Mursi Woman + Sky, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, 2010

This is a silver gelatin print of a young woman from the Mursi Community. It is made by me, the photographer, in my darkroom. It is printed on Ilford MGIVWT glossy fiber 11x14 paper, and toned in selenium for permanence. It is processed in a Zone VI washer to archival standards, and allowed to dry overnight on a screen. This young woman lives is a most difficult environment, and holds true to her traditional culture. Even though you'll see very few other Ethiopians in her area, vans of tourists stop now and then. Each time the tourists step out and walk into the village. Once they do the community walks over to them in order to try and earn a living with their goods, mainly the lip and ear plates as well as woven baskets. They also earn a living by being photographed, as each tourist pays a certain amount for a photograph. 

The camera/lens combination was a Hasselblad 501CM/180mm, and the frame was exposed onto Fuji's brilliant Neopan Acros 100 using natural light. This portrait is from a library of well over 300,000 negatives exposed over the last 24 years, from four continents and a dozen countries. Every person is spoken with prior to the portrait, and the process is explained fully. Most of my work is on film, and the countries are revisited year after year in order to continue the documentation of the same families, of the same communities. 

The purpose of selling these portraits on Etsy is to support the social work being accomplished through my photography. Presently we have six sewing centers in two states of India, serving both the Hindu and the Muslim communities. In these sewing centers, young women learn a trade while also making clothing for their families. The centers are located in the rural areas, where young women have only one option normally, marriage and a family. At this moment, due to COVID-19, the work is on hold. However, we plan to restart the centers in 2022 and the funds from the sale of these portraits will be applied to the work in India.

As a side note, my belief is that you will be very pleased with the print in person, as the tones of a silver gelatin print are difficult to represent through the screen. One may sense the surface of the print by looking at the gloss in certain areas of the print's surface. In the end, the print you will receive will be slightly different than the one represented on the screen, both in tone and in emotional impact... different in the best sense of the word. Every print is an original, and my hope is that it finds a good space in your home.

Each print will be signed and dated by me, the photographer, and numbered to a maximum of 50 prints (11x14) per negative.

Etsy 

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Mursi Woman, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, 2010

Making the best of this quarantine means getting into the darkroom daily to print the work from the past 20 years. The negatives from Ethiopia were printed this past month, and next month it's time for enlarged proofs from Cuba. 

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Four Frames of a Mursi Man, Lower Omo Valley, 2010

I'm missing my families around the world, but hope that all are remaining safe and healthy. Soon I hope travel is possible, and that we break bread soon in person. Soon i hope to walk the streets again with my camera, and make such images.

Extraño a mis familias en todo el mundo, pero espero que todos se mantengan seguros y saludables. Pronto espero que sea posible viajar, y que partamos el pan pronto en persona. Pronto espero volver a caminar por las calles con mi cámara y hacer esas imágenes. 

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Mursi Man + Sky, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, 2010

Before heading to Ethiopia seven years ago, my first inclination was to research the communities in the southern portion of the country. They were of course famous from the images through such publications as National Geographic, but this would be my first time in their midst. There were many which caught my eye, but there was one which struck me immediately.

This man belongs to that tribe, the Mursi of the Lower Omo Valley of Ethiopia. They are closely related to another community, the Suri. Between these two tribes exist the most incredible body art and adornments. Ranging from both painting to scarification, and including ear and lip plates, they are unlike any photographed by me over the past 20 years.

Estimates put their population at nearly 10,000, a remarkable number in relation to other communities from around the world. Their way of life is endangered as well, due to the dam being constructed by the Ethiopian government. They straddle the line of being admired by outsiders, and thought of as backward by their neighbors.

Many within Ethiopia resent the fact that many come to their nation to photograph the Mursi, and others like them in the Lower Omo Valley. Yet they know that without such tourism their lives would also be affected.

I admire this community very much and, regardless of warnings by others that this was an aggressive community, found the community to be kind and generous with their time. We stayed in a small town an hour or so away for the first two nights, then camped near their tiny village in the national park for our last night.

My stay in Ethiopia was short, less than three weeks. However I do hope that in the future my return will feature these two tribes, the Mursi and the Suri, and truly do honor to their beauty and strength.

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination onto Fuji Neopan Across 100 film.

Man + Necklace, Mursi Community, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, 2010

The Mursi Community of the Lower Omo Valley of Ethiopia is a formidable, photographic subject. While the number of tourists visiting their extremely remote villages is surprisingly high, they continue to live like they have for generations.

