Dik Dik on road to Yabello, Ethiopia, 13 Feb 2014
Shoes made from tyres at market, Key Afer, Ethiopia, 13 Feb 2014
Produce at market, Key Afer, Ethiopia, 13 Feb 2014
Pots and dishes for sale at market, Key Afer, Ethiopia, 13 Feb 2014
Woman #2 at market, Key Afer, Ethiopia, 13 Feb 2014
Woman at market, Key Afer, Ethiopia, 13 Feb 2014
We had a relatively relaxed start to the day and were on the road just after 9.00 am. We first visited the Omo Research Centre in Jinka village. This is a small museum specialising in the cultural aspects of the main tribes found in the southern Omo River region. The central gallery had display cases showing the different kinds of clothing, tools and body decorations that are used by the Karo, Mursi, Hammer, Ari and Benna tribes. In addition there were very interesting notes and photographs describing the day to day lives and work expectations for men and women of the tribes. The universal impression gained is that women are regarded as servants to their husbands and the accounts of frequent wife-bashing and abuse were quite distressing. Tribal life for women involves much of the heavy carrying of wood and supplies, grain grinding together with child rearing and food preparation. To add to the distress for women, female circumcision is still practised by many of the tribal groups and young girls are encouraged by their elders to regard this as a natural progress to womanhood.
We then drove back towards Karat Konso stopping for an hour or so at Key Afer to visit the local market of the Ari and Benna tribes. The market had farm produce, clothing, souvenirs and general merchandise on sale and we were quickly surrounded by hawkers wishing to sell us copper and brass bracelets. There were the usual colourful beaded bracelets and necklaces on sale too. Carved wooden statuettes representing local tribal men and women were the best wooden carvings we’ve encountered so far but the prices asked were very high and no amount of haggling would bring them down to a more reasonable level.
After lunch we headed eastwards from Konso towards Yabello a trip that would take us three hours on another rocky road that wound its way along river valleys and over mountain ridges. The scenery was impressive and the arid nature of the environment is reminiscent of outback Australia especially as in some parts there are large areas of eucalypts. Apart from the usual herds of cattle and goats on the road we encountered a number of camel herds. The tribal people use these principally for their milk and for transport.
We also managed to photograph a number of different bird species along the way. The most impressive birds seen were the red-beaked hornbill and the lilac breasted roller bird. Quite a large number of dik-dik antelopes were sighted too but to get good photos one had to be very lucky as these shy animals disappear very quickly.
We arrived at Yabello and booked into the local motel to find the showers were cold as they’ve been for the last two days. C’est la vie!
Foot Note: Jak found the switch-board for the three rooms in our corner and turned on the power to the hot water heaters.