THE KARA TRIBE IS RICH IN CULTURE AND TRADITIONS
While under some of these wraps around the Kara tribe mens waists there’s NIKE and FILA shorts, this Ethiopian Omo Valley tribe remains rich on culture and tradition.
OMO VALLEY PHOTOGRAPHY TOURS OFTEN INCLUDE VISITING THE KARA TRIBE
The Kara tribe is one of the unique tribes that are often included on Omo Valley photography tour itineraries. There are only three Kara tribe villages in total and they live along the banks of the Omo River in Southern Ethiopia in the South Omo Zone (formally part of the SNNPR).
This African tribe is known as both the Karo tribe and Kara tribe. The pronunciation is Kara. Like many words in Ethiopia when they are translated in English language there are variations to the spelling.
Kara tribe girl
The Kara tribe culture includes wearing beaded necklaces of various colours.
KARA TRIBE BODY PAINTING
The Kara tribe culture includes body painting. The men are often seen wearing body paint all over their bodies, whereas the girls and women only do face painting. Some of the women in the Kara tribe use the same pattern of face painting on their faces. All individual to the woman, but when I’ve visited over many times it is not uncommon to see some of them with their same face paint pattern that I’ve seen them have before. The men still paint in a more traditional style as seen in the portraits below.
You’ll notice that the man with the feather in his hair also has a ball of tobacco on top of his ear. This is really popular especially in the Kara Korcho village. Both men and women chew it and then keep it for later behind/above their ear.
KARA TRIBE FACE PAINTING
The designs of the younger girls are generally more detailed, but it really just depends on how they’re feeling the day they do it. They crush some of the mud/rock and mix it with water to create the paint for their body art. Face painting is part of the Kara tribe culture and when they have some ceremonies you’ll see many men and women with body (men) and face (women) painting.
KARO TRIBE WOMEN
Groups of Kara tribe women are often seen sitting together, talking and laughing throughout the villages. Beaded necklaces and embellishments are highly regarded in most of the Omo Valley tribes and the Kara tribe is no different. The Karo tribe are one of the well known Ethiopian tribes due to their face and body painting and location of their village along the banks of the iconic Omo River.
The Kara village of Korcho has a population of around 2000
Many of the Kara tribe women have piercings in the skin below their lower lip. This is individual fashion preference and i’ve seen a variety of things in this piercing such as nails, flowers, metal a string of beads and wood to name just a few. You can see from the photo below the location of the piercing below the lips.
For those that have visited the Kara tribe village of Korcho (which is the most visited of the three Kara villages) there’s a few faces that will be quite familiar. Mrs ‘B’ pictured above and below I have got to spend quite a bit of time with over the years. We always have a laugh and she is always ready to have her photo taken.
Omo Valley Photography tour
Behind the scenes of photographer Jayne McLean taking photos in Kara tribe village of Korcho.
While some of the women and children stay in the village around their homes during the day, many spend their days at their farmland which is only a short walk along the river. The older children help with the crops and the younger children and babies aren’t far from their mother. As the sun sets the women and children walk back to the main village and their homes.
Like most African tribes the women and children look after the daily chores of their homes. The women in the photos below is drying an animal skin. I love that the man in the background in the first photo is using his mobile phone, yet the women is following traditional practises. The mix of traditions, cultures with the more modern world is well and truly noticeable in villages like the Kara tribe village of Korcho.
When visiting the Kara tribe on an Omo Valley photography tour you can get some great photos inside their homes. Especially if they are cooking. There are certain homes tourists are welcome to visit. However, these are not set up for tourists, they are just families that like to welcome tourists into their homes.
During the heat of the day there’s not much activity in these tribal villages in Southern Ethiopia. These women and children were relaxing in the shade and sharing the local beer. The women invited us to sit with them and I enjoyed playing with the babies and having a laugh with the women. It is moments like these without rushing and a time limit that I love about how I travel.
The local beer is shared by passing this container around. The women with children and babies usually sit together and likewise around the village there are groups of men that sit and drink together.
THE TRADITIONAL DRESS OF THE KARA TRIBE
With the Ethiopian tribes the traditional clothes are made from animal skins. The individuals that wear them can decorate and embellish them how they wish. Some traditional tribal dresses are kept quite plain and others have all sorts of items attached from shells, beads, keyring and bottle tops.
KARA TRIBE BULL JUMPING CEREMONIES
The Kara tribe is one of the Ethiopian tribes that’s traditions include the bull jumping ceremony. A coming of age ceremony for the boys which the Hamer and Banna tribe both do too. However, the Kara tribes bull jumping ceremonies are only usually done once a year with 20-30 boys participating in the ceremony. The women are whipped in a similar way to the Hamer and Banna ceremonies, but the whipping has less significance and occurs over 3-5 days, but is not as harsh. This is why you see so many scars on the backs of the Hamer women and not the Kara.
