the Omo Valley in the south to the Simien Mountains in the north, the photos try to capture the beauty of tribes such as the

Mursi, Hamar, and Karo, whose way of life remains the same for centuries and is intimately connected to the land and its rhythms.

In addition to the vibrant tapestry of its people,

Ethiopia boasts a rich religious heritage that spans millennia.

Nestled amid the rugged peaks of the Ethiopian highlands are ancient churches carved into sheer cliffs or hidden within remote valleys. These mountain churches, many of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, serve as sanctuaries of faith and havens of spiritual contemplation. Through the lens, I have tried to capture the timeless allure of places like Lalibela,

with its subterranean rock-hewn churches, and Tigray, where monolithic structures cling precariously to sheer cliff faces.

We were a group of four photographers and 4 friends

embarking on this 14 day journey, as we traverse by helicopter the rugged landscapes, explore the hidden treasures of Ethiopia’s isolated tribes and mountain churches of this ancient culture. It was trip of a life time and discovery, of a nation that continues to captivate and inspire all who venture into its embrace.

AFAR

The principally

Afar

reside

tribe in

the

Danakil Desert in the Afar Region of Ethiopia, as well as in Eritrea and Djibouti. They number 2,276,867 people in Ethiopia (2.73% of the total population), and speak the Afar language as a mother tongue. The origins of tartan kilts is unknown, but have been record in use since 1879.

OMO DELTA

The Omo Delta is

the home of the Dassenechs, an Omotic tribe with their own unique language. . Known for their very colourful dowry ceremony, men

the

wear

cheetah

and

Dassanech ceremonial leopard

skins with Ostrich plume headdress

HAMAR

The Hamar are a

large agro-pastoralist tribe with a population of around 30,000. They dwell in the south of the province of Gemu Gofa, between Lake Stephanie and Turkana: a region of broad savannah and low mountains.

KARO

The Karo tribe of

around 2,000 people living long the borders of the Lower Omo River incorporates rich, cultural symbolism into their rituals by using ornate body art, intricate headdresses.

The Hamar, which is of the same

lineage

nearly identical..

and

speak

BUMI

The

Bumi

are

known to be great warriors and, quite frequently, active warmongers: they are often at war with the neighbouring tribes including the Hamer, the

Karo,

Mursiand

the

Surma. All Bumi men are heavily

armed

automatic generally

with

semi

weapons

and

have

a

belt

bullets around their waist.

of

MURSI

Omotic

The Mursi of Nilotic/ origin

number

around 8,000 live in one of the least accessible areas of Ethiopia. When a British anthropologist visited them for the first time in the early 1970s, they had never heard of the country of Ethiopia, where they lived.

LALIBELA

At the end of the

12th and beginning of the 13th centuries King Lalibela of the Zaghwe dynasty built a series of rock hewn churches - the New Jerusalem as he called it - now rightly acknowledged to be one of the wonders of the world.

There are 11 churches in the town named after him, with others in the surrounding countryside. All are still in use today.

GUMBELLA NATIONAL PARK

As one of Ethiopia’s most renowned

national

parks,

Gambella offers visitors a glimpse into the wonders of Africa’s untamed wilderness.

Here, the Gelada, also known as

the

monkey, With

bleeding-heart reigns

its

supreme.

distinctive

red

chest patch and impressive social

structures,

this

endemic primate captivates the imagination of all who encounter it.

The park also serves

as a sanctuary for a diverse array of Afro-Alpine flora, meadows

and

grasslands

punctuated by Giant Lobelia and flowering Red Hot Pokers that are ruly breathtaking.

Nestled within the

breathtaking

landscapes

of

lies

the

a

high-

Ethiopia

Sanetti

Plateau,

altitude

haven

where

nature’s

wonders

unfold

in

unparalleled

splendor.

Amidst its rugged terrain and sweeping vistas, the star of the show emerges—the elegant Ethiopian Wolf.

Sharing the park’s rugged

terrain

is

the mountain elk, with its imposing antlers and solitary demeanor, elusive

this

ungulate

adds to the park’s allure.

TIGRAI

The

Gheralta

Mountains

in

the

Tigrai

region

Ethiopia

are

home

of to

several

ancient

and historically significant churches, unique

each

boasting

architectural

and

cultural characteristics.

These often

churches carved

are

into

the

mountainsides

or

built

within

decorated

caves,

with religious frescoes made from natural dyes, adding to their mystique and allure.

LOST COMMUNITIES DURING WAR

ETHIOPIA / SUDAN BORDER

Nestled

between

the borders of Ethiopia and Sudan lies a natural gem, a wetland of unparalleled beauty

and

significance,

ecological when

besieged by high waters.

not

DANAKIL DEPRESSION

The

Danakil

Depression

or

the

Triangle

a

geological

is

Afar

depression, part of the Great Rift Valley and includes the Danakil Desert, the lowest point in Africa and one of the hottest places year-round anywhere

on

Earth.

Also

home to vast salt flats, where traditional salt mining has been practiced for centuries.

The Afar people, who inhabit the region, extract salt from the flats using traditional methods, conditions.

often

in

harsh

VILLAGE PEOPLE

The Village People

surrounding capital

city,

Ethiopia’s Addis

Ababa

often characterized by a mix of rural and urban lifestyles, are home to diverse groups of

people

different cultures,

representing ethnicities, and

socio-

economic backgrounds.

• Griet Van Malderen • Herve Laviale

OUR ETHIOPIA FELLOW ADVENTURES:

• Benoit Charot • Lucie Charot • Jonathon Scott • Steve Turner - Origin Safaris • Daniel Tesfaye - Ethiopia - tour guide • Kim MacKenzie - pilot • Phil Mathews - pilot