In this section we discover the facinating culture ceremonies of the tribes.
Bull Jumping Ceremoni
Bull Jumping Ceremony is usually held after harvest time, July to first half of September. But nowadays because of big climatic change and confused rain time, it became usual to see the bull jumping eyen up to March. The ceremony lasts the whole day, but the most spectacular part of it begins in the afternoon after four o’clock.
First the family of the boy to be initiated delivers invitations to their relatives, neighbors and friends in the form of rope made of dried grass knotted(tied) in several equal number of places. This is like a calendar for the days of the celebration of that particular Bull Jumping Ceremony. Each day the guest must unite one of the knots until the day of the ceremony arrives. The boy also carries with him a small phallic carved wood (Bokko), which he hands to girls he meets along the way; they must kiss it three times as a form of blessing and then return it to him. The ceremonies end with several days of feasting, including the typical jumping dances, accompanied by sorghum made beer and coffee which the Bull-jumper’s family provides to the guests.
Kealle (Get Fat)
Every year in june, takes place in
the deep south of Ethiopia, in the
remote area of Omo valley, the
celebration of the Bodi tribe new
year: the Kael.
For 6 months the men from the
tribe will feed themselves with
only fresh milk and blood from
the cows.
They will not be allowed to have
sex and to go out of their little
hut. Everybody will take care of
them, the girls bringing milk every
morning in pots or bamboos.
The winner is the bigger. He just
wins fame, nothing special.
This area does not welcome
tourists and has kept his traditions.
The fat men drink milk and blood all
day long. The first bowl of blood (1
to 2 liters) is drunk at sunriseThe man
must drink it quickly before it
coagulates.
Some can not drink everything and
vomit it.
The women take care of the fat men: they give them alcohol, remove the sweat, and sing for them to
keep them awake.Becoming a fat man is the dream of every Bodi kid.
The ceremony ends with the sacrifice of a cow. They kill it with a huge sacred stone.The elders will read i the stomach and its blood if the futur will be bright or not. It will be they said.The Bodi girls are attracted by the fat men, and it is a good opportunity to show their charms to them. .
Donga (stick fighting)
One of the main Surma /Suri or Mursi customs is stick fighting. This ritual and sport is called Donga or Sogenai. Donga is both the name of the sport and the stick, whereas Sagenai is the name of the stick fighting session. Stick fighting is Central in Suri and Mursi culture. The fight is symbolic the adversary has to be defeated without being killed. The victories young men win special prestige and, above all, attention from young sigle woman. Simply participating in the fight, win or lose, is enough for the young man to receive recognition for his bravery and to proof for his prepared for marriage.
The fights are the way to publicly display one’s personal qualities and an attempt to confirm to the tenets expected Mursi age group behavior. As the time Mursi girl are divided in two group and they perform Kano Pola Holaye music and dance and they support to their family / Clan/ member who is fighting and give moral. After fighting if one defeat the other, all the participant of the ceremony will give their appreciation by performing Yalogo music. Mursi also promote a sense of community among Mursi people from different geographical location/ clan group
(Evening dance)
Evangadi is danced early in the evning by the Young People. During this dance, the young boys show thier interest in one of the girl and gives the young girls oportunities to get in contact with the boy of their choise.
Dassench have the tradition of blessing the first born daughter. It is generally believed that the blessing of the first born extends or applies to all the other daughters. for this reason each Dassench father perform the Dimi ritual once in his life time. Dimi ceremony is undergone by those men who have fathered a daughter eight to ten years. It is a time of feasting and dancing. Each tribal section has a special site where the Ritual takes place. Before the ceremony starts temporary hut are built and goats and cattle to be slaughtered will be prepared. About ten cattle and thirty small goats are slaughtered, others are traded for coffee. The Ara/ elders of the most senior generation set/ bless the girls to ensure their fertility and future marriage. It is also bleived those blessed girls are the potential wives. On the other hand, the father of the girl acquires the status of an elder, independently his membership of a generation set. The Dimi has the a number of importance for daughters , man’s /father life and society as whole in Dassench
In Bodi Tribe If the died person is child who did not perform rite passage over leap bull and girls who is not ordered to marry the buruil place is as serious as others .
They will never be considered as full man and buried around the unclean cattle keeping areas. But if he is jumped over the bull and she is ordered girl to marriage . the funeral ceremony will be accompiened by many preparations. The dead body may stay up to the 4th day until relative come from different area and Even again, they prepare memorial ceremony .
When known person die , special cultural celabration done such as telling vigrouse doing of the person during life time , shouting and when relative or any person close to the family shot a gun when he reach at the funeral to show how sad he is and fractioning of metal materials by surround the house of the dead . the dead body will be covered by skins by having its hand on his/her jaw and during buriel the covered skin will be taken and bare body will be put in to the groiund .
They then, tern the face of the dead body towards the direction of the orgin of his / her ca;ln by lying it on the right side hand , but some Banna clans put it on left hand side.
When Bitta dies he will never be buried on the ground . the died body will stay in special place prepared for it as sacrifice . yearly , it will cover new skin and renewed/
Blessing of Hamer & Banna is done every morning or other time before drinking traditional coffee.
The traditional coffee (Bunno/shoforo prepared by the mother /daughter then, the elder man sip of is coffee and sprays it through his lips in to the air. chantingly calling for Barjo then, the other male group /representative of the family would join in, repeating the last word of each phrase . the man called for good things to come such as health ,rain ,bees and harvest and for bad things like drought ,hanger sickness to leave
Monday :-Turmi/Hamar market , Gazer/Aari , Kako/Bana and Malle , Konso
Tuesday:-Dimeka/ Hamar Market , Jinka , Alduba/ Benna market .
Thursday:-Keyafer Market , Beneta / Male market , Gazer/ Aari Market , Metser/ Ari market , Giyo/ Bodi market , Argoba market/ Zeyse and Derashe.
Saturday:-Dimeka/ Hamar market , Jinka market , Hanna. Bodi and mursi market , Arbore Market , Weyto/ Tesmay market
The members of cattle camp more often, of an agglomeration of cattle. Camps are mainly young unmarried men (men who have not yet brought home their wife’s) . Those boy; ideally, will live more or less permanently in cattle camp together with their mates. The movement of cattle depends in terms of both timing and direction. During the dry season, when most of the grain has been used up, large number of population especially the very old; the very young; join cattle camps in search of a better diet.
staying with Hamar / Banna tribe, Experiencing the ceremony, Night Dance activities with the local people (Bee Harvesting, Cattle camp) and local Market.
Four days( from June – September ) : Boat excursion on the omo to meet far village, staying with Dassench tribe, experiencing the ceremony, ritual Dance, activities with local tribe and Lake Turkanna( local fisher man on the lake).
Five Days (July –mid October ) Staying with Mursi tribe, experiencing the ceremony, Activities with the local people (cattle camp with Teri, Safari on Tama, Meeting traditional Healers)
Three days( from mid May , June and early July) Staying with Bodi tribe, Experiencing young Bodi feed and prepared for the ceremony (cow Bleeding, Night Dance), activities with local people and Market.