Ethiopia - Mursi Tribe

[Manfred M]

We got back from Ethiopia this afternoon and have quickly picked out a few of the images shot in the Omo Valley showing three Mursi people. These are the people where some women have large lip plates or ear plates. They also paint their bodies and practice scarification.

Needless to say, the shooting conditions were less than ideal and I thank the folks that suggested I look at the Rogue Flashbender - all three images were shot using this light modifier.

















I'm planning to post more images over the coming days as I get a chance to review my images. Right now it's off to bed; we've been traveling for almost 24 hours straight and my body thinks it's 2:30 in the morning...

[Andrew76]

Welcome home, Manfred! I hope you had a great trip!

Fantastic first group of photos!

[Mike Buckley]

Ditto to everything Andrew mentioned. I can only add that I look forward to viewing more of your photos.

Just one small suggestion: Sleep is highly overrated.

[FootLoose]

Wow, really looking forward to more of your photos, Manfred. Regarding the first one: how do they speak / eat with those plates in their lips? Are the white marks on the plate decoration of food stains?

[Shadowman]

Nicely done.

[Manfred M]

Greg - I did not get any images of what the women looked like with the lip plates removed, but my wife did. So here is her image:



I assume the stains are dried saliva; the women with the cut lips tended to drool a lot.

[chauncey]

Manfred...those images are great/superior/stellar.

[Mike Buckley]

Though the first three images appear as if the locals are standing around waiting to have their photos taken by tourists and I realize there may be nothing you could have done about that, your wife's image reveals the soul of the person. Please be sure to pass along my thought about how well she did.

[Manfred M]

I'll pass on your comment to my wife, Mike.

Just as an aside, this woman was paid by my wife to pose for her. No money, no picture with the Mursi. I have done a bit of a writeup on in the travel and photography conditions in the Omo Valley: Ethiopia - The Karo Tribe

[rpcrowe]

Again, great captures, worthy of National Geographic. Regarding paying subjects, I really don't mind paying my subjects a small fee for the privilege of photographing them. After all, it's not like they can walk down the street and get a part-time job at McDonalds...

[John 2]

Welcome back Manfred. What a great set of images you've both come home with. Quality as always is top notch. I look forward to seeing more of them.

[Rita]

Wonderful pics Manfred. I notice that the younger women don't have the plates. Is there a certain age that they get them?

[Manfred M]

Wonderful pics Manfred. I notice that the younger women don't have the plates. Is there a certain age that they get them?

Rita - some of the younger ones are opting not to get them. I suspect that contact with the modern world is changing the how the people there look at themselves.

[FootLoose]

Thanks Manfred, I hadn't realised that take those plates out. I find that photo fascinating in a grotesque sort of way. I just hope scarification doesn't catch on in the West the same way tattooing has.

[WJT]

Great portraits of one very interesting subjects. I think we all are envious and would love to have been there alongside you Manfred. This is what photography is all about.

[RustBeltRaw]

Your wife's plateless shot really strikes a chord. Coming from a culture which practices widespread, non-consensual genital modification on its males, I do not think I'm in a position to comment on the aesthetic or cultural sides of those lip plates. But the removed photo shows a strikingly honest version of their effects.

I just hope scarification doesn't catch on in the West the same way tattooing has.

Too late. It's catching on, though Congress just passed some legislation which puts it in a grey area. Several of my friends have scar art, from a fractal flower to the word "vegan" scarred into the abdomen (subtle statement, that ). Considering that there's a body modification underground trying everything from permanently-pointed elf ears to subdermal, skin-shaping silicone, scarification suddenly looks relatively tame. Personally, I object to nothing that only affects the party to which it's applied. That doesn't mean I understand all of it, but why do I need to? Modification is (ideally) a very personal journey, and even unmodified people, like the Mursi girls opting out of lip plates, are on it.

[Brownbear]

Wow... Yes, worthy of National Geographic... Simply stunning... #2 and #4 being my favourites.

[IzzieK]

Seeing this picture, I can just imagine why..