Of course they have adapted, and present themselves to the cameras quite well. What used to be reserved for customs and festivals is now put on display in exchange for payment. They live however without tap water, electricity, government schools nor hospitals. The men are supremely beautiful, and seem to have been carved from the earth around them.

I remember having photographed the women earlier in the day, and asking to photograph the men later. Suddenly the men decided to renegotiate the financial agreement, wanting more than the women to be photographed. For me it was the principle of it, and the translator went back and forth with the men trying to come up with a solution.

Then I asked the translator to speak for me directly, and he went on to do so, explaining that what mattered to me was that everyone be reimbursed the same for a photograph. Whether they were children, male or female, this was the most important aspect of our negotiation for me. They paused for a minute and then agreed to be photographed for the same fee as the women.

I was deeply honored by their decision to allow such to happen, and impressed with their calm demeanor throughout. So far they fascinate me more than any other tribe in Africa, and will be photographed by me for decades to come should those decades be given to me on this globe.

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination onto Fuji Neopan Acros 100 ISO film.

Mursi Man + Ornaments, Mago National Park, Lower Omo Valley, March of 2010

His portrait was made early one morning in Mago National Park, almost four years ago in the Lower Omo Valley of Ethiopia.

The night before we slept near a stream and under a large tree. For our dinner, we had corn from the previous day and some canned tuna. While we slept, a guard from the park services department watched out for us along with some men from his tribe, the very tribe we intended to photograph the next morning.

The reason for the decision to camp was based on the amount of gas remaining for the trip. Sleeping near the tribe allowed us to eliminate the arduous trek over the mountain range and also lessened the wear and tear on the truck, as well as the driver.

Clouds, for some reason in the land of sunshine, decided to appear on the horizon just as the sun was shining most beautifully this entire week. Sleep was hard to find all night because of this. Every once in a while, I unzipped the small tent and looked up at the skies only to see stars. Then I went back to sleep only to repeat this a few times during the night.

In the morning, before the sun came up, I checked on the sky one more time, saw only stars. Excitement built and we decided to move quickly. We packed all of our gear, placed it on top of the truck and headed to the village only a minute or so away.

Opposite to what most people told us, a tribe that was supposed to be most difficult was in actuality more than gentle. We began with the girls, then the women and then the older men. During this morning's session, a large cloud appeared out of nowhere unexpectedly and seemed to be moving in the same direction and with the same speed as the sun.

With the previous five days in mind, I almost decided to put everything away and give up. The translator told me to be patient, told me that the sun will reappear in less than one hour. In the end, he was right. The sun did reappear and even though it was higher and stronger than before, the people were able to stand up and collaborate beautifully.

We finished on a high note and moved on to the next tribe, until our return next year hopefully.

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Note: This portrait was exposed onto Fuji Neopan Acros 100 ISO film with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination.

Halim Ina, Global Community Portraits, Cleveland Print Room, Humana People to People India, July 12, 2013

Today the frames came down and are now in my home, time to reflect on six weeks at the Cleveland Print Room. The feedback regarding the images as well as the collaboration with Humana People to People India was exhilarating. Here we have a space where people can get together and discuss analog photography, appreciate the image on paper rather than on a screen. All of this while supporting the education of girls thousands of miles away.

Three schools for girls have been funded through this exhibition, and now over one hundred girls will learn how to read and to write for an entire year. In two months I will visit these schools and document the very faces benefiting from this support. During this exhibit, people from all walks of life showed their connection to the girls. Some purchased the larger prints on the walls, some purchased smaller prints on the table and others donated without asking for a print in return.

I look forward to my visit in two months and to returning with stories to share with the Cleveland Print Room and all those involved in this most successful, recent endeavor. Many more are to come I believe.

Young Boy, Feather, Arbore Community, Ethiopia

My last day in the Lower Omo Valley was spent with this young boy and his community. We arrived early in the afternoon and decided to wait for the sun to set a little bit more. The children sat in the shade of a tree while I walked around and photographed the homes and landscape. When the moment was right we organized the boys first for their portraits, giving the girls a chance to adjust. The boys were of course more than ready, with paint on their faces and feathers to show to the tourists. Each stood for their portrait, was serious at first then turned comical before stepping down for his friends.

Unframed $250
Framed $400
Smaller Prints Available
100% of proceeds going to Schools for Girls in association with
Humana People to People India

halim.ina@gmail.com
Halim Ina Photography

Halim Ina, Global Community Portraits, Cleveland Print Room, Humana People to People India, July 12, 2013

An example from the most recent showing at the Cleveland Print Room, in which two schools for girls in India found support for the next year. The good people of this space joined forces to get the word and did so in a most selfless manner.

