A young Bena woman photographed at a food market close to key Afer. Omo Valley, Ethiopia, 2017

Convenience store. Jinka, Southern Ethiopia, 2013.

This is Namailoi, a young woman from the Nyangatom tribe. Other tribes don't like the Nyangatom (mainly because they fear them) and call them pejoratively the Bume, which translates as ”stinking”. They are indeed fierce warriors which is supposedly demonstrated by their custom to scar their chest; one scar for each killed enemy. Heavy necklaces and long skirts from goat skins, which are richly decorated, are characteristic for the women. Necklaces were traditionally made from dry seeds, but these days they have been largely replaced with colourful glass beads coming from Kenya. The women also decorate themselves with ornamental scarification on their faces, chests, and bellies. Omo valley, south Ethiopia, 2013.