In the sprawling, desolate are that is the Southern Omo region of Ethiopia there exist several tribal groups that continue to live lives of voluntary isolation from the modern world, living as intact cultures as the have for centuries. Recently, however, the tribes that inhabit the area-the Dessanech, Mursi, Hamar, Karo, Bume, Surma, Beshada and Erbore amongst others, have come under increasing pressure from the outside world. Severe drought and the massive influx of automatic weapons from numerous regional conflicts have combined to intensify pastoralist conflicts and decimate wildlife resourses. And now, most recently, there is huge damming project on the Omo River, set to provide hydroelectric power to Ethiopias capital Addis Abada. This will lessen to the flow of the Omo River to one fifth of its size and remove forever the flood plain so valuable to Omo Valley tribal farmers for its fertille agricaltural potential. A geographically distant government in Addis Abada appears to place little importance on the threat to these unique Omo Valley cultures and at this point it appears inevitable that the days of their existence as intact cultures are numbered.

The Dassanech people in the Lower Omo Valley:

The Karo people in the Omo Valley:

A teenage Hamar girl in the Omo Valley:

The Hamar people in the Omo Valley:

The Karo people in a traditional dance ceremony with both men and women in the Omo Valley, South West Ethiopia:

The Beshadar people, closely related to the Hamar tribe, in a traditional bull-jumping ceremony in the Omo Valley, South West Ethiopia:

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