Hamar Tribe - Omo Valley Ethiopia - 2019

The Hamar live in villages in lower Omo Valley, with Turmi and Dimeka being the largest where weekly markets are held. The beautiful Hamar women use a mix of ochre and animal fat to cover their skin and hair, and wear goat skin dresses often decorated with cowrie shells and hundreds of beads. A chunky metal necklace symbolises a first wife of a Hamar man. Hamar are mainly cattle herders but also practice sorghum (ancient African grain) agriculture. They live in distinctive huts made of wooden branches, mud and straw. Hamar tribe culture includes a bull jumping ritual. (See Hamar bull jumping ceremony gallery). The Banna tribe have similar traditions to the Hamar.