Surma Woman Wearing A Bead Necklace In Omo Valley, Ethiopia On July 04, 2010 -

ETHIOPIA - JULY 05: Surma woman wearing a bead necklace in Omo valley, Ethiopia on July 04, 2010 - Surma or Suri (as they call themselves) are sedentary pastoral people living in south west of Ethiopia, on the western bank of the Omo River. These breeders’ tribal groups have a cattle centered culture. They breed their cattle, mostly cows, on their traditional lands, located in the Omo Valley. The economy of the Suri is based on breeding and agriculture. The grow cabbage, beans, yams, tobacco and coffee. Cows are tremendously important in Suri culture. They do not see cattle simply as a material asset but as a life sustaining and meaningful companion. Suri even sing songs for them and make fires to warm them. These cows are not bred for their meat and are usually not killed unless they are needed for ceremonial purposes. The Suri very rarely eat the meat of their cows, they actually breed them for their milk and their blood, which they both drink. Cows also have a social and symbolic meaning in Suris society. Suri men are judged on how much cattle they own. In desperate times, Suri men can risk their lives to steal cattle from other tribes. The average male in the Suri tribe owns from 30 to 40 cows. Every young male is named after their cattle, which they have to look after since the age of 8. Men are not allowed to marry until they own 60 cows. Cows are given to the bride’s family after the wedding ceremony. This central role of the cow in their way of life accounts for the fierce independence they want to preserve and explains their warlike culture. Indeed, it’s quite common to see men and even women carrying weapons which are part of the daily life. Their remote homeland has always been a place of traditional rivalries with the neighboring tribes such as the Bume (Nyangatom) or the Toposa who regularly team up to raid the Suris cattle. These fights, and even sometimes battles, have become quite bloody. (Photo by Eric LAFFORGUE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
ETHIOPIA - JULY 05: Surma woman wearing a bead necklace in Omo valley, Ethiopia on July 04, 2010 - Surma or Suri (as they call themselves) are sedentary pastoral people living in south west of Ethiopia, on the western bank of the Omo River. These breeders’ tribal groups have a cattle centered culture. They breed their cattle, mostly cows, on their traditional lands, located in the Omo Valley. The economy of the Suri is based on breeding and agriculture. The grow cabbage, beans, yams, tobacco and coffee. Cows are tremendously important in Suri culture. They do not see cattle simply as a material asset but as a life sustaining and meaningful companion. Suri even sing songs for them and make fires to warm them. These cows are not bred for their meat and are usually not killed unless they are needed for ceremonial purposes. The Suri very rarely eat the meat of their cows, they actually breed them for their milk and their blood, which they both drink. Cows also have a social and symbolic meaning in Suris society. Suri men are judged on how much cattle they own. In desperate times, Suri men can risk their lives to steal cattle from other tribes. The average male in the Suri tribe owns from 30 to 40 cows. Every young male is named after their cattle, which they have to look after since the age of 8. Men are not allowed to marry until they own 60 cows. Cows are given to the bride’s family after the wedding ceremony. This central role of the cow in their way of life accounts for the fierce independence they want to preserve and explains their warlike culture. Indeed, it’s quite common to see men and even women carrying weapons which are part of the daily life. Their remote homeland has always been a place of traditional rivalries with the neighboring tribes such as the Bume (Nyangatom) or the Toposa who regularly team up to raid the Suris cattle. These fights, and even sometimes battles, have become quite bloody. (Photo by Eric LAFFORGUE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Surma Woman Wearing A Bead Necklace In Omo Valley, Ethiopia On July 04, 2010 -
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Credit:
Eric LAFFORGUE / Contributor
Editorial #:
120557542
Collection:
Gamma-Rapho
Date created:
05 July, 2010
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Source:
Gamma-Rapho
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8642
Object name:
RH2112771
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