After arriving in Key Afer, we had a coffee and found a local guide (1,000 ETB) who knew where the Mursi tribe (entrance 2,000 ETB) was located at the moment. We couldn’t visit them in their original location because their presence conflicts with other tribes. The Mursi tribe is an indigenous ethnic group in Ethiopia’s Lower Omo Valley, known for its distinctive pastoralist culture, particularly the practice of women wearing large lip plates. Their society is based on cattle herding, a rich oral tradition, and elaborate social rituals, including ceremonial duelling and body painting. Like many indigenous groups, they face challenges from modernisation and environmental changes. Both men and women use body paint for decorative and symbolic purposes.
Mursi women are famous for wearing large clay or wooden lip plates in their lower lips. The process involves cutting the lip and gradually stretching it over time. The size of the plate can signify female social adulthood, beauty, and social status. The men engage in a form of ceremonial duelling using two-meter wooden poles called “donga.” The contests often end when one man is injured or falls.
