"Key Afar, Jinka & Mursi" a Jinka Travel Page by sachara

I had looked forward to my visit to the Lower Omo Valley in Southern Ethiopia as one of the most fascinating parts of my three months trip in Africa. In the Lower Omo Valley live a vast number of ethnic groups in a rather small area. These ''untouched'' tribes include the Mursi with women wearing large lipplates, the Hamer with remarkable hairstyles, but also the Karo, Surma, Ari, banna, Bodi, Bumi and other tribes.

The headmarkets of the region are in Key Afar, Dimeka and Turmi, visited by all the different tribespeople in their amazing traditional clothing, made of goatskin, richily decorated with kaurishells and beads.

In reality my experiences in the Omo Region, the so-called last great wilderness on the African continent, were beyond any imagination !

In the Mago National Park we visited a Mursi village.
The women wear lipplates and the male warriors not only knives, but also kalashnikovs. Also the young Mursi boys and girls ornated themselves with bodypainting and all kind of the most amazing stuff.

The first town and market in the Omo Region was Key Afar.
At the market you see mainly the Banna people, living in this area, but also people of different other tribes visited this market.
I was totally unprepared to see these very proud, beautiful, relaxed and friendly people all around.
After a stroll at the market, I just sat down in the shade at the edge of the market and looked for more than one hour to the women and men in their wonderful outfits of decorated goatskin.
Sometimes they came to meet you for a chat, for touching your skin or hair or asking for a picture.