After a heavy night of rain, we headed out from the eco-omo lodge into the Mago national park. The road wasn’t too bad, with just some riverbeds to cross. After an hour and a half, we picked up a local guy, and a military looking fellow with a machine gun.
The village was close to the road, with about 25 straw huts. Mostly women were there with small children. The men were sitting on the edges, looking serious and not participating in our visit. This tribe was strikingly different than the others we have visited. The Morsi have been using lip plates since the 16th century, used to make them look ugly in the eyes of the Italian slave traders. When a Morsi girl reaches 20 years old, a slit is made in her lower lip and a clay plate is inserted. Each year a larger plate is added. Front teeth are removed so the plate can rest.
When a girl marries, her family is given 20 cows and a machine gun. Men can marry up to seven women, depending on their wealth.
This village was comprised of three to four families. Houses made of straw and are temporary, as they are a nomadic people. They move to find more grass for the cows, sheep and goats in dry the season. Guns come from Kenya and purchased by trading cattle. They primarily eat porridge, milk and drink cow blood each day. They are animists.
The group was rather aggressive in selling us lip plates! Girls were scarred as a sign of beauty. It was overwhelming and heart wrenching to see the face “mutilation”, and skin scarring.
We stopped for a local lunch and then walked a market place in the center of town. Women were selling onions, potatoes, garlic and carrots. Another section, grains were sold, as well as used clothing. Got myself a (badly needed) shoe “wash” after our muddy walk in the Morsi village.
- This afternoon we visited a museum of the people of the south omo region. Of course it was filled with the artifacts of each tribe we have visited! We have been walking in a living museum this entire past week!. It displayed research done by a German team who gathered women in 2005 - one from each tribe and asked them questions about marriage, children, customs, menstruation, family life etc. it was fascinating to see the similarities between the tribes, the frankness and acceptance of their traditions and customs.
The museum also had a library and study hall in the rear with computers! Such a far cry from where we have been!
We changed rooms tonight, sleeping in a tent (glamping). No electricity or water until 6 pm tho. 😐.
Another amazing day!
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