INTRODUCTION
The Mursi tribe are an indigenous, pastoral and nomadic tribe that live in South-West part of Ethiopia also referred to as the Lower Omo Valley. They are located between the Omo River and its tributary Migore river. They predominantly inhabit the territory locked between South Sudan border to the West, Omo Wenz River to the South, Mago River to the East, and Mt. Nyalībong Korebta to the North (GeorgiBonev,2014). To access the area you enter the Mago National Park. History indicates that the tribe has been around for about 150 to 200 years as a result of the mixing of various nomadic groups. Their language is referred to as “Mursi” and in 2014 it was estimated that there are around 10,000 members of the Mursi Tribe.
Take a close up look of the location of the tribe provided by the maps shown below. Also, to help with a more comprehensive understanding of the nature of this tribe, definition of what pastoralism is and what a pastoral community does, has been provided in the quick facts.
Quick Fact Check : Who are Pastoralists and what is Pastoralism?
Food & Shelter
Sorghum is the staple food for the Mursi tribe. The main reason for sorghum being the main crop is because the grain can last for long periods of time and does not need as much water to grow. The women will usually harvest and grind the sorghum, then make porridge over firewood and serve as a meal. For the purpose of entertainment the men may make “Sorghum Beer” must be an equivalent to the malt beer that is sold in the urban areas. They also eat other foods such as maize, and vegetables plus “beef” from their cattle. As mentioned earlier Mursi are pastrolists and these type of tribes, keep cattle in large numbers and the cattle symbolises a lot of things other than a source of food ; such as wealth, power, a means of exchange/trade, dowry etc.
The Mursi tribe have their houses deep in the bush, surrounded by wild animals, and only made of sticks and cow dung with thatched roofs. These houses are referred to as “Doris”. . The entrances are only waist-level high so that large wild animals cannot enter, and at night they block the doorway with piles thorny acacia branches for safety. The Mursi move every 9 to 18 months to discover greener pastures for their cattle.Hence the reason why the structures are not permanent as they move ever so often due to their nomadic lifestyle. Once somewhere suitable is found, usually under a tree for shadow, they build villages from mud huts covered in dry grass .
Mursi Tribe House, Mago National Park
Religion & Traditions
The religion of the Mursi is considered as animism and they worship a higher power by the name “Tumwi “(God) and the Priest who is referred to as “Komoru” lead the tribe in prayers and sacrifices and acts as an intermediary between the blessings of the people and “Tumwi”. It is said that more and more Mursi are converting to Christians after Missionaries have been visiting and spreading Christianity.
As for traditions both men and women decorate their faces and body using paint. This is done for aesthetic appeal and combat. They live with wild animals and hence have numerous encounters. The men are also known to scar their left shoulder as they grow older as a sign of warrior-hood. Usually nudity is not uncommon but men may at times wrap their lower bodies with colourful clothings and women still often use skin. Mursi people decorate their bodies with colourful beads and horns plus teeth from wild animals that they may have hunted and killed. Body tattoos are also found on both men and women and they look quite good, take a look below 🙂
There is also a famous tradition known as the “Donga” stick fighting which is a rare and somewhat brutal event. It happens only once a year that is why it is quite difficult to be in attendance. It may be sheer luck to get to visit when it is happening. The tradition holds a big honour in the village and the men who win are considered champions and could even become chief plus prospects of a great wife are much higher.
Lip Plates “dhebi a tugoin” – Mursi Women
The women wear the lip-plates that have made the Mursi tribe quite popular all around the world. It is a major tourist attraction and there is a fee for photographs taken of the women with their lip-plates. They are beautiful but a true definition of beauty is pain.
Why do the women wear Lip Plates (dhebi a tugoin)?
The Mursi and two other tribes Chai and Timma are known to still have their women wearing large pottery or wooden discs or ‘plates’ in their lower lips. They tradtionally referred to it as “dhebi a tugoin” Many people are always fascinated some disturbed others perplexed by the tradition of the lip-plates that are worn by the Mursi women. Depends on your ability to understand how dynamic this world can get..
At the age of 15 or 16 girls get their lower lip cuts by their mothers (sometimes) but mostly designated guardian who understands the process within the settlement. Thereafter, the lips are left to heal while being held by a wooden plug. The healing process may take up to 3 months, and the girl may decide how far she would like it stretched. This can be done by inserting various larger plugs over the period. It sounds quite scary, (I know), I got goosebumps writing this. The good side is, it is a choice of the girl to pierce their lips and it is not forced procedure, however, from peer pressure some go ahead and do it. The healing is done with help of traditional herbal ointments. Once healing is complete then its is easy and can be enjoyed. The speech is slightly affected as now the “s” sound now comes out as a soft “th” sound.
Let’s look at the significance of this tradition:
- Lip-plates are worn as a sign of Beauty by the Mursi Tribe especially they consider the bigger the better
- Some sources say that the lip-plates were also used to make the Mursi women un-attractive to slave traders so that they are not captured for slavery.
- Sense of identity and sense of belonging
This brings us to the end of yet another unique journey through Africa , I hope you have learnt a number of new things and if you get the opportunity, do visit the Lower Omo Valley and witness the unique Mursi Tribe.
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