SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA PART V - HAMAR

The Hamar occupy a mountainous, dry region in the eastern part of the Lower Omo Valley. They have an agro-livestock connection and bring their surplus agricultural products and livestock to surrounding markets. Hamar women are some of the most elaborately dressed women of the region. Their goatskin skirts are almost always decorated with coloured glass beads. The front of the skirt is edged with beads or pieces of metal whose weight increases at the top of the triangle and causes the skirt to always fall between their legs, thus protecting their decency. The back of the skirt is longer and strongly resembles the tail of a gazelle. They wear distinctive metal necklaces, called esente, which are never taken off. The statuus of a married woman is indicated by a third necklace of leather and metal that also has a distinctive detail protruding from the front. They also wear a profusion of metal bracelets on their arms and legs. Their hair is thoroughly covered with grease and red ochre. The hairstyle worn denotes age and statue. Elaborate plaits denote a married woman. While flattened hair with little tufts is worn by young girls. In comparison male decoration is much simpler with the exception of complicated hairstyles denoting their status within the age system.

The Hamar are best known globally for the male passage rite of "leaping over the bulls" which determines his readiness to make the social jump from youth to adulthood and for the responsibilities of marriage and raising a family. Leading up to this ceremony is the controversial whipping of the young man's female relatives. Perceived by most Hamar women as a badge of honor, the young women taunt the "maz" who use long whips to inflict scars on their backs and arms. John and I felt strongly that we couldn't condone that brutality by paying to see it take place and declined to see the ceremony. But, we did see a video of it. The government of Ethiopia has been trying unsuccessfully to ban the practice,

In a wonderful book,"Touching Ethiopia", the author writes:"The Hamar are a suprising people, not only for their original external appearance but also because they are reserved but polite, quiet but happy, simple but proud, austere but sympathetic, peaceful but arrogant." My impression echoes the writer's. They possess a very interesting combination of traits. Unlike the unpredictable, savageness of the Mursi people, the Hamar live peaceably and synergistically with their neighbors.

Pictures: Beautiful married Hamar woman; Elder Hamar man carrying his combination stool/headrest; Married Hamar woman sewing cowrie shells onto a girdle belt; Hamar woman with scars inflicted by the whips of the "maz" during her brother's coming of age bull leaping ceremony; Hamar woman selling cocks at the Hamar market; Hamar women vendors selling ochre at the Hamar market; Hamar women and children in a small Hamar village.