Portraits from Africa and Asia and the Americas were presented on behalf of the girls of Rajasthan, and we hope that this is only the beginning. All proceeds from the sale of these prints will be allocated to these schools. So if any of these images attract your attention, please feel free to contact me directly and initiate a conversation.

Woman + Accessories, Mursi Community, Ethiopia

She was the first person photographed during my time with this community, and the one with the most intricate presentation. She just stepped in front of my camera without hesitation and allowed a roll to be exposed. From this image forward my infatuation with this community has continued to grow. Rather than spending a couple of days as planned, we stayed for almost one week before moving on to another region in the Lower Omo Valley. She and her community live in a region quite remote in terms of access, requiring a day of transportation from the larger populations and then two hours of harsh terrain before reaching their small villages inside Mago National Park. In order to be granted access, an armed guard is supplied at the entrance without choice. The community however is as hospitable, kind and gracious as any experienced within Ethiopia.

Unframed $850
Framed $1000
Smaller Prints Available
100% of proceeds going to Schools for Girls in association with
Humana People to People India

halim.ina@gmail.com
Halim Ina Photography

Halim Ina, Global Community Portraits, Cleveland Print Room, Humana People to People India, July 12, 2013

Esther, Dorze Community, Ethiopia

She was the very first girl photographed in Ethiopia, and belongs to an incredible community. They are well-known as cotton weavers, and famous for their beehive huts. They cultivate their own food and use terracing to prevent erosion on hillsides. The night before this portrait was spent in one of their huts, made of hard wood poles, woven bamboo and other natural materials. When we woke up in the morning we started out of the compound and made our way to the right down a natural path. We then spotted Esther to the left in front of her home, helping her mother with chores. She recognized us from the previous evening and smiled, also allowing me to make her portrait once again. This is that second portrait.

Unframed $250
Framed $400
Smaller Prints Available
100% of proceeds going to Schools for Girls in association with
Humana People to People India

Young Girl, Konso Community, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, February, 2010

She sits on a stone with everyone watching her from behind me. The color of her clothing, along with her expression, made me want to photograph her immediately. She was the first one asked and the one photographed most during our first short session on this day. She was understandably nervous, and the noise around us did little to help her. Chaos perhaps is the word to use, but she held her own and gave me this portrait. I admire her so and am happy that she has joined her brothers and sisters in my portfolio.

The wooden structures behind her are typical of this community. The houses have an incredibly sturdy look to them, and keep intruders out just by their seemingly hazardous angles. I remember walking through the narrow paths and remembering my camera bag being hit from every side while all of the children flew past me carefree.

We arrived early to this small community, and made these first images with the sun up above us. After an hour, we moved to an open space to fully realize the portraits. Many people were waiting and we wanted a larger open space to lower the volume since it was clear to us the volume was going to be there. Over eighty or so people gathered for the session, and people came in from every direction while we worked.

As some approached we asked them to be photographed to their shock, and all obliged. While the work was pretty difficult, the people themselves were nothing but sweet and kind. They are of course accustomed to tourists and yet maintained an air of kindness in the face of a certain level of exploitation. After every portrait I walked over to the sitter and shook their hand, then guided the next person to the spot.

While we photographed a camera was also rolling, recording the commotion all around us. Every few minutes my friends would help maintain an open area around the person being photographed, and try very hard to make sure I had a minute or so to do the work. Looking back at it now I am amazed that we were able to do the work period. I am both thankful for the opportunity and possess a certain bittersweet feeling, perhaps a longing to return and do better next time.

At least we have the image above, and a few more like it from this wonderful place.

halim.ina@gmail.com
Halim Ina Photography

Young Boy, Paint, Mursi Community, Mago National Park, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, March, 2010

While most of the portraits are in black/white, a sizable minority of images from my trip to Ethiopia have color parallels. It seemed both natural and important for me to do so, since the color spectrum was already almost duotone in presentation.

When the time came to do so, the film backs of the camera were exchanged and color images made. It was pretty simple actually, and the people cooperated fully for the most part. We stayed in a small town just outside of the park system, since staying within was forbidden. Every time we entered the park system we would need to take with us an armed park ranger, usually a member of the very tribe we wished to visit.

Before visiting this community I was told about the difficulties some have faced, the aggressive nature of the park's inhabitants. Stories of trucks being approached by large groups of people, products being thrown upon the tourists for purchase without choice. The reality was much different, and the communities accepted us with kindness. While they did approach me with lip discs and baskets for sale, they did so with respect and humor. They allowed us to set up the equipment without hassle and with the simplest of negotiations.

