Painted faces, scarred bodies, wooden guns and extravagant headdresses: Amazing photographs reveal the lost world of the Omo tribes of Ethiopia | Mail Online.
- Incredible photographs allow a glimpse into the lost world of the Omo tribes
- Some 200,000 people live peacefully and close to nature in one of the most far flung, yet beautiful parts of the world
- Photographs published in new book ‘Natural Fashion: Tribal Decoration from Africa’
By Lucy Crossley
16 March 2013
With large eyes staring out behind his brilliantly painted face this young child is a proud member of one of east Africa’s most fascinating tribal groups.
His face decorated with coloured clay and a crown of greenery topping his little head, the youngster belongs to one of the tribes living in the remote Omo Valley, tucked away beyond the towns and cities of modern life.
This incredible set of pictures allows a glimpse into the lost world of the Omo tribes, who live peacefully and close to nature in one of the most far flung, yet beautiful parts of the world.
Proud: With his painted face and crown of greenery this child is a proud member of one of the tribes who call the Omo Valley in Ethipia home
Camouflaged: A group of children disguise themselves with vegetation for a hunting trip near their African home
Sharp shooter: A young boy plays with a wooden gun. Although the tribes’ rustic lifestyles are far removed from modern towns and cities influences have crept in
Ritual: The tribes people’s way of life is largely untouched by modernity
Intricate: This young child is shown with intricate face paint, a bright red flower in his mouth and strings of hand-strung beads
The tribes people’s way of life is largely untainted by modern life, although the extent to which some of the bleaker elements of civilisation are creeping into their world is apparent in another photograph in which a young boy, his body and face decorated with clay paint poses proudly with a toy gun made of wood.
The incredible photographs which capture the way of life for the 200,000 tribal people who call the lower Omo Valley home were taken by photographer Hans Silvester and have been published in a new book: ‘Natural Fashion: Tribal Decoration from Africa’, published by Thames and Hudson.
The book highlights the ways of the Omo tribes who live close to nature with their painted faces, scarified bodies and extravagant headdresses with plants and feathers cleverly combined.
Incredible: The photographs have been published in a new book: ‘Natural Fashion: Tribal Decoration from Africa’, published by Thames and Hudson
Illustrated: The book highlights the ways of the Omo tribes who live close to nature with their painted faces, scarified bodies and extravagant headdresses with plants and feathers cleverly combined
Intricate: Some of the tribes people decorate their faces and bodies with coloured clay as often as three times a day
A flower in your hair: This youngster sports a floral headdress and a brightly painted face and body
Traditional: A woman with her face painted in white circles wears a crown of dried corn and a mouth plate
Their painted bodies and intricate headdresses combine as what photographer Mr Silvester described as ‘a kind of coquetry, seduction, pride and celebration’.
Many of the indigenous people living in the valley decorate their faces and bodies with coloured clay as many as three times a day.
The Omo Valley is renowned as being one of the most unique places on earth because of the wide variety of people and animals that inhabit it.
Located in Africa’s Great Rift Valley, the region is known for its culture and diversity.
Famous: The Omo Valley is renowned as being one of the most unique places on earth because of the wide variety of people and animals that inhabit it
Decorative: The tribe members often fashion their beautiful headdresses out of flowers
Celebration: Photographer Hans Silvestre described the paint and head dresses worn by his subjects as a ‘kind of coquetry, seduction, pride and celebration’
At play: These two children both wear headdresses and clothing made from plants, as well as having their bodies painted
The tribes that live in the lower Omo Valley are believed to be among the most fascinating on the continent of Africa and around the world.
Among the numerous different tribes are Arbore, Ari, Bena, Bodi, Bumi, Daasanech, Dorze, Hamer, Kara, Konso, Kwegu, Mursi, Tsemay, and Turkana people.
Tours are offered of the region, which is so remote that it does not even show up on GPS devices.
Climbing high: A young boy, his face decorated with a large red cross and naked apart from his grassy headdress climbs a tree
Hidden: A youngster clings to a tree in the region which is so remote it can not even be found on a GPS device
Standing proud: On older member of one tribe forgoes body paint in favour of an animal skin to cover his head
Tribal: This man wears a traditional mouth plate with his straw-covered beaded headdress
Secret: Despite his painted body this man manages to blend in amongst the Ethiopian vegetation
Balancing act: A young child balances a branch laden with seed pods
Taking the plunge: A child takes a dip in the waters of the Omo river
Two of a kind: Two children from one of the Omo tribes which populate the remote Omo Valley in Ethiopia
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