John and I visited several open air markets while traveling in Southern Ethiopia. Our first market was the "Benna Market", located in the village of KeyAfer (red earth). Every Thursday, the Benna, Tsemay and Erbore people bring their goods to market. Almost everyone walks to market carrying their foodstuffs, crafts, clothing, housewares, pottery, gourd containers or fabric. A few travel by bus or truck. As we approached the town, we saw many people carrying large heavy loads, walking towards town. The market starts at noon, allowing time for the vendors to make their way to KeyAfer. They come from their villages up to 50 kilometers away. They also bring any extra livestock and sell it at a nearby market. And, then before sundown, they start the treck back to their villages laden with their market buys.
Market day is the time to dress up, socialize, and purchase or barter for necessary supplies. One of the more interesting sights were the women who carry a wooden bowl used to drink water or eat from by turning it upside down and wearing it as a hat. Some tribes wear westernized clothing, others like the Benna dress traditionally.
Benna females of all ages wear highly decorated hide skirts, swirling collars of cowrie shells, and cover their arms and legs with multiple bracelets. Almost all of the materials used for decoration are natural except for the metal and glass beads acquired from far places thanks to a chain of markets connecting the Lower Omo region with the outside world. The cowrie shells come from the Indian Ocean and Red Sea. The hairstyle changes with your age generation. Young women partially shave their heads and wear beaded headbands. Older women ochre and plait their hair into a dutch boy style. Traditionally dressed Benna males wear feathers on their partially shaved heads, carry walking sticks and wear a miniskirt made of colorful cloth. Whether wearing traditional clothing or not, the typical Southern Ethiopian, male or female, wears sandles made out of old tires.
Pictures: Older Benna woman; John with two young Benna girls; KeyAfar "Benna Market" scene with golden jerry cans used to carry water all over Africa; A vendors blanket filled with traditional clothing, jewelry and crafts.
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