Hamar Woman, Omo Valley In Ethiopia On October 27, 2008 -

ETHIOPIA - OCTOBER 27: Hamar woman, Omo valley in Ethiopia on October 27, 2008 - Hamar in Turmi, Ethiopia, not yet married. The Hamar live on the eastern side of the Omo Valley in southern Ethiopia. They are a tribe with unique rituals such as a bull-leaping ceremony that young men go through in order to marry, own cattle and have children, whereupon young Hamar women get whipped to prove their love and strength to the relative who jumps. Honey collection is a major activity and their cattle is the focus of their life. There are at least 27 words for the subtle variations of color and texture of cattle - and every man has 3 names: a human name, a goat name, and a cow name. The Hamar are very pre-occupied with their beauty. They have at times specular hair dresses. They use a wooden head rest that prevents the hair from touching the ground. Women tend to wear their hair in short tufts rolled in ochre and fat or in long twisted strands. These coppery colored strands are called goscha that are a sign of health and welfare. They wear bead necklaces, iron bracelets around their arms, and decorate their breast with lots of cowry shells; like a natural bra. Married women favor a hairstyle of long, twisted strands rubbed in ochre. Around their necks they wear esente (torques made of iron wrapped in leather). These engagement presents are worn for life and indicative of their future husband's wealth. An upper torque, the bignere, may only be worn by a man's first wife. Added at the time of marriage, its distinctive iron protrusion is both a phallic and a status symbol. Young, unmarried girls wear Bala in their hair, which is a flat oval-shaped metal plate that protrudes on their foreheads like the front of a hat. Some Hamar believe that evil exists in certain unholy or impure things, which are the causes of some disastrous circumstances like drought and epidemics on the village. (Photo by Eric LAFFORGUE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
ETHIOPIA - OCTOBER 27: Hamar woman, Omo valley in Ethiopia on October 27, 2008 - Hamar in Turmi, Ethiopia, not yet married. The Hamar live on the eastern side of the Omo Valley in southern Ethiopia. They are a tribe with unique rituals such as a bull-leaping ceremony that young men go through in order to marry, own cattle and have children, whereupon young Hamar women get whipped to prove their love and strength to the relative who jumps. Honey collection is a major activity and their cattle is the focus of their life. There are at least 27 words for the subtle variations of color and texture of cattle - and every man has 3 names: a human name, a goat name, and a cow name. The Hamar are very pre-occupied with their beauty. They have at times specular hair dresses. They use a wooden head rest that prevents the hair from touching the ground. Women tend to wear their hair in short tufts rolled in ochre and fat or in long twisted strands. These coppery colored strands are called goscha that are a sign of health and welfare. They wear bead necklaces, iron bracelets around their arms, and decorate their breast with lots of cowry shells; like a natural bra. Married women favor a hairstyle of long, twisted strands rubbed in ochre. Around their necks they wear esente (torques made of iron wrapped in leather). These engagement presents are worn for life and indicative of their future husband's wealth. An upper torque, the bignere, may only be worn by a man's first wife. Added at the time of marriage, its distinctive iron protrusion is both a phallic and a status symbol. Young, unmarried girls wear Bala in their hair, which is a flat oval-shaped metal plate that protrudes on their foreheads like the front of a hat. Some Hamar believe that evil exists in certain unholy or impure things, which are the causes of some disastrous circumstances like drought and epidemics on the village. (Photo by Eric LAFFORGUE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Hamar Woman, Omo Valley In Ethiopia On October 27, 2008 -
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Credit:
Eric LAFFORGUE / Contributor
Editorial #:
120401103
Collection:
Gamma-Rapho
Date created:
27 October, 2008
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Source:
Gamma-Rapho
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4432
Object name:
HQ2064313
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