The Hamer People of the Omo Delta

Getting closer to Chew Bahir, Ethiopia's Great Salt Ocean, our Land Rover convoy, one behind the other, traverse the lands of the Hamer people as we continue to research the colorfully rich and fascinating cultures of the South Omo region.

A previous interaction with the Hamer people had allowed us to witness their bull jumping ceremony, in which as part of his coming of age, a naked young man leaps into the air and jumps across the backs of a number of bulls. If he falls between them he is shamed and not allowed to marry for another year. If I'm he succeeds he's a hero and is allowed to take a wife.

This ceremony is preceded by the whipping of the Hamer girls by their suitors. As a westerner it's tough to watch as blood spurts from a deep gash, one of the many that crisscross a naked back. One of the girls grunts in wide-eyed pain and then dances forward, tossing her head, spraying her admirer with butter fat and ochre from her thick plaited hair that hangs in a fringe above her face, taunting him to whip her again. Down cracks the whipping stick - more blood. As proof of her Hamer tribal culture, she will proudly wear her horrific scars for life.

Today it's different as we move in to do malaria prevention work with pregnant Hamer mums and mothers with infants, but then a posse of well-armed young men crowd around. We can feel the tension. One of the warriors thrusts his cheap Chinese cellphone into Adimasu's (our guide) hands together with some airtime top-up cards. 'Put the airtime,' he demands in the Hamer language, 'tonight we attack the Arbore (the neighboring tribe). I need more information from the other warriors.'

'It's not a secret' says Adi. 'They'll even let the enemy know when they are attacking. They want to guarantee a fight. It will be a fierce battle - some will die and then the Arbore will sue for peace - and all will be quiet for a year or two ' And so as we continue through Arbore country Adi our Ehiopian expedition member points out the dry boulder-strewn river bed and a Chinese-built cellphone mast that marks the remote boundary between these two warring tribes. Living Traditions helped along with a bit of Chinese technology and Kalashnikovs bought in Southern Sudan with stolen cattle. Will keep you posted, we hope!!