There were times when we would ask of them something different, for example to have their children stand on the bumper of the truck. They never disagreed with us and made it a most amicable environment. The older men helped us with the children, and the women stood at a distance watching all of this unfold in front of them.

The young boy above was photographed in both color and black/white. Most of the boys wore necklaces with white and black beads. Their faces were painted in various patterns of white, and sometimes this extended to their torsos. The white of their eyes was rarely white, the environment having much to do with this. They live a most difficult life, with scars on their skin as evidence.

What struck me about the color images was the sky. While I wanted so much for it to be clear, the various cloud formations proved to be quite beautiful. This, coupled with the importance the sky plays in the religious beliefs of this community, has made these images supremely important to me.

According to Wikipedia:

Like many agro-pastoralists in East Africa, the Mursi experience a force greater than themselves, which they call Tumwi.This is usually located in the Sky, although sometimes Tumwi manifests itself as a thing of the sky (ahi a tumwin), such as a rainbow or a bird. The principal religious and ritual office in the society is that of Kômoru, or Priest. This is an inherited office, unlike the more informal political role of the Jalaba. The Priest embodies in his person the well-being of the group as a whole and acts as a means of communication between the community and God (Tumwi), especially when it is threatened by such events as drought, crop pests and disease. His role is characterized by the performance of public rituals to bring rain, to protect men, cattle and crops from disease, to ward off threatened attacks from other tribes, to safeguard the fertility of the soil, of men and of the cattle. Ideally, in order to preserve this link between the people and God, the Priest should not leave Mursiland or even his local group (bhuran). One clan in particular, Komortê, is considered to be, par excellence, the priestly clan, but there are priestly families in two other clans, namely Garikuli and Bumai.

I plan to return to this land in the near future, but need to attend to another part of Africa until then. However when I do return the work will hopefully manifest itself differently, with more sensitivity for the daily routines of the communities being photographed. A fuller picture of these incredible people is the desire.

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad analog system.

Young Boy, Decoration, Arbore Community, Lower Omo Valley, March of 2010

I need to get back there again, in better health and with a more refined plan. This image was made on my last photographic day in the Lower Omo Valley, and marked a happy yet sad moment. Working with these communities opened my eyes up to the possibilities, while the time allotted was certainly less than sufficient.

In my opinion it was a sip rather than a gulp, then again perhaps I was unready for the gulp. My health took a beating during this trip, and my guides were less than experienced with the necessities regarding such photography. I am still in contact with the wonderful person responsible for the previous arrangements and the next time we will get it right.

Rather than hoping to visit a dozen or so tribes, I will concentrate on four and spend much more time with each. Rather than my usual style, I will include the environment, go much closer physically and produce a body of work unlike my previous.

On this very day, perhaps less than thirty minutes after this portrait was made, the camera produced an almost inaudible snap. In my stomach butterflies started to give me the feeling that something was seriously wrong. The camera however continued to work properly and we went on to finish the afternoon and head back to the capital for my flight back home.

The boys were photographed first, on the bumper of the truck so as to elevate them. They were very surprised to see us for the second time, and we dropped by their small village as a change in plans was made. Instead of flying back to the capital while my guides drove back, I decided to go with them in the truck and experience the countryside on the way.

Flying was actually much more of a hassle, while the drive was much more comfortable and less prone to multiple security checks regarding my camera and film. This was worth the extra twenty hours or so of driving on its own.

After the boys were photographed it was time for the girls. This community is one of the few in Africa, outside of Islam, in which the girls and women wear a fabric over their heads. The color for most in this community also happened to be black, my favorite color when photographing in black and white. For our second session my aim was to accentuate the faces and remove the jewelry from view.

Everyone sat under the shade of a tree, and we called the girls one by one. Everyone was so patient, especially the youngest of the girls, since they waited hours for their turn. We arrived very early and had to wait for the sun to cool down a bit. Now it was their turn, but a feeling in my stomach told me something was wrong. We worked nonetheless and photographed all of them, leaving me with a thought also that these were the most perfect images thus far.

It was only upon my return to the States and another short photographic session at a local school that James from the local laboratory told me something was wrong with the local images. He had never seen it before but the exposures were damaged in a certain way. A streak of some sort ran down the entire film, on all of the rolls.

After taking this news in stride, I called the laboratory in charge of the film from Ethiopia to check and was advised that they had all of the film waiting to be processed yet. Being sensitive to their obligations I gave sufficient time for a few rolls to be processed in order to check for this issue.

