It took us about 2 hours to get from Turmi to Omorate. The first thing we did after arrival was to obtain a permit from the Immigration office to enter the area and interact with the tribe. We woke up the officer, who was sleeping on a mattress outside the office, showed him our passports, and he verbally approved the visit. Then we paid the local guide fee (1,000 ETB), the entrance fee to the village (500 ETB), the boat to cross the Omo River (500 ETB), and the photo fee (500 ETB).
The Dassanech tribe (meaning “People of the Delta”) is an agropastoral, Cushitic-speaking ethnic group primarily living in the Omo River delta region, where Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Sudan meet. They traditionally relied on herding cattle, goats, and sheep, but have increasingly shifted to farming crops such as sorghum and maize due to land loss and harsh, dry conditions. The Dassanech are known for their elaborate beadwork, vibrant traditions, and egalitarian society organized into eight clans.
In the first village, they started a fight between two groups, likely connected to the “photo fee” we paid to the chief, who probably didn’t distribute it equally last time. So we drove to another village, where we spent another 1,000 ETB for photos. Locals recommend visiting them in the morning; otherwise, in the afternoon, most of the men are drunk, and some misunderstandings can develop quickly.