A Kara tribe man ready for his bull jumping ceremony
Due to the Kara tribe not doing regular bull jumping ceremonies the ages of the boy and men range quite significantly. Not all Kara tribe men do this coming of age ceremony. It depends on the boys family and also his preferences. In this photo above this Kara tribe man is wearing no beads or accessories and has the animal skin hanging from his clothes. This shows he is ready for his bull jumping ceremony.
MARRIED CULTURE AND TRADITIONS IN THE KARA TRIBE
In the Kara tribe when a man has got married after his bull jumping ceremony the top part of one of his ears is cut off. This indicates he is married and is like a wedding ring. If a man gets married without the bull jumping ceremony he doesn’t cut the top part of his ear off. It is a now a choice for the Kara man to go ahead with the traditional culture in this way.
This Kara tribe man on the right has the cut ear indicating he is married
The first wife of the bull jumper is chosen by his family but they dont usually know which girl it is until after their ceremony. The second wife the man can choose and the girl he wished to marry cannot say no to being his wife.
The Kara first wife has two bracelets above the elbow. The second and consecutive Kara tribe wives have no significant bracelets or necklaces.
THE PHOTO BELOW SHOWS THE CUT EAR OF THIS KARA TRIBE MAN
THE kara tribe have OTHER SIGNIFICANT TRIBAL CEREMONIES
I have been incredibly honoured with being welcomed to an awe-inspiring intertribal peace ceremony with two Omo Valley Tribes. I dont write much detailed information about certain experiences as I want them to stay precious and not effected negatively by tourism. However, the most incredible African tribal ceremony I have been to was a three day ceremony which involved the Kara tribe and a neighbouring tribe. It was full of respect, learning, peace and celebrations. The celebrations included hundreds of gun shots, lots of chanting and singing and the biggest traditional barbecue you could ever imagine!
THIS SIGNIFICANT AFRICAN CEREMONY WENT FOR 3 DAYS. THE BBQ IS BEING PREPARED AND COOKED AND THE WARRIORS WITH THEIR GUNS ARE HUDDLED AROUND A SYMBOLIC OX’S HEAD.
Tribal ceremony in the Omo Valley, Ethiopia
I have some unbelievable stories about my time during the days of this Ethiopian tribal ceremony. I tell these stories in person to provide the correct context and understanding. Day 3 it was myself and our private tour guest at the ceremony location and even now when we talk about this experience together we cannot believe what we saw, witnessed and experienced.
Day 3 of this astonishing and unforgettable tribal ceremony
On day 2 there are seven goats that are killed, cooked and shared amongst the males…from elders through to the young boys. This is done during a symbolic ceremony with elders sharing their knowledge and warriors providing support with chanting and gunfire. Again, I was fortunate to not only be the only “farenji” but also the only female. Unforgettable and unbelievable are not even close to the words of being in the presence of such a special ritual.
Traditional BBQ at Omo Valley tribal ceremony
KARA TRIBE MEN
SANDALS MADE FROM RECYCLED TYRES
The shoes the men are wearing in the two photos below are popular with the Omo Valley Tribes. They are made from recycled tyres. You can see them being made in Konso (Konso is a town between Arbaminch and the Omo Valley) at workshops along the side of the main road. They can be purchased at the tribal markets throughout the Omo Valley. They are very tough and long lasting.
BORKOTA IS THE TRADITIONAL WOODEN SEAT AND HEADREST IN ETHIOPIA
Both the men above are sitting on a traditional wooden seat which also doubles as a pillow or headrest. They are quite small but vary in shapes and sizes. In the photos above the men are sitting on round seats, but the Kara tribe and Dassanech tribe are two of the Ethiopian tribes that often make longer Barkotas too like in the photos below.
This man made a Borkota while I was camping in the Kara tribe village. He was making it for our chef to sit on and it was incredible watching him carve it so skilfully. I’ve seen men carve these wooden seats and headrests before, but not from start to finish like this one.
The wooden Borkota is a very popular item in the Omo Valley. The majority of men in the Omo Valley Tribes hold their Borkota and take it everywhere with them. They can be personalised with patterns and often have a leather handle or thin, long leather pieces attached for ease of carrying. You can buy these traditional stools and pillows in villages and at the Omo Valley tribal markets.
The photo below shows Carl demonstrating how to use Borkota as a pillow or headrest. Carl wanted an old Borkota that had been used and he purchased a beautiful one in Dimeka on his Omo Valley photography tour with us.
CULTURAL CONNECTIONS WITH THE ETHIOPIA AND KENYAN TRIBES
One of the many wonderful things I love about spending time in tribe villages in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania is seeing similarities in traditions, lifestyles and culture. Whilst all are unique with many differences, there are many times we see cultural connections that the tribes themselves are not aware of. For example when we visited the Pokot tribe in Kenya we enjoyed telling the Pokot men about how the Omo Valley tribal men also use the same wooden carved seat and how in Ethiopia it is called the Borkota. We show them videos of each other and they absolutely love learning about other tribes and people. In Kenya, the Pokot tribe call the wooden seat Nachar (spelt phonetically).