A few days passed by and yet nothing was reported. My patience grew thin and a call was made advising of such. Rather than being upset at me, Dave took the time to listen to my worries and promised to process one roll from each day of the trip, and report to me by the end of the day. As it turned out he worked on my film after his official duties were over, well after his work day ended. His dedication to me and my work cannot be described here, I lack such words.

A few hours later he called me with great news... in light of the situation. All of the rolls processed were perfect, except for the last roll of the last day. The first roll from that last day was fine... so somewhere in between the first roll and the last roll of this day something went wrong. Those butterflies came rushing back and I knew that the sound I had heard was the sound of chaos.

The spring in the lens did snap, and all of the film of the girls was ruined. To this day the film sits uncut in my home, a testament to the delicacy of working with film, and to the idea that nothing is promised to me.

I need to get back there again, if just to make portraits of this most beautiful community and its girls. I owe this to them.

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad V System.

Two Boys Playing, Daasanach Community, Lower Valley of the Omo, Ethiopia, February 5, 2010

This piece is less than one minute in the lives of two young boys from the Daasanach Community of the Lower Omo Valley of Ethiopia. While waiting for the sun to reappear we decided to document the children having fun, and the boys took as much pleasure in doing so as the girls. Two by two sat down and performed for the lens without direction, a surprise from one set to another.

People sat behind me to the left watching, and also beyond these two boys going about their chores. As fast as the boys sat up two others took their places. The village itself is separated from the general Ethiopian population by a small river, and has the feeling of another world. When we arrived on the other side we sat down at the local eatery, and noticed around us some tourists with their guides and locals attempting to make a living from the same industry.

The contemporary world has taken its toll in this corner of the world, as alcohol flowed quite easily throughout the afternoon. The supply of labor outpaces that of the demand, and people do what they can in order to support their families. We were offered translation skills, as well as manual labor with the equipment. When we needed the help we certainly accepted the offers, as was the case with this community since the language was an issue for our small team.

My time with this specific village marked my sickest day in Ethiopia, and prevented me from truly documenting these most beautiful people. Getting across the narrow river was very difficult for me, and on our way back it was necessary to stop for a few minutes at the bottom of the climb to gather my senses, preventing me from fainting actually.

While very little time was spent here, less than three hours actually, the images made are incomparable and have given me a glimmer of hope for my next visit. Plans are already being made with South Expedition in order to fully document this community as well as three others, and bring a sense of accomplishment that is at this time lacking.

halim.ina@gmail.com
Halim Ina Photography

Mursi Boy, The 23rd Roll, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, February 13, 2010

In the remote Lower Omo Valley of Ethiopia twelve expressions were recorded on film of a young boy from the Mursi Community. Spoken language was unavailable to us, so we exchanged expressions for words and exposed frames of film like clockwork for perhaps one minute or less. Behind me was his community, talking to him and helping him feel at ease in front of the camera. Like children everywhere the reactions are quite familiar and have proven to me the interconnectivity that binds us all regardless of cultural, religious or political differences.

With this small community I spent the majority of my three weeks in Ethiopia, and was almost unable to break free from this collaboration to pursue the next community on our short list. We stayed at a local village less than two hours away, a distance normally traveled in perhaps thirty minutes under different road conditions. The two locations were split by a mountain range that ended up being quite dangerous, and always entailed us heading in and out during times of minimal sunlight. Looking back perhaps our decisions could have been made differently. Then again I look at these twelve expressions and am glad to have made a few mistakes on the way.

While the place is remote, these communities are very familiar with the tourist industry. Their faces are plastered on the walls of the tourism offices all over the country, although most Ethiopians have themselves never visited. As a matter of fact the only Ethiopians encountered on my travels outside of those living in the area were either drivers or guides making a substantial living from tourism. On countless occasions our driver would slow down to say hello to one of his friends going in the other direction in an air-conditioned SUV carrying usually three to four passengers. Most vehicles were either for construction or for tourism, with very few carrying private Ethiopian citizens.

Our truck happened to be a beautiful, vintage Toyota Land Cruiser, without the usual conveniences. On our way into the territory we were advised to purchase all of our water and food in advance. This meant that all of the water would travel with us, heated to the outside temperatures and hot enough to make tea on most occasions. We were of course fortunate in that most in the area lacked such clean water, were unable to even purchase a single bottle and saw these bottles as wonderful storage containers for their day to day use.

On a few occasions the truck gave our driver his share of headaches, from battery problems to petrol issues. What amazed me most about this man, even though we had our share of disagreements during our three weeks, was his ability to fix almost anything with the most humble of tool kits. He was most resilient, and treated his vehicle with a gentle hand. He worked for someone else, and was paid for his time rather than anything else. Any petrol over the agreed upon amount would have to come out of his pocket. This was the source of most of the conflict, until we spoke with the boss during our time with the Mursi Community.

At the motel waiting for the next day we ended up making a call to Europe where the manager of the operation was living at the time. He was most sincere and very diplomatic, allowing us to veer off of our planned course in order to achieve our photographic work, without penalizing either the driver nor the guide. While the danger of the route still worried everyone, at least we were now free to stay as long as necessary to document the area. The above images are the result of this conversation, for they would have been impossible otherwise.

I hope to return in a year or less to do much more.

halim.ina@gmail.com
Halim Ina Photography

Young Girl, Mursi Community, Mago National Park, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, March of 2010

She stood on our truck for this portrait, elevating herself above an already sublime environment. This was our last day with the Mursi Community, and we slept the night before in their midst in order to have a most perfect day.

We had some trouble early in the morning with the sun, but were rewarded soon after with pure rays. In this image she looks past her circle of houses while her entire village sits at her feet watching her being photographed. We worked with some of the men earlier, and had around us many young children waiting their turn.

One or two of the children were frightened of the truck, while most jumped up with a smile. She was of the latter group, and held her composure in the midst of chaos all around. She used a piece of fabric with a fabulous pattern to cover herself up, and only show her upper features. This was different than most of the others in that the dominant theme was the display of their beadwork, of their metal pieces. This young girl wanted to show us perhaps something different, more subtle. I appreciated this very much then and even more so now.

She lives in Mago National Park in the famed Lower Omo Valley of Ethiopia. Although the area is quite remote, she is beyond familiar with tourists since a truckload of them appears every hour or so during the busy season. During our session a truck pulled up and the local population quickly gathered themselves to walk over to the new visitors, offering their artistic creations as well as their portraits for sale.

We intended to spend the entire day in the park, photograph in the morning and then in the late afternoon as the sun set. So we had plenty of time and waited for the tourists to leave before continuing with our work. Of course I considered myself a tourist as well, and only differed in my mechanism of documentation. Women approached me as they did the others, with their plates and discs in their hands. Their trick was to put an item out in front of me and have me take that item in my hand for viewing, or so I thought. Then they would walk away quickly, in theory forcing me to purchase it.

In the end I did purchase four plates with various sizes and colors. I look at them with immense pleasure often, and think of my time amongst one of the most magnificent communities in the world, that of the Mursi of the Lower Omo Valley of Ethiopia.

halim.ina@gmail.com
Halim Ina Photography

Young Girl, Corn, Konso Tribe, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, February, 2010

She sat down on a small stool provided to us by the community. Perhaps over sixty people were standing less than four meters to her right, and twenty or so to her left. Their shadows would sometimes enter the frame, giving us pause until we could reorganize the scene once again.

Chaos it was since this was one of our first villages together, and the sound was almost deafening. The fact that the spoken language was unusable to me anyway made the situation more workable. In order to help the children feel comfortable and at ease, hand gestures would be used along with a smile. Running around to organize the scene like a fool helped a bit also, even though organization was the last effect of my actions.

In the end we made wonderful portraits in an open space, a place to which the community took us when asked about such an area. In this village the spaces are so tight that one needs to be careful about walking into sharp, hard and seemingly chaotic branches that make up the houses and fences. All of the children were running past me so quickly while I walked at a snail's pace to make sure my eyes remain intact. It was incredible, the energy.

The space was beautiful, open to the rising sun and with trees all around. The community shared with us a stool on which the people would sit for their portraits. One by one they came, some voluntarily and some at my request, some more shy than others.

She was sweet, and thought that we'd want to make a portrait of her without the goods that she was carrying. To her surprise we wanted both and this made her smile the entire time. Environmental portraits are usually outside of my work, but had been included more so in the past. I am now returning to this approach and will do more of these portraits in the near future.

When every person was finished with the portrait, I walked over to them to help them up and to also shake their hands. In this way their skin touched my skin, and when I do so in India or in Cuba that energy will be transferred to yet another developing experience. When I tell the children this in almost every single case they smile.

According to Wikipedia:

The Konso mainly reside in Ethiopia's Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region, south of Lake Chamo in the Sagan River bend.
Although there are today marked differences in customs between the Konso and their Oromo neighbors, Konso society has also retained some commonalities with traditional Oromo culture. The latter include the gadaa generation-grading system of social organization, similar high priests and a cult of phallicism.

Konso society is largely agricultural and involves the irrigation and terracing of mountain slopes. Staple crops include sorghum and corn, with cash crops including cotton and coffee. Cattle, sheep, and goats are raised for food and milk.