The men in the Omo Valley Tribes usually walk everywhere with their Borkota and either a long stick or gun or both.
This Kara tribe man has a belt of shiny bullets. On his belt is also his knife which is in a pouch made from animal skin. They can get their knives sharpened or buy new knives from the blacksmiths.
The bullet belts are highly desired and worn for status and fashion throughout the Omo Valley. You mostly see the men of the Hamer, Banna and Kara tribes wear the bullet belts in this way. Some men that wear them have the bullets and no guns, and some have both. Whilst some men that have guns have no bullets.
Is it safe to visit the Omo Valley TRIBES in ethiopia?
There are lots of guns in the Omo Valley but it does not mean it is not safe. It is usually safe to travel to Ethiopias Omo Valley Tribes. The guns are generally used to protect their cattle and for status. They are mostly used in ceremonies (like an intertribal peace keeping ceremony I was honoured to have been welcomed to).
Of course it is tribal law and tribal conflicts do and can occur. However, most of the time most tribes are at peace and when there are times of conflict tourists and visitors need to respect what is happening and stay away. I often mention how important it is to travel to tribal areas with the right people and the right tours. Dont take unnecessary risks and travel with people that the tribes and local guides respect.
KARA TRIBE MEN PORTRAITS WITH GUNS
I have been travelling to the Omo Valley for many years and never felt unsafe. At times there are tribes or villages that shouldn’t be visited and tourists need to have trust in their tour team to make the right decisions and to travel responsibly in these areas. Of course accidents can happen anywhere in the world but I definitely wouldn’t be travelling to Southern Ethiopia if I thought it was not safe.
The Kara tribe are friendly and have a great sense of humour. I always have a great time when visiting their villages in the South Omo Zone, Ethiopia
KARA TRIBE LANGUAGE
The language of the Kara tribe has similarities with the Hamer tribe and Banna/Bena tribe and they can understand each other better than many other Omo Valley Tribes. However, the only word that I can always understand that they both say the same is SMILE! They both use the same word for smile and being a photographer that is a word I can always recognise in their tribal languages.
I always love capturing people and their personalities on my Omo Valley photography tours and the Kara tribal people are full of smiles, laughter and joy with many of them having a great sense of humour and loving a good joke with a bit of mischief!
KARA TRIBE BOYS AND GIRLS
There is a mix of tradition and modern in the Kara tribe but one thing you will always see is the happiness and freedom of the children that live here. Their daily lives are mostly traditional, except that there is a school in two of the villages so they now get an education. You will see some children wearing modern clothes and many of the older children and adults have mobile phones. However, the responsibilities, chores and majority of their days are spent in their traditional way.
Many of the children in the Omo Valley Tribes have a lot of responsibility from a young age. Just like most of Ethiopia. However, they are surrounded by wonderful communities and have valued connections to the land and their people.
THE KARA TRIBE ARE NOT THE “FLOWER TRIBE”
The Kara tribe sometimes will put flowers on their heads, but they are not the tribe known as the Ethiopian “flower tribe” which is the Suri tribe. The Suri tribe are not in the South Omo Zone, but in the more remote West Omo Zone in South West Ethiopia. There are links about the Suri tribe at the bottom of this post.
Kara tribe boys with flowers on their heads
KARA TRIBE PORTRAITS
The Kara villages are in beautiful locations and you can get some awesome tribal portraits. Here’s some Kara tribe portraits showing the piercing below their lips, face painting, traditional dress, balls of tobacco tucked above their ears and traditional hairstyles.
BEHIND THE SCENES ON AN OMO VALLEY PHOTO TOUR
Whilst we do take portraits of the Kara tribe next to the Omo River, we also spend quality time in the villages on our Omo Valley photography tours. This is myself, Mule and our tour guests Sue and Carl on their Ethiopian photo tour with the Kara tribe men.
The photos below show more behind the scenes from my Omo Valley photography tours with Kara tribe.
Andrew is in the photos above and joined me in Ethiopia on a private Omo Valley photography tour. You can see Andrews photography website by CLICKING HERE
SHARING THE JOY ON A TRIBAL PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR
The Lower Omo Valley attracts many tourists and photographers. I love spending time in these wonderful Ethiopian villages and watching the joy and delight when they take photos. Not only do they enjoy it, but they also get a better understanding of what photographers do and why. When they learn about using the camera they better understand why people come and take photos and the happiness the photos can bring.
To find out more about the Kara tribe and camping in their village CLICK HERE
To see where the Kara tribe is on an Omo Valley map CLICK HERE
To find out more about the Ethiopian SURI tribe the “flower tribe” CLICK HERE