Polygyny is an accepted practice among the Konso.

Group members also erect carvings (wagas), which are created in memory of a dead man who has killed an enemy or animal. The statues are often arranged in groups, with statues representing the man, his wives, and his adversaries present.

In terms of creed, the Konso practice a traditional religion centered on the worship of Waaq/Wakh. In the related Oromo culture, Waaq denotes the single god of the early pre-Abrahamic, montheistic faith believed to have been adhered to by Cushitic groups.

halim.ina@gmail.com

Halim Ina Photography

Woman from Mursi Community, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, March, 2010

When it came to photographing the women of this community, the presentations were limitless. While much of it was for the sake of the tourists, including me of course, there were examples when they were themselves and enjoyed the session. My inability to communicate with them directly, as well as my translator's inability to do the same, led me to use hand gestures and facial expressions.

Their laughs were surely directed at my clumsiness, at my difficulty within their environment. While everyone else was dressed comfortably for the heat, here I was in the formal attire of pants and shirt. They saw my camera as an antique compared to the digital versions in the hands of the tourists. They were used to standing for group shots for a few seconds, and interpreted my work with a tripod differently.

My friend and guide just advised them that my camera was an old one and that all of my busy movements were to make sure that it worked properly. Every time he would explain my work to them through his own translator they would smile and laugh a little bit.

From most we asked for a minute in front of the camera, perhaps six exposures or so. They stood in a group to my right, in the direction of this woman's gaze. They would walk over, stand for their portrait and then go back to the group watching the work. The sky was used as the background to keep the images in line with my work from other countries.

After our session we went for a break in order to wait for the afternoon sun. Heading back to town seemed pointless, and we found a secluded spot to hang out until our time arrived. We wanted to give the community some peace and quiet, rather than burdening them with our presence.

In my next entry I will tell the story of our return to the town, and how we managed the breakdown of our truck halfway through the mountain path.

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Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination.

Mursi Man & Cane, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, March, 2012

During my time in Ethiopia, I visited a dozen communities. Each experience had its own feeling, its individual flavor. We only had three weeks to accomplish these visits and so set a limit as to time spent with each, at least until I met the Mursi Community of the Lower Omo Valley.

After one session I knew we would stay put for the next five or so days. In order to photograph them we needed to stay in a nearby town, about one and a half hours away through rough, mountainous terrain. Because we needed to photograph as the light appeared and disappeared, this made it most difficult for our driver. The road up and down the mountain was barely a road, just a path actually. On either side of the mountain were dangerous slopes, easily engaged in pure darkness.

The Mursi live in a national park, and thus are quite remote from any possible accommodations. We arrived one day early because we were seeking a local hospital to take care of my health. Seven days prior to our arrival I had been unable to eat anything substantial, and anything that did go down came back up quickly. I lost perhaps a dozen pounds in less than six days, but continued to work because the energy of the place was irresistible. 

When we arrived to the small town, we visited the local hospital. There were many people already gathered for the attention of one physician, people with issues ranging from broken limbs to pregnancies to infections. I felt quite awkward being there for something so superficial, but knew that I needed this man's help. For the past few days tremors crept in whenever I moved a muscle, and this scared me very much. Every time I would try to stretch out in the truck my muscles would seize, every time I would move in bed while sleeping cramps would set in.

When my time came the doctor and his team saw me without prejudice. In perfect English he went on to explain how he was going to diagnose my ailment. He asked question after question, alleviated my concerns and then made a diagnosis based on his interview. He provided me with two prescriptions to be filled in the pharmacy next door. When we attempted to pay for his services, the doctor refused payment in the kindest of ways and included me in the social contract of the region. My visit alone with this gentle man gave me a sense of peace, and the medicine (for the price of one cup of tea) cured me in one evening. The very next day I was able to eat, and do all else associated with normal bodily functions. Sleep was finally available to me.

So we arrived to this community reinvigorated, and worked from sunrise to sunset. In between we would drive to a secluded spot and have our meals, and chat amongst ourselves. One night we were allowed to sleep near their homes, and thus were given rest between driving back and forth. During this night we set up our tents, and made a dish that included spaghetti and corn. We thought we were alone, but then found ourselves in the company of these good people as they arrived to our campsite with their machine guns in hand. Rather than being alarmed we felt safe, and slept through the night looking forward to the next day. 

While my time in Ethiopia was overall the most difficult photographic experience of my life, it was also amongst the most fulfilling in light of the images made. I do look forward to one day revisiting these communities and being more familiar with their customs, lending a more authentic feeling to our communications. 

halim.ina@gmail.com
Halim Ina Photography

Mursi Boy, Decoration, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, February, 2010

Color film is always with me but old habits usually prevent me from using it. Every once in a while a roll is loaded and a few images are made. Even less frequently it is scanned and reviewed, usually put away for future reference.

This past week a few were scanned and the above image is an example from my visit to Ethiopia in 2010. People warned us about these villages and gave us the impression that photography in my style would be nearly impossible. We heard stories of villagers crowding the cars, at times rocking the vehicles until their demands were met.

The exact opposite was experienced. Sure they wanted to sell their goods in order to make a living. Then again show me one group on this planet doing otherwise. These good people made their own baskets, their own ornaments. They even had a sense of humor about it. The women would ask for my hand in order to show me an ornament. Then they would walk away, too far for me to give it back, asking for payment in return. They would however always take their product back, with the exception of the four purchased by me.

I admire this population greatly, for their lives are extremely difficult. The surroundings even for a few days were most difficult on us. Tourists were amongst them daily, yet they ignored the glitter and glamor that came along with the SUVs and the digital screens.

This young boy carried an ornament rather than the AK-47 that the adults seemed to enjoy. He stood on the bumper of our truck in order to allow us the sky as the background. His portrait was only made in color in light of the white beads present. He allowed me a few exposures and went along his way.

I hope to return and photograph the Mursi Community of the Lower Omo Valley in the near future.

For more of my work, please visit the newly designed website below, courtesy of Patrick Luu.

Halim Ina Photography

Young Girl, Daasanech Community, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, February, 2010

Just like her sister in Cuba in the previous post, she is surrounded by her younger sisters and in a safe place amongst her community. Every hour or so during the busy days a truck carrying tourists stops in the town next to her tiny village. A narrow river divides them from the rest of this area's population. Some tourists reach them from Kenya on the other side of the river, and some cross the river from Ethiopia to reach them. We were part of the latter group.

Upon crossing the river we walked perhaps ten minutes to reach them. We first negotiated with the elders prior to our photography, then rested a bit with some videography before beginning with the photography. It was cloudy so we experimented a bit with some images on the ground. As the sun rose from behind the clouds the girls allowed us to make their portraits standing up.

Although communication through spoken word was impossible for me, the translators needing even their own translator, communication through facial expressions was more than sufficient. Like my friends in Cuba, this young woman reacted as kindly to my gestures. She smiled when teased and never made it seem difficult, nor out of place.

According to Wikipedia:

'The Daasanach are a primarily agropastoral people; they grow sorghum, maize, pumpkins and beans when the Omo river and its delta floods. Otherwise the Daasanach rely on their goats and cattle which give them milk, and are slaughtered in the dry season for meat and hides. Sorghum is cooked with water into a porridge eaten with a stew. Corn is usually roasted, and sorghum is fermented into beer. The Daasanach who herd cattle live in dome-shaped houses made from a frame of branches, covered with hides and woven boxes (which are used to carry possessions on donkeys when the Daasanach migrate). The huts have a hearth, with mats covering the floor used for sleeping. The Dies, or lower class, are people who have lost their cattle and their way of living. They live on the shores of Lake Turkana hunting crocodiles and fishing. Although their status is low because of their lack of cattle, the Dies help the herders with crocodile meat and fish in return for meat.'

'Women are circumcised by removing the clitoris so the form of circumcision is less extreme than some as it leaves room for babies to be born. Women who are not circumcised are called animals or boys and cannot get married or wear clothes. Women wear a pleated cowskin skirt and necklaces and bracelets, they are usually are married off at 17 while men are at 20. Boys are circumcised. Men wear only a checkered cloth around their waist.'

During the session I became quite exhausted and asked to rest for a bit. A few days after this session we would visit a rural hospital and would recuperate nicely. For the time being however we decided to end the photography early and made our way to the truck and back to the shack we would call home for the night. Seizures and fever would be my friends for the evening, and the sound of truckers with their female companions outside as my sonic entertainment.

A few pain/sleeping pills were taken in the hope that the night would end early for me, at least before the mosquitos found their way through the devastated netting. As far as I was concerned, they could feast as they wish as long as I was asleep. In the end they made their way inside,  began their party and then stayed for the night before I found myself asleep. All in all, the young woman above and her friends made this night insignificant. In the future I will hopefully return to this community, with proper mosquito netting in hand.

For more of my work, and to contribute your thoughts regarding this project, please visit the newly designed website below, courtesy of Patrick Luu.

Halim Ina